Tigger & Tisbe Pods

[NS Mike D]

A quick update. The phyto culture is going well - more than I need. But the pods are lagging (my fuge is exploding though).

I believe the drop in activity is do to temp swings. I was using the kitchen window as a light source and even with the diffusing frosting the area was climbing up to 85° with the morning sun. I would crack the window to buffer but at night the temp was dropping into the low sixties.

I moved the set up near a window that doesn't get direct sunlight and put a small heater in the pod box that I will turn on at night and have orders a small thermostat controlled heater.

Pods are resilient but I do think these temp swings are affecting their metabolism.

 

[NS Mike D]

the pod culture isn't doing well, I suspect the temp swings is adversely affecting them. Today the heater brought the temp up to 85°

I did a water change for the few remaining pods and unplugged the heater. I'll turn it on at night if the temp in the house is expected to fall into the 60s.

I am looking into getting another temperature controller (I have my apex on my DT and a WillHi on the betta tank) and will start over with the Apex pods while adding whatever tiggers in the culture that remain in the DT.

I'll update this thread when I set up the apex culture.

 

[csb123]

Watching...I’m just starting the same thing.

 

[NS Mike D]

I figured out the cause of the tigger pod culture crash.

The small black filter sponge and dosing Biological Booster was not sufficient to keep keep NH3 down.

I had a new shipment of Tiggers arrive today, so I changed all the water and cleaned the container but reused the black sponge (didn't realize how much particulate was still on it) but I will be testing the NH3 frequently and change water accordingly.


I would prefer a a better way of dealing with NH3. I might take some rubble rock from my sump and use it in the container.

So it's back to square one. I took a phyto bottle off line as I was making more than I could use so that part is going well. I am picking up apex pods today, I might get two bottles, one for the main tank and the other for culture as they can be raised with the tiggers.