WHY DO WE ADD PODS TO OUR REEFS?

[Dinkins Aquatic Gardens]

Actually I was thinking about putting the jars in a window instead. I am in South Florida so plenty of Sun.
I just have to figure out how to keep it from getting too hot.

My only concerns would be heat and the intensity of the light, plus possible unwanted algae growth. To an extent that’s good as it will help feed the pods, but of course you don’t want it to get overwhelming.

 

[BanZI29]

We are a new operation since April. Just my wife and I, fellow reefers. All pictures above with the exception of the amphipod are our tanks and from my cultures.
We are dedicated to providing our customers with the best value possible and high satisfaction.

Please give us a look.

Nebraska - Live Goods - SPONSOR - Phyto and Pods! ALL YOUR REEF CAN EAT

DOUBLE THE COPEPODS!! That’s right, get twice as many pods in each bottle or bag of our Copepod Buffets purchased and shipped by April 11th. This offer excludes amphipods and single species copepods. Orders must qualify for FREE OR PAID SHIPPING to arrive by Friday April 12th. We ship...

www.reef2reef.com

You got an awesome setup there.

 

[BanZI29]

to feed pods, anything else besides Phyto? if not, do you add anything to your phyto culture?

 

[Reef By Steele]

to feed pods, anything else besides Phyto? if not, do you add anything to your phyto culture?

I feed my 10 species blend which offers them everything they need. PM me and I am happy to help you with any culturing questions. That is exactly how I got started was by a fellow reefer right here on R2R who gave me a lot of advice and even though I now sell it as well, we are still friends and he answers any questions that I might have when something new occurs.

 

[Debramb]

You can get them here.

Nebraska - Live Goods - SPONSOR - Phyto and Pods! ALL YOUR REEF CAN EAT

DOUBLE THE COPEPODS!! That’s right, get twice as many pods in each bottle or bag of our Copepod Buffets purchased and shipped by April 11th. This offer excludes amphipods and single species copepods. Orders must qualify for FREE OR PAID SHIPPING to arrive by Friday April 12th. We ship...

www.reef2reef.com

Love your reef pics! We’re in the 80’s club too. Also, remember when nothing was ever quarantined?
Debra

 

[Reef By Steele]

Thanks I actually remember buying an air pump and a plastic tube with a filter at the bottom and a 1/2 dozen ten gallon tanks. Supposedly the foam filter would add all the filter they needed. I’m not really sure if it was the setup or the fact so many fish were cyanide caught back then, but I lost more fish in those 19 gallon tanks than I ever did with float and dump.

Today I have multiple QT tanks running at all times so when I have to have that fish, it has a place to stay.

 

[Sunny in Miami]

My tank is currently 9 months old, 55 gallon no sump. When I was doing the initial setup and cycling I did lots of research and came across some of the same info around Pods. As I really wanted a Mandarin I decided to seed the tank with pods as soon as my tank cycled and then added another round about a month later as I wanted there to be as large a population as I could get before I started adding things that would eat them.

I assumed that I would add additional pods occasionally and possibly even start culturing my own since that seems like something I would be interested in.

At around month 3 I could see hundreds of pods on the glass and rocks everyday and assumed there were thousands more hidden in the rocks and sand. At the same time there was a very skinny, not so healthy looking, Mandarin at my LFS. I decided I would see if my tank could help him and if I needed to start up my own culture I would.

He fattened up in the matter of just a week or 2 in my tank and is still super happy. I still haven't added any more pods and I've had him for 6 months now and when I look in the tank I still see just as many pods as I did when I introduced him.

I may still at some point need to supplement or start my own culture to keep up, but I think getting pods in the tank early and letting them build up to very large numbers at the beginning was one of the best things I did when starting this tank.

Could I ask you how many bottles of pods did you put in the tank? I Also have a sumpless 75 gal. tank and put 2 bottles of Reef Nutrition tiger pods before putting any live stock and never saw them again. I added 2 more bottles later on and they disappeared. I have a spotted Mandarin that I moved from my 29 gallon to 75 g. tank 3 months after adding the pods but I also target feed it and is doing well.

 

[Debramb]

Thanks I actually remember buying an air pump and a plastic tube with a filter at the bottom and a 1/2 dozen ten gallon tanks. Supposedly the foam filter would add all the filter they needed. I’m not really sure if it was the setup or the fact so many fish were cyanide caught back then, but I lost more fish in those 19 gallon tanks than I ever did with float and dump.

Today I have multiple QT tanks running at all times so when I have to have that fish, it has a place to stay.

I will definitely check back with to order goodies when we get out 125 gal tank setup. I’m not sure how many pods will transfer from our 100gal setup. You reminded me about new tank syndrome or lack of when upgrading because of all the creatures coming out of the live rock. I’d wake my husband up at night to look at something coming out w/magnifying glass and his police flashlight to come LOOK! That still is not appreciated! We’ve still got tons of rock 30 years old! I’ll contact you weeks ahead for our order. Good luck with you’re recovery, heard shoulder surgery’s hard to recover from.
Debra

 

[Reef By Steele]

Could I ask you how many bottles of pods did you put in the tank? I Also have a sumpless 75 gal. tank and put 2 bottles of Reef Nutrition tiger pods before putting any live stock and never saw them again. I added 2 more bottles later on and they disappeared. I have a spotted Mandarin that I moved from my 29 gallon to 75 g. tank 3 months after adding the pods but I also target feed it and is doing well.

