Pod Production

[bvanfish]

I am going to start culturing pods because... well... why not??

I am going to do a simple set up, 1-2 one gallon glass jars, air line tubing, pump and just ambient light and temperature. I am going to feed powder spirulina since it is cheaper and easier than phyto for now.

I am thinking tigs and tisbe, but has anyone else tried this and been successful?

Have any tips and tricks? Thanks!

 

[PotatoPig]

This is exactly my setup. I use 2 gallon glass cookie jars from Target.

Comments and tips:

1. Have pump physically higher than cultures to reduce siphon risk.
2. Handy to have two or more cultures going at once, boosts production and if one crashes you can restart it from the other.
3. Feed them all off the same pump, splitting the lines with a manifold.
4. Suggest adding a control valve close to the manifold- eg have a couple inches of airline from manifold, cut it, add control valve, then add the airline to the container. Easy adjustment all out of the water.
5. If you’re not using rigid tubing at the end get a 1/2” pvc pipe, cut a section about an inch long, thread the end of the airline through this and stick an open control valve on the end. This will weigh down the line to ensure it stays at the bottom of the container rather than floating up.
6. For mixing spirulina get a small 4oz bottle, fill it about 3/4 full, add a teaspoon of spirulina, shake it up. Then add a bit to containers until water is tinted. Easy way to add a somewhat controlled amount that doesn’t require mixing up the container.

 

[bvanfish]

Awesome tips thank you! Do you do a normal salinity like .025 or do you drop it lower for faster reproduction?

Also do you have an ato for it or just top it off by hand?

Do you keep the glass lid on the cookie jar or open top @PotatoPig

 

[PotatoPig]

Awesome tips thank you! Do you do a normal salinity like .025 or do you drop it lower for faster reproduction?

Also do you have an ato for it or just top it off by hand?

Do you keep the glass lid on the cookie jar or open top @PotatoPig

I just have it approximately matched to the tank. The pods seem Ok.

If you have lids on the containers you won’t see much evaporation at all. I use RODI for mixing up the spirulina so the occasional splash of that seems to keep the water level stable.

 

[bvanfish]

Perfect!

Anyone in the Chicago suburb areas have some copepods for sale to get the mixture going hah?

 

[bvanfish]

Well I got a 1 gallon glass container and some air line tubing. I didn’t want to buy rigid so I super glued some rock to the end to keep it at the bottom. I mixed up some fresh saltwater and added some live phyto I had lying around. Got a bottle of tiger pods.

does this look like a good amount of green should it be darker or lighter? I have the bubbles at about 1-2 per second.

 

[bvanfish]

Here is a video. I guess my bubbles may be a bit too fast.

I plan to add some more water each day

Copepod culture started!

youtube.com

 

[bvanfish]

These have been going for 21 days. I’m still seeing a good amount but not as many. I see more babies I believe but less adults. I’m feeding Live Phyto but the water doesn’t stay green super long.

is there a way to boost production? I feel like people said after 2 weeks they should explode and I would not say they have exploded. Maybe grown a bit, but not the explosion I’d hoped for.

any tips?

 

[TrevorHenryTDH]

You won’t be able to see 95% of the pod population. I think it’s around 3 weeks the density is at a good level for harvesting.

 

[bvanfish]

I figured so but I got the tiger since they are larger so I’d be able to see better. I’ll wait another week or so to be safe.

is there other ways to feed/ keep water green. I’ve seen others say they just let their tanks hang outside and it takes care of itself?

 

[PotatoPig]

These have been going for 21 days. I’m still seeing a good amount but not as many. I see more babies I believe but less adults. I’m feeding Live Phyto but the water doesn’t stay green super long.

is there a way to boost production? I feel like people said after 2 weeks they should explode and I would not say they have exploded. Maybe grown a bit, but not the explosion I’d hoped for.

any tips?

If the water is going clear the pods are eating.

I’d try dividing it up into multiple cultures and trying varying approaches. Spirulina, Phyto, etc. sometimes I set up two cultures from the same original and feed them the same and one does much much better. No obvious reason why.

Also try set up backups Eg I have “reserve” cultures in case of crashes for quick restarts that are just quart jars, no air line, that are fed with a tiny amount of spirulina every so often that end up with a decent pod population.

 

[Red2143]

no air line,

Does air accelerate growth? I've wondered why people use them but copepods seem to survive without

 

[bvanfish]

If the water is going clear the pods are eating.

I’d try dividing it up into multiple cultures and trying varying approaches. Spirulina, Phyto, etc. sometimes I set up two cultures from the same original and feed them the same and one does much much better. No obvious reason why.

Also try set up backups Eg I have “reserve” cultures in case of crashes for quick restarts that are just quart jars, no air line, that are fed with a tiny amount of spirulina every so often that end up with a decent pod population.

That is a great idea. I think I will split up this and do spirulina in the other to see how it does

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Tiger Nupuli are not free swimming at that stage . You should be able to Shine a flash light at an angle and see very small dots moving around that's the nupuli. If you see that then give it another week or 2 . If you don't then most likely the culture if on it's way out and needs to be rebooted.

 

[bvanfish]

@jaysreefbugs Ok sweet I did that today and see tons of them scooting around tiny little white dots. My other question then is the water clears up but around the outskirts of the glass jar the phyto seems to collect and the water clears up.

I do not want to keep adding phyto and it make ammonia or something so do I just stir the who jar or suck out the stuff settling and keep adding more?

 

[bvanfish]

 

[JTP424]

Perfect!

Anyone in the Chicago suburb areas have some copepods for sale to get the mixture going hah?

Not sure if you're still looking, I've got some I can sell you.
They're Tigriopus. PM me if interested.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

@jaysreefbugs Ok sweet I did that today and see tons of them scooting around tiny little white dots. My other question then is the water clears up but around the outskirts of the glass jar the phyto seems to collect and the water clears up.

I do not want to keep adding phyto and it make ammonia or something so do I just stir the who jar or suck out the stuff settling and keep adding more?

Leave it we call that mule in the industry . It offers many benefits such as food and a place for early stage nupuli to grow in . Once it gets really thick then you can clean it out but what you have now is not much so keep feeding . The good thing is you see those tiny white dots they are later stage nupuli. Give it a couple weeks and those should turn into adults.

 

[bvanfish]

Awesome thank you! I just gave them more phyto! I am excited to see them really take off so I can make 2 just in case haha

 

[RIC13]

I cultured phyto and pods in the same container for over 1 yr. Nearly zero effort. Phyto feeds the pods. I dose both to my tank and done. Now my tank is crawling with pods.