Culture pods

[PeterEde]

I have cultures running. Both get phyto.
Why is one clear the other with more pods green.

 

[SPR1968]

I can’t help with the question but I can bump the thread to see if we can get you some help

 

[PeterEde]

They both have pods growing. The greener one has