I’m definitely not knocking reef nutrition as their tiger pods are certainly packed, they say around 3000 in the 6 Oz jar. But from everything I have learned and what has worked for me, is that Tigriopus can establish colonies in tanks but that they can spend a lot of time in the water column so are eaten more readily. of Tigiopus, Apocyclops, and tisbe, Apos are supposed to be the quickest and easiest to establish a colony. Also when you look in a Reef Nutrition bottle at least to my eye they are all large adult pods, just like with rotifers, harvesting thins out the older population allowing the younger more virile population to reproduce faster. That is one of the reasons that we keep multiple cultures going and include all sizes from eggs, nauplii, juveniles, and adults in the pods we ship. There is a far greater chance of establishing a colony in your tank. I also recommend a variety verses a single specie. From smaller to larger it is Tisbe, Apocyclops, and then Tigriopus. Tisbes spend most of their life in the rocks, Apos nauplii and juveniles hang in the rocks as well but the adults free swim, and Tigs free swim and hang out in the sand. Your mandarin will hover over and peck at the rock getting the Tisbes and Apos but they also live in the tiniest crevices allowing them to reproduce more. Our 32 Oz bottle added maybe once a month for 2-4 months should get you all three going, or hit it hard with a 1/2 gallon and add a 32 over the course of 1-2 months. It is also important to dose phyto plankton as it helps increase the nutritional value of the pods and keep the healthy and happy so they reproduce more readily.

If you shine a light on the glass after dark, your pods should be on the glass or come to the light. If your population seems weak add some more, if they are thriving just keep dosing phytoplankton.

Here is a link to our thread with most of our offerings. Please give it a look.

Nebraska - Live Goods - SPONSOR - Phyto and Pods! ALL YOUR REEF CAN EAT

DOUBLE THE COPEPODS!! That’s right, get twice as many pods in each bottle or bag of our Copepod Buffets purchased and shipped by April 11th. This offer excludes amphipods and single species copepods. Orders must qualify for FREE OR PAID SHIPPING to arrive by Friday April 12th. We ship...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[just4kicks]

If the pods swim freely in the water if you use a fleece filter roller, does it not strip them out? Seems like a fleece filter kind of defeats the purpose of adding them.

 

[PeterEde]

We are trying to build a world and it takes all kinds of creatures to make a world work well.
ie we would starve if we lost bees. Pods are just another part of the system.

 

[Reef By Steele]

If the pods swim freely in the water if you use a fleece filter roller, does it not strip them out? Seems like a fleece filter kind of defeats the purpose of adding them.

At least in my tank, I stock the DT and the refugium. The refugium is after the roller.

Also being free swimming they don’t all
Get sucked through the filter. The same would be true of filter socks, HOB, or canister filters.

So no they will colonize a tank with a roller mat.

 

[Reef By Steele]

We are trying to build a world and it takes all kinds of creatures to make a world work well.
ie we would starve if we lost bees. Pods are just another part of the system.

And they exist in almost if not every body of water on the planet. I
Believe I read that if you collected them all they would out weight every human on the planet.

 

[a1abeach]

My question is this I have real reef rock that’s two years old. Can it hold a good pod population? All I have been hearing is that live rock is the only way to go.

 

[Reef By Steele]

My question is this I have real reef rock that’s two years old. Can it hold a good pod population? All I have been hearing is that live rock is the only way to go.

When you say real reef rock, are you referring to ocean sourced or manufactured? Because when people say live rock is the only way to go, I would have said that in the 80's when every LFS had it in tubs to sell. I have started all of my tanks with dry or at best dry rock that had been in Circulation tank at an LFS. plus I bought some shaped pieces arches sticks etc. online that was supposed to have bacteria imbedded to quickly cycle. the pictures of my tanks in the beginning of the survey, the 350 was all done with dry rock and it was the only one that I know for certain had pods established. I saw them on the first night I was collecting clownfish fry from my very first ever hatch. I started culturing rotifers for the fry, and then began culturing the others, so yes even the dead never seen the ocean rocks can sustain a pod population as long as they have food. those in the 350 probably were being sustained with detritus and sinking algae pellets as it is the only tank I still use those in as they blow up my phosphates but have several fish who hang out at the glass waiting for them.

 

[a1abeach]

Manufactured under the name of Real Reef Rock

 

[Reef By Steele]

Manufactured under the name of Real Reef Rock

What I added was Carib Sea life rock. Pods will colonize a bare tank, so your rock isn’t a problem.

What you hear about live rock the only way to go, is that it often brings with it extra pieces of life. Sometimes unwanted hitchhikers thought. It also if ocean sourced would have a very diverse biome. That is something that adding pods and phytoplankton will help you to establish in your system. Also comes in with new frags etc. but should flourish if they are provide a food source.

 

[SeeFu]

Is there any risk of brining in something you don't want with pods?

 

[Reef By Steele]

Is there any risk of brining in something you don't want with pods?

Not if your source is using the proper protocols. I sterilize everything with bleach between each reset and use water that has been sterilized with bleach and then neutralized. And none are cultured in tank water or with fish present. I have seen LFS culture right beside their display tanks and wonder how many of their customers are getting ich or other parasites from cross contamination.

 

[SeeFu]

any chance there's a pod that'll consume hair algae? I've been fighting hair algae for a year in my nano, but nothing seems to work.