Culturing live food

[Diehard reefing]

I really want to start culturing live foods such as pods and different type of plankton. What kind of setup should I get and how do I go about culturing TIA

 

[ihavecrabs]

This thread has some good information for you. I culture brine shrimp with a no-tech kit from amazon and it works amazing and separates the brine from the eggs for you. I also feed white worms although my last culture died after a year, I need to order more but no while it is so cold since they won't make shipping.

I really want to start culturing live foods such as pods and different type of plankton. What kind of setup should I get and how do I go about culturing TIA

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/live-food-discussion-thread.323222/

 

[lapin]

There are many sources for what you want. Here are a few. There are Utube videos.
If you are feeding fish you might want ad a baby brine shrimp hatchery cone and decaped eggs.
Live white worms are easy. You can raise black worms. Its a little harder. I have a small aquarium set up just for them.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/give-your-white-worms-a-bath.350754/
http://www.melevsreef.com/articles/10-step-phytoplankton-culture
https://poseidonreefsystems.com/products/phytotank-x-complete-kit
https://poseidonreefsystems.com/p/phytotank-x

 

[ectoaesthetics]

As far as live foods go...

The super easy:
1) White worms (not a marine organism, but have a great profile and survived DAYS in the tank with no issues -and usually NEVER last that long in a tank anyway)
2) Baby brine. This is not my favorite food to feed, but it is easy to grow -so its on the list.

Easy:
3) Rotifers (easiest to use RG complete and harvest 1/3 every day even if you just dump them)
4) Nanno (phyto) can be used to feed tanks pod population as well as rotifers
5) Tigger pods. This is a weird one. I have a hard time growing them in a tank. However, if you simply drop a heater in a dark colored container in your yard they are like roaches. I used to feed live phyto, now I simply add a bit of BRS reef chili when I think about it. I have no idea what they are consuming -presumably whatever drops into the bucket and whatever bacteria is feeding on the stuff decaying in the bucket.

Medium:
Tsibe pods

Next tank I will probably end up doing rotifers, white worms, tigger pods, and mysid (the setup tanks for these are a bit complicated, but doable if set up right). Aside from Lapins great suggestions above also check out anything written by Paul B on this site!! Wealth of info.

 

[sde1500]

I think first/best place to start is what are you planning to feed, why do you want to feed it live food and how much space are you looking at to use for culturing?

 

[ChronicReefH2o]

You can also start up a spear small 5-10 gallon tank where you can culture pods of all types. Dose phytoplankton 2-3 times a week to get the water "green", as it clears up, add more phytoplankton. A filter is not needed, airline holes is all you need as long as there is some type of water movement.