Pods questions

[rcpalmer1]

I want to establish Pod's in my aquarium. I just ordered two of the Algae Barn combo packs. I got the 5280 Pods and Ocean Magik. I plan on putting one in my tank and one in my sump. I know the Ocean Magik is the food for the pods but would I add it all at once or a little every few days?

 

[Big G]

I want to establish Pod's in my aquarium. I just ordered two of the Algae Barn combo packs. I got the 5280 Pods and Ocean Magik. I plan on putting one in my tank and one in my sump. I know the Ocean Magik is the food for the pods but would I add it all at once or a little every few days?

I put some in every other day. Big fan of Algae Barn products. Cheers!

 

[boozeman27]

Only add the ocean magik at 5ml per 10 gallons for about a weeek.

From the ALgaeBarn site

Usage Directions
Add 5ml per 10gal 3-4 times per week for the first week. Increase by 2ml each week for three weeks, then adjust as needed.

• Spot-feed corals and inverts to maximize growth
• Use with Poseidon’s Feast live copepods to establish or maintain “Clean Up Crew”
• Gradually increase OceanMagik dose to accelerate coral growth and increase copepod populations.

 

[spiraling]

Its also really easy to cultivate the phyto. A bottle in the sun and some nutrients. Then you can continuously feed the pods.

 

[boozeman27]

Also, I turn off my pumps and skimmer for about 30 minutes after dumping in the pods after lights out at night. Then I leave off my skimmer and uv til morning. I remove filter socks too. Give the pods a great chance to seed themselves all over the tank.

 

[rcpalmer1]

O so the Ocean Magik is to feed the coral not just the pods? How many does it take to establish a population?

 

[spiraling]

both c

O so the Ocean Magik is to feed the coral not just the pods? How many does it take to establish a population?

both coral and pods eat the phyto. Two bags of pods will establish a population. How long until you get a stable thriving population depends on how much shelter, predation, and food they have. If you are looking for a mandarin know that there may be some boom/bust cycles as the pods establish, and you should probably wait several months. Its one of the reasons people warn not to get one until the tank has matured at least a year.

 

[rcpalmer1]

Tank is almost a year old. There should be plenty of places to hide. Thanks for all the help.

 

[spiraling]

Tank is almost a year old. There should be plenty of places to hide. Thanks for all the help.

then you should be seeing them on the glass everyday in about a month or two.

 

[CJRIZZOTTI]

I don't have a refugium and have a pair of Mandarin dragonets they thrive off copepods i too ordered my stuff from algaebarn i use a Rubbermaid bowl and cut slits into it and dropped a lil cheto in it and in about 10 days i noticed the pods on my glass at night now almost a month in i see em on my glass in the daytime and a fair amount

 

[MSB123]

Order pods from @pdisner
Amazing prices for the volume he gives you- it blows all other sources out of the water! He is a great guy and always delivers high quality, healthy pods!

 

[drtrash]

Orderd some from paul a few days ago, been keeping manderin very busy

 

[Legal Reefer]

Would it be possible to establish a good thriving population of pods in a 7.5 gallon nano?

 

[MSB123]

Would it be possible to establish a good thriving population of pods in a 7.5 gallon nano?

yes, I would advise getting something like a multimeadia reactor from over at MarineDepot- https://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMax...ate_Reactors-AquaMaxx-UJ5311-FIFRISPR-vi.html
Hook it up to an about 20-50 GPH Pump, and put some chaeto in it, and add pods as desired, I would suggest paul's 8oz or his 16 oz bottle of pods- They will work perfectelly. Put some kind of grow light or LED strip- https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-F...6&sr=8-3&keywords=waterproof+led+light+strips
I would cut the strip down to the size you need and then wrap it around your reactor, and add some chaeto and your pods, and Voila! You will have an alage reactor which will greatly beniftit your tanks parameters, ( I don't run a skimmer with this method) And you will start up a fast-growing population of pods in your tank! Goodluck and Happy Reefing!
Paul- @pdisner
How to build an algae reactor-

 

[MSB123]

(PS- You could also do it the normal way- move all of your pod eating fish, add pods, wait a week or two, add fish back in ) PPS- I love to do way over-the-top explinations

 

[Legal Reefer]

I'm liking that suggestions lot. Thanks for the info.

 

[CJRIZZOTTI]

Hey guys. Just reading the post! This is great. I should have thought of this! But apparently I have some happy customers, some of whom now are my good friends, awesome. Hey let’s keep this thread up. I will try and post something daily that will be of interest here with regards to the microfauna in our tanks. Its an important job these little guys have. Take them out or wipe out their population and you’ll have a mess on your hands. Literally. They actually should be considered part of your CLEAN-UP CREW. Copepods among other organisms, feed in the detritus and dead vegetation. They also provide a VERY nutritious nutritious snack. While other fish like the Psychedelic Mandarin, who’s diet consists of mostly copepods. There’s so much to learn in this hobby, then when you think you’re done, theres something else that need to be mastered. There are many ways to learn. My is to increase that knowledge base even more. While culturing these little helpers for your tank is somewhat on the easier side compared to say learning water chemistry for the first time. The basic concepts to getting microfauna to grow and thrive in your culture tank or in the refugium of your main tank.
So let’s all think of all the QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS regarding microfauna, in particular, copepods. I’m going to end my post with a picture of Manny. He’s my BIG living advertisement. Manny’s been with me four and half years now. He gets ALOT of copepods. (I need to get him a girl Mandarin to make babies!). This is what a healthy well-fed Mandarin should look like!
Post away guys! I’m excited o see where this goes. We can all learn something.

I recently got a male for my female mandarin was the coolest first meeting between 2 fish ive ever seen they hang together in my tank now it's really awesome!

My mandarins meeting for the first time

 

[Ferrell]

That’s awesome footage

 

[pdisner]

I recently got a male for my female mandarin was the coolest first meeting between 2 fish ive ever seen they hang together in my tank now it's really awesome!

My mandarins meeting for the first time

QUESTION OF THE DAY: So how do you tell the difference between a male and female mandrin?

First one to give correct answer wins a free 8oz bottle of Pods with next order!

 

[Izcuacho]

QUESTION OF THE DAY: So how do you tell the difference between a male and female mandrin?

First one to give correct answer wins a free 8oz bottle of Pods with next order!

By the dorsal fin (males longer than females)