Copepods culture, I'm trying but failing

[Rick's Reviews]

I have all necessary equipment for cultivation of copepods and it just seems like I am just keeping them alive, they are not breeding?
I have budget style 2 X sweet shop containers at a guess Maybe 2 liters each max, I have bubble maker that constantly provides air to both containers, my first container I added 4x bags of copepods and second container ready to move into, salinity is 1025 and pre mixed ready, I'm still buying 10x copepods bags for my inhabitants but, never thought copepods will be harder than aquarium lol,
I feed seachem phyto plankton and spirulia powder from artemia breeding box

 

[The Farmer]

I would try a different phytoplankton, like algea barn ocean magic or other live phytoplankton

 

[Sarlindescent]

I started my culture around 1 month ago. I feed live phyto (nanno) and occasionally phytofeast. It did take around 2 weeks before I could see a change shining a flashlight from back to front. Now, I can see several of the adults from the overhead light. I did add microbacter 7 when I started the culture. My second culture is following the same schedule. Water is 1.025. Tisbe pods only. Temp stays around 73f.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

From photos provided I assume you use taps to remove waste and pods stay at top towards light?

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Do they breed, I have mine setup for nearly 2months

 

[Sarlindescent]

Pods come out the tap as well. I bought a 2" siphon stack on Amazon. I should have bought the 4" since the 2 clogs too fast with pods. I generally turn up the air a bit before I siphon it to suspend the waste, but I don't focus on removing 100% of the waste. Pods don't require a sterile environment, so you can get away with at least a bit of build-up. I would thing as long as the culture doesn't smell like ammonia, you should be good.

 

[Sarlindescent]

And yes they breed. Which pods did you start the culture with? Tisbe breed rapidly, but are quite small and difficulttosee withthenaked eye. You have to focus for a minute to see full grown adults.

In this photo with overhead (culture) light, you can barely see the adults.

This photo is with a flashlight over the culture pointing back to front. You can clearly see tons more pods. Same cultural, pics taken a minute apart.


Tiger pods are much larger and breed slower. Think its like 1 month until they start breeding.

An additional tip i hward was to seed a tank with the younger pods and put the adults back in the culture so they keep breeding. I put 3/4 of the adults back and 1/4 in the sump.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would suggest live nanno if you can get it, algae barn live phyto feast is a good alternative thats available anywhere.

maybe post a pic of your set up? You describe it the way that I do it, you are doing it the right way. You are probably doing just one small thing wrong, once it gets corrected you'll be fine.

 

[ying yang]

Video from @atoll who in Wales.
Saltwater in clear container in garden with banana peel then freezes over in winter and starts back up on its own the next summer apparently.
So super super simple and soon we going get our super scorchio summer weather here in sunny england/ britain/UK wherever you are ha ha

I not cultivated pods but thought worth sharing this video of his ^_^

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Thank you all for great advice, I will definitely upgrade and try various methods
Please forgive my setup.. it is just basic and crude @LordofCinder just two sweet containers, air pump and cheap light, this area is normally full sun hence why no proper light

@ying yang thank you for video share, do you think this would work with polystyrene shipment containers (photos attached) or better plastic to allow light through

I think my water is not very green so maybe I am not feeding enough or is this algae I'm missing?
I have 10x 100ml pods on the way, so I will create setup outside (why banana skin out of curiosity) and try this method

Thank you so much

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I dont have a light for my pod cultures, ambient lighting is fine for them. I dont think its a problem with your set up, its similar to mine, crude and basic works very well.

I agree, maybe add a little more food, my cultures are all lightly tinted green. Abundant food triggers reproduction, scarce food triggers survival instinct (IMO)

 

[ying yang]

Sorry I am unsure if a polystyrene box will do or not.
I would think that a translucent box to let natural sunlight in would be much better,and as its old dt tank water ( saltwater) in it then it going need a lid so rainwater doesnt get in it and dilute the water to freshwater over time as it overflows if no lid so maybe polystyrene box would do but with a see through lid on it,guessing need some air holes in side near top,but I've never done it so unsure of the ins and outs of the method unfortunately.
If any questions maybe ask @atoll as he nice friendly knowledgeable guy who sure wouldn't mind answering any questions you .aye have,he probably made a thread on it also which would have more Information in it I would of thought

 

[ying yang]

More pods.

