Using a media reactor as a pod breading space?

[hoffmeyerz]

I've wanted to get a pod population established in my tank for some time. I've added a bottle maybe twice, putting them in at night right down to the rocks. Seems like they were pretty much hunted down right away as I've never seen any in the tank since, even when looking late at night in the dark.
I run a Lifreef sump with two media reactors one of which has been unused for a while. While doing maintance today it crossed my mind that I could possibly turn the unused media reactor into a "pod hotel".
Maybe add some rock rubble inside, then add a bottle of pods to it as well as to the DT. Keep the flow through it low to medium and hopefully give them a place to reproduce without being hunted and keep the flow just stong enough to push some through to the DT.
Curious if anyone does or have done this, if it's feasible, and if there would be a better medium to use other than rock rubble?

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Bumping to see if there were any thoughts on this??

 

[thejellyfishgirl]

It sounds like a good plan! If you have any chaeto in the sump thats also a great place to stick them. Also, just because you can't see them in the DT, doesn't mean they aren't there! Theyre tiny and great hiders, so unless you have a tonne of starving wrasse and mandarins, im sure there are still a decent amount chilling in the rock work.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

It sounds like a good plan! If you have any chaeto in the sump thats also a great place to stick them. Also, just because you can't see them in the DT, doesn't mean they aren't there! Theyre tiny and great hiders, so unless you have a tonne of starving wrasse and mandarins, im sure there are still a decent amount chilling in the rock work.

Appreciate the feedback.
I don't run any chaeto in the sump, there really isn't any space for it in there.
I know there's the possibility they're there but I REALLY don't think they've taken hold. Total stocking is two clowns, three pj cardinals, solar fairy wrasse, coral beauty, and algae blenny (need a few more fish lol). Between the wrasse, clowns, and coral beauty I think they picked 'em off too quickly. I mean I don't see ANY indications of them anytime I'm looking or doing maintance.
Sump is pretty compact and I'm just looking to think outside the box for a stand alone safe place for them to multiply.

 

[thejellyfishgirl]

Those guys will defo pick off pods! How big is your tank though? I have a nano tank which had a clownfish in it, while he was there I saw almost no pods. But the moment the clown moved out to a different tank (I'm talking within a day or two), pods were crawling all over the glass like it was a party. It's anecdotal for sure, but don't underestimate your pod populations!

That being said, adding some kind of structure in your sump (rocks or bio balls or chaeto or basically anything) is probably going to bolster your pod population a very good amount. I'm a huge proponent of pod culturing, so I think this is a good idea regardless of pod population in your DT, doubly so if you think its struggling. Keep us updated!

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Should work... I had a GFO reactor that would have pods in it anytime I changed it.... That was just a 2littlefishies 150...

 

[exnisstech]

Unless you have a small tank and fish that decimate the population I would expect them to populated with a little patience. I've never added pods intentionally like buying a bottle but they always make their way in. i have 5 tanks running with pods in all of them. Anytime I move a rock or frag some fall out and I find them in filter socks and floss on a regular basis. I have 3 sixlines along with an assortment of damsels throughout the tanks.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Unless you have a small tank and fish that decimate the population I would expect them to populated with a little patience. I've never added pods intentionally like buying a bottle but they always make their way in. i have 5 tanks running with pods in all of them. Anytime I move a rock or frag some fall out and I find them in filter socks and floss on a regular basis. I have 3 sixlines along with an assortment of damsels throughout the tanks.

That was my hope and expectation. Unfortunately after a little more than 4 years I don't see any. Not with a flashlight at night, moving rocks, cleaning substrate, or any other activities.
I've wanted to add a mandrin but won't do that until I know I have an established pod population, plus I'd like the extra life diversity in the tank.
This idea just came across my mind while doing maintance last weekend. I never thought about it and thought I'd look into it.

 

[landlubber]

out of curiosity what is stopping you from just sinking a small container in your sump that is filled with your rubble and pulling the inactive media reactor?
I get you want to use your equipment but in a sump there is no predation risk and your pods aren't going to stay confined to that reactor no matter what you do.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Those guys will defo pick off pods! How big is your tank though? I have a nano tank which had a clownfish in it, while he was there I saw almost no pods. But the moment the clown moved out to a different tank (I'm talking within a day or two), pods were crawling all over the glass like it was a party. It's anecdotal for sure, but don't underestimate your pod populations!

That being said, adding some kind of structure in your sump (rocks or bio balls or chaeto or basically anything) is probably going to bolster your pod population a very good amount. I'm a huge proponent of pod culturing, so I think this is a good idea regardless of pod population in your DT, doubly so if you think its struggling. Keep us updated!

DT is a 75 gal mixed reef with softies and lps. It's coming up on 5yrs old this year and begining to really get established and mature.
I like the idea of more diversity and I really would like to add a mandrin which is why I'd like to establish pods in there.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

out of curiosity what is stopping you from just sinking a small container in your sump that is filled with your rubble and pulling the inactive media reactor?
I get you want to use your equipment but in a sump there is no predation risk and your pods aren't going to stay confined to that reactor no matter what you do.

I wouldn't have a prob with that other than it's not as feasible with the way the sump and media reactors are built.
It's a Lifreef sump and pretty compact so I don't have an open chamber with room. The media reactors are cylynders that sit on a ledge and are held off the bottom.
Honestly I just thought of using the reactor because I'm very much a path of least resistance kind of person. Didn't want to try to rearrange things in the sump if I could just use what is there the way it currently sits.

 

[landlubber]

I wouldn't have a prob with that other than it's not as feasible with the way the sump and media reactors are built.
It's a Lifreef sump and pretty compact so I don't have an open chamber with room. The media reactors are cylynders that sit on a ledge and are held off the bottom.
Honestly I just thought of using the reactor because I'm very much a path of least resistance kind of person. Didn't want to try to rearrange things in the sump if I could just use what is there the way it currently sits.

Even easier would be to just hammer down the rubble small enough to place on the bottom of the reactor chamber and they'll naturally just propagate there. Inside the reactor isn't necessary as there isn't any predation to protect them from.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I wouldn't have a prob with that other than it's not as feasible with the way the sump and media reactors are built.
It's a Lifreef sump and pretty compact so I don't have an open chamber with room. The media reactors are cylynders that sit on a ledge and are held off the bottom.
Honestly I just thought of using the reactor because I'm very much a path of least resistance kind of person. Didn't want to try to rearrange things in the sump if I could just use what is there the way it currently sits.

Even easier would be to just hammer down the rubble small enough to place on the bottom of the reactor chamber and they'll naturally just propagate there. Inside the reactor isn't necessary as there isn't any predation to protect them from.

I'll consider this but like I said, it's pretty compact. The heater lies directly under the ledge where the media reactors sit:

 

[exnisstech]

That was my hope and expectation. Unfortunately after a little more than 4 years I don't see any. Not with a flashlight at night, moving rocks, cleaning substrate, or any other activities.
I've wanted to add a mandrin but won't do that until I know I have an established pod population, plus I'd like the extra life diversity in the tank.
This idea just came across my mind while doing maintance last weekend. I never thought about it and thought I'd look into it.

That's interesting I have a 20g AIO with no fuge that's less than a year old with a sixline and I still see pods. I wonder if there's is something going on in your tank that kills them or prevents them from reproducing? My older tanks have them⅘s every where and I just assumed everyones tank ended up with them.