More pods.

[NashobaTek]

Would this work with any pods? Like tisbe pods?

 

[atoll]

I culture the same way! I didn't start with a banana peel....I just put in old filter floss.

I used:
Tub from home depot
Old aquarium water
one bottle of tigger pods
Phyto - Nano and Tetra - That I cultured from some I bought from Mercer of Montana

I top off with RO when I take some out to feed my tank - or give away to friends. I'm in Colorado, and when I started the culture it was freezing (below 32) and now gets up into the upper 80's. Pods were definitely slower to grow in the cooler temperatures, but still showed life. I haven't had them for the full winter yet, but the gal I copied this from would let the top freeze, and the pods would be fine! I wanted to find a way to cultivate that didn't require a whole lot of work - and this is it. I also have a 5 gallon bucket of 'back up' pods in my house, but they don't do as well. I don't really feed it very much at this point. They Phyto keeps reproducing? The bucket only gets about 1 hour of sun in the morning, and then sits in the shade.

Pods in Action Video

Yes, very similar to the way I have been cultivating pods for a few years now. I have no need to cover mine here in the UK. Could probably get away without direct feeding like you but feeding them does produce a higher yealed here.

 

[atoll]

Would this work with any pods? Like tisbe pods?

Sorry can't help on that one.

 

[clhardy5]

I also culture Tisbe pods - indoors - with a simple setup.

Glass drink dispenser from Walmart - with spout for easy collection
Salt water - 1.021-24 ish
Bag of pods from an Ebay seller Reefandfins
Tetra and Nano Phyto I culture myself (very easily)
A couple of bio balls that I took out of my sump.

Sorry the image is sideways! I 'harvest' out of the spout - makes it super easy - and then replace what I took out with new salt water and phyto. I do have to feed this culture almost every day. It starts out this color - and by tomorrow morning will be very pale green.

 

[clhardy5]

I just fish out the odd bug that gets in as I have no cover.

I just leave the bugs in....Even with a cover - they somehow find a way. Just extra protein . When I sieve out the pods - I use a larger sieve on top that catches any bugs that I've scooped up....with a smaller sieve to catch the actual pods.

 

[fryman]

Would this work with any pods? Like tisbe pods?

I recommend using tigriopus californicus (tig) pods. Reef Nutrition sells them as "Tigger" pods, but there are alot of sources and you almost cannot go wrong with this particular species.

Tisbe cultures tend to get contaminated with ciliates and/or rotifers and then get out-competed by them. This doesn't happen with tig pods. I think tig adults eat ciliates and rotifers.

Tig pods are really easy and seem to eat about anything. The OP is using tig pods.

 

[Finallysalty80]

I love this! A perfect example of how so often we over complicate many aspects of keeping reef tanks etc. This is a shining example of just how simple things can actually be and still be successful! Thank you for sharing, definitely doing this now.

 

[clhardy5]

Yes, very similar to the way I have been cultivating pods for a few years now. I have no need to cover mine here in the UK. Could probably get away without direct feeding like you but feeding them does produce a higher yealed here.

I may try feeding some Spirulina....just to see what happens. But I don't really need a higher yield - just for me and a couple of friends who occasionally want pods . Love this simple way we cultivate.

 

[G Santana]

Here's a few more.

And

This is my how to.

I now have another project to kick off.
This looks really awesome and dare I say, too easy lol. We will see!!!

Qs
Do you cover it
Won't rain water dilute it
What about top off for evaporation

 

[atoll]

I now have another project to kick off.
This looks really awesome and dare I say, too easy lol. We will see!!!

Qs
Do you cover it
Won't rain water dilute it
What about top off for evaporation

No cover.
Rainwater being lighter most runs off the surface.
Just top off now and again with rainwater if not use tap water.

 

[G Santana]

No cover.
Rainwater being lighter most runs off the surface.
Just top off now and again with rainwater if not use tap water.

One more Q
How hot can they tolerate it, it gets pretty hot in the North East, is that a concern?

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

LOVE the salt bucket idea!! Going to try this today since my photo culture is becoming a bit too excessive. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[atoll]

One more Q
How hot can they tolerate it, it gets pretty hot in the North East, is that a concern?

Not sure we inkhvever get into the mid to high 20C here

 

[AlgaeBarn]

Read years ago about somebody using banana skin to get green water for daphnia so thought it might work for marine pods.

That's a pretty interested concept! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Lsuhunter]

Curious if anyone tried this method with the banana yet? I am thinking of giving it a go..

 

[atoll]

Curious if anyone tried this method with the banana yet? I am thinking of giving it a go..

Me.

 

[Lsuhunter]

Me.

Hah I meant from those saying they would try it. I made the green water, but that is as far as I got. The heat has been out of control here. I put some lettuce and old filter floss in to make the green water. I guess I need to buy some pods now.

 

[atoll]

The charity that keeps giving. Lots and lots of pods from both my bucket and plastic tank. Harvesting every day at the moment.

bumper harvest of pods.

youtube.com

 

[Ricksreeefs]

That’s awesome!

 

[atoll]

Just harvested and fed a load of pods to my tank and the container is still full of them. Seems my idea of dissolving the spirulina powder in very hot water is paying off. This photo taken AFTER I harvested a pile of them.