My outside pod culture has exploded. I have millions of pods following on from last year. I will have live pods to feed until late summer at least now. So easy to culture nothing could be easier. All that's needed is a container, I use one of those under bed storage boxes, old tank water,a leaf...

www.reef2reef.com

Just found this thread about pods from atoll that he made ,maybe someone asked him question like yours and answer in thread, even if not there maybe some helpful Information in the thread which may help you.
Good luck ^_^

Edit: just had quick read,in post 10 in thread, he mentioned uses no cover, ( maybe has it under a porch so rain water doesn't go in it,causing it to overflow all the time,as rains alot in Britain ha ha.
He did also say use tap water ir better still ,use rain water for top up for evaporation

 

[atoll]

More pods.

My outside pod culture has exploded. I have millions of pods following on from last year. I will have live pods to feed until late summer at least now. So easy to culture nothing could be easier. All that's needed is a container, I use one of those under bed storage boxes, old tank water,a leaf...

www.reef2reef.com

Just found this thread about pods from atoll that he made ,maybe someone asked him question like yours and answer in thread, even if not there maybe some helpful Information in the thread which may help you.
Good luck ^_^

Edit: just had quick read,in post 10 in thread, he mentioned uses no cover, ( maybe has it under a porch so rain water doesn't go in it,causing it to overflow all the time,as rains alot in Britain ha ha.
He did also say use tap water ir better still ,use rain water for top up for evaporation

My poly box is out in the open. Rain water being lighter than sea water means lots of it will stay on the surface and run off. I do occasionally add more old tank water but I never check the SG of the poly box. Pods are very forgiving of SG it seems. My poly box is now bursting with pods and the water is still green. I am harvesting some of them every few days.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

This is honestly brilliant and all very helpful, thank you, I will feed my interior more and I have got a plastic tub ready to try externally

 

[Sarlindescent]

My poly box is out in the open. Rain water being lighter than sea water means lots of it will stay on the surface and run off. I do occasionally add more old tank water but I never check the SG of the poly box. Pods are very forgiving of SG it seems. My poly box is now bursting with pods and the water is still green. I am harvesting some of them every few days.

Noticed you are in Wales. What are your outdoor temps like when the setup is working? Also, what are the swings hi-low for the day. Seems interesting, but by me, it can be mid 50s-low 60s F at night and high 80s- low 90s by day. I would thing a 30f degree swing per day would have negative impacts.

 

[atoll]

Noticed you are in Wales. What are your outdoor temps like when the setup is working? Also, what are the swings hi-low for the day. Seems interesting, but by me, it can be mid 50s-low 60s F at night and high 80s- low 90s by day. I would thing a 30f degree swing per day would have negative impacts.

Yes in North Wales very North Wales as in a couple of miles only from the Wirral and Cheshire so hardly any different temperature wise to England.
I have no idea of temperature or fluctuation as I have never had a temperature issue cultivating pods outside. My containers only get a few hours of direct sunlight each day. That's enough to turn my water green and in turn feed my pods

 

[atoll]

Quick scoop of pods with my fine net in my pod cultivating container this afternoon.
The fish love them.

 

[JohnA26]

Quick scoop of pods with my fine net in my pod cultivating container this afternoon.
The fish love them.

Hello, is it really that simple to grow pods, tank water, 3 inch of banana skin and a bottle of pods? No air stone or filter action? Does the size of container matter and temperature of water? Would in my garage work?

 

[atoll]

Hello, is it really that simple to grow pods, tank water, 3 inch of banana skin and a bottle of pods? No air stone or filter action? Does the size of container matter and temperature of water? Would in my garage work?

Yep very easy as per my video.
It needs light for the algae to grow so you woul have.put a light over it in a garage.
Mine only gets a couple of hours of direct sunlight the rest of the time it's in the shade of the house.
I don't bother about temperature but I guess if it got too much sun the temperature might become too much but I have never had that problem.