Best source for pods

hockeyhead019 · Jun 12, 2018

Hey everybody,

I'm looking to get opinions on where to source pods from. Not really looking for certain types or for a food source. More just looking to get my tank to where it would be with a pods population if I had started it with LR. I started with dry rock and slowly cycled using bacteria in a bottle and have a decently running tank now.

Just seem to be missing that pods piece to the puzzle.

Cheers

Highgrade · Jun 12, 2018

@AlgaeBarn

timrocks311 · Jun 12, 2018

I say whatever is available locally. I got pods from the LFS. Where around Philly are you? I know Mini Reef in Prospect Park has Reef Nutrition pods, so does Aquarium World in Chichester.

I started the same way as you with dry rock and Bio Spira and I added chaeto and pods.

hockeyhead019 · Jun 12, 2018

@timrocks311 I have chaeto in my sump but that didn't seem to add many pods, I'm right around the corner from Aquarium World but didn't remember seeing pods there. I'll have to swing back in and maybe pick some up.

ReefWithCare · Jun 12, 2018

Algaebarn with 12G’s coupon code [emoji106]

hockeyhead019 · Jun 12, 2018

ReefWithCare said:
Algaebarn with 12G’s coupon code [emoji106]

12G's coupon code?

hockeyhead019 · Jun 12, 2018

oops double post

timrocks311 · Jun 12, 2018

hockeyhead019 said:
@timrocks311 I have chaeto in my sump but that didn't seem to add many pods, I'm right around the corner from Aquarium World but didn't remember seeing pods there. I'll have to swing back in and maybe pick some up.

That's where I got my bottle of Reef Nutrition Tigger Pods. I want to pick up a bottle of the other type of pods too.

mfinn · Jun 12, 2018

@AlgaeBarn

kwan8911 · Jun 12, 2018

Reef nutrition tiger pods are commonly available in lots of LFS, or you could get on their website to find which LFS in your area carries them. Just make sure they are moving around in the bottle when you buy.

AlgaeBarn · Jun 12, 2018

Hey Everyone, thanks for the shout out!!

Hey hockeyhead019,

We produce a 3 species mix of copepods to maximize the biodiversity of your purchase! I would highly recommend that you feed the pods with live phyto. This will allow you to maintain an elevated population in your aquarium! If you have any questions, please let me know.

ReefWithCare · Jun 12, 2018

hockeyhead019 said:
12G's coupon code?

Coralfish 12G - he’s a YouTuber who has been doing. A roadshow of LFSs around the US and Canada. He has a video where he reviewed algae barn and provides a 10% off code [emoji16]

ReefWithCare · Jun 12, 2018

AlgaeBarn said:
Hey Everyone, thanks for the shout out!!

Hey hockeyhead019,

We produce a 3 species mix of copepods to maximize the biodiversity of your purchase! I would highly recommend that you feed the pods with live phyto. This will allow you to maintain an elevated population in your aquarium! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Hi ,
@AlgaeBarn

I tried contacting 12G for this explanation - but he never got back to me.

In one of his videos regarding his seahorse tank build he mentioned that he had your pods and plankton running in his tank for over a month. I was thinking of doing this myself for my 125G build. How did the pods stay alive with a fallow tank for that long and would adding your pod and plankton package be recommend before you add your first fish?

AlgaeBarn · Jun 12, 2018

ReefWithCare said:
Hi ,
@AlgaeBarn

I tried contacting 12G for this explanation - but he never got back to me.

In one of his videos regarding his seahorse tank build he mentioned that he had your pods and plankton running in his tank for over a month. I was thinking of doing this myself for my 125G build. How did the pods stay alive with a fallow tank for that long and would adding your pod and plankton package be recommend before you add your first fish?

In a fallow tank, it is VERY important that you are feeding your pods. We would recommend live phyto (OceanMagik) and maybe a few pellets of quality food on occasion. Pods love fish poop, but in a fallow tank, there will be none of that. Adding copepods and regularly adding live phytoplankton before adding your first fish is one of the best (and cheapest) ways to establish a copepod population quickly. If you can wait a few weeks, you'll tend to have a ton of copepods running around the tank.

hockeyhead019 · Jun 12, 2018

AlgaeBarn said:
Hey Everyone, thanks for the shout out!!

