I have both the M (for pods) and S (for tetra phyto) up and running for about 5 months. My startup phyto and f2 fertilizer both came from Mercer & my startup pods were the 5280 from AlgaeBarn. Inital phyto was harvested after 1 month & my first pod culture was after 2 months. Now I harvest phyto weekly and pods every other week. I have an 850 liter mixed reef and wanted to increase biodiversity and the pod population for coral and fish food (but no dragonets or any other fish that depend on pods... yet). After harvesting the phyto, I set aside enough to reseed the S about 1/3rd. I sterilize the S container and lid by spraying it with 3% hydrogen peroxide & letting it sit for 15+ mins before rinsing it out with RODI water. I then add the 1/3rd phyto, 2/3rds 1.020 fresh saltwater, and 1ml of f2. After 1 week, I add an additional 1ml of f2. So far--but still early in the game--no crashes. I'm far less worried about a sterile environment for the M after harvesting pods & I'm starting to believe that some of the waste left at the bottom of the container actually helps increase the population growth of pods. After harvest and reseed, I find myself adding 10ml or so of phyto every other day. When the M water level rises above the max level line, I use a turkey baster to harvest some of the swimming pods and dump them right into the aquarium. Like others that have commented, I concur that the M and S pumps are a little noisy; I'll probably bypass them sometime soon. Overall, I'm satisfied with the setup. A bit pricey given the amount of phyto and pods that are harvested, but the setup is clean-looking and minimalist on space needed, which for me were big plusses.
