Pod Hotels

Saw this on a facebook post, and then found an old thread on r2r.

https://www.facebook.com/mike.herman.758/videos/1444490195604290/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-pod-condos.129693/

I have some of this corrugated plastic material at work we use for signage. So cheap and easy to make. Wonder how well it works.

 

Interesting, thanks for sharing. I saw a YouTube video where this guy uses a small Tupperware container with rubble in it. He then drilled tiny holes on the Tupperware. I was thinking doing the same thing but with a plastic pasta container and hiding it behind my rocks. Using corrugated plastic instead of rubble inside the Tupperware might be a better idea though. Please post pics once you've made yours.


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What kind of pods are you guys making these for?

 

Copepods for me.. possibly amphipods as well.


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I should have been more specific, Which type of Copepod? I really don't think a little cube like that is going to do much to increase your pod population. Better off to culture some Apocyclops panamensis in a 5 gallon bucket. These guys eat crap and nuisance algae and are simple to culture.
Cheers!

 

This is cool and interesting idea lol. I don't know why I can't stop laughing at the product name. . If we add doors to that product, we can swap pots from tank to tank lol ;P.

 

Thanks for the tip/recommendation! I guess I haven't really given it much thought as for what types of copepods to culture. This project is pretty far down my to do list. But since you brought it up, does your mandarin enjoy the apocyclops? I'm also a big fan of the mandarins and is the main reason I'm even thinking about culturing pods.

 

Yea the mandarin just cruises around picking any kind of pod it can get off the rocks. Culturing in a bucket is easy, just a bucket, saltwater, air line bubbling and a little food. They don't need lights or heat and are very forgiving about salinity and temp

 

Do you culture phytoplankton as well? Or is there another source of food that you use?


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I was culturing Phyto, but it was too much work when I can buy a months supply for $30 (I feed our reef tanks with 25ml daily in addition to our 5 culture buckets) Growing Phyto means you have to a bunch of 2 liter bottles that need lighting and an air tube in each bottle and you should pull the air tube out and mix the contents daily. And to feed your Phyto you have to add fertilizer and I was worried that somehow I was going to mistakenly over-fertilize our tanks and have them turn green like a seaweed smoothie

 

Final question, where do you buy your phytoplankton? Algaebarn? Thanks


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The Phyto I get from Reed Mariculture in Campbell.
The Apocyclops I got from AlgaeBarn and I got free shipping. I may start getting some Phyto from here also 'cause Reed charges like $30 for shipping.

 

Every time I have thrown a bag of nitrate sponge in my sump, it ends up teeming with pods. I've always wanted to experiment with this a bit and see if I could build a pod farm that would introduce pods back into the main display.

 

That was our thought when we built our frag tank. It is higher than our display tank so we pump water (through a cryptic chamber) up to the frag tank (which is loaded with pods) and it gravity feeds back down to the main tank so the pods that grow in the frag tank don't go through an impeller. I cant say for sure whether any actually get sucked through the overflow and sent to the main tank.
I would take that bag covered with pods toss it in a bucket of saltwater with an airstone and some phyto and grow them out! Then you will have a good supply for constant feedings to you fish and corals.