Hey hockeyhead019,

We produce a 3 species mix of copepods to maximize the biodiversity of your purchase! I would highly recommend that you feed the pods with live phyto. This will allow you to maintain an elevated population in your aquarium! If you have any questions, please let me know.

My tank is about 8 months old with a light bio load. Any issues with not feeding with the phyto? In theory, this would allow the populations to stabilize correct?

I'm more looking to introduce the different species into the tank as opposed to keep a certain level or use them for feeding. I have a yellow watchman goby and a o. clown, both of which are good eaters right now.

ReefWithCare · Jun 12, 2018

AlgaeBarn said:
In a fallow tank, it is VERY important that you are feeding your pods. We would recommend live phyto (OceanMagik) and maybe a few pellets of quality food on occasion. Pods love fish poop, but in a fallow tank, there will be none of that. Adding copepods and regularly adding live phytoplankton before adding your first fish is one of the best (and cheapest) ways to establish a copepod population quickly. If you can wait a few weeks, you'll tend to have a ton of copepods running around the tank.

Thanks for he response.

I also forget to ask. Do I need cheato for the pods if I’m running an algae turf scrubber? I know scrubbers tend to attract pods. I will also have left over macro rock in my sump for the pods.

Baldguy · Jun 12, 2018

What is the best way to feed the pods phyto? How much phyto and how often. I've got a 120g normally stocked tank.

AlgaeBarn · Jun 12, 2018

For everyone reading this thread, we have a coupon code: Reef2Reef

hockeyhead019 said:
My tank is about 8 months old with a light bio load. Any issues with not feeding with the phyto? In theory, this would allow the populations to stabilize correct?

I'm more looking to introduce the different species into the tank as opposed to keep a certain level or use them for feeding. I have a yellow watchman goby and a o. clown, both of which are good eaters right now.

Hi Hockeyhead019,

I'm not able to give you the best advice without knowing a little bit more about how you care for you aquarium. How often are you feeding your tank and what are you feeding? How much waste is left behind from the feed? Is there any nuisance algae buildup? any algae that grows on the glass?

AlgaeBarn · Jun 12, 2018

ReefWithCare said:
Thanks for he response.

I also forget to ask. Do I need cheato for the pods if I’m running an algae turf scrubber? I know scrubbers tend to attract pods. I will also have left over macro rock in my sump for the pods.

I haven't run a turf scrubber but I am familiar with them. Chaeto is by no means a requirement for copepods. It's helpful in that there is a lot of surface area for the pods to cling onto (which is one of the reasons we like marine pure). I'm assuming some of the pods will eat some of the algae growing on the turf scrubber, but the identify of the algae is unknown so I don't know if it will be meeting their nutritional requirements. Some extra rock is the sump is fine as I haven't heard the best things about mixing a turf scrubber and loose macroalgae (someone should correct me if they know otherwise).

AlgaeBarn · Jun 12, 2018

Baldguy said:
What is the best way to feed the pods phyto? How much phyto and how often. I've got a 120g normally stocked tank.

Baldguy, there are a few ways to feed phyto. You can broadcast feed and spot feed. Spot feeding is better for specific corals and or if you have an area of lower flow/stagnant flow like in the middle of a ball of chaeto or in a slower/lower flow refugium. Spot feeding is better because you know you are directing food towards the pods. However, this is really challenging when you have a reef tank pods tend to cluster in certain areas that may be hard to reach.

Most people have success with broadcast feeding phyto into their system. This is where you dose phytoplankton into a high flow area of the tank and allow the water movement(powerheads, return pumps, wavemakers, etc) to distribute the phytoplankton. You need to dose a little higher this way. We recommend to start dosing at 5mL per 20gallon daily and working you way up or down. Most people go up as their system adapts and is better able to consume the live phytoplankton.

Please let me know if I need to clarify anything or if you would like me to further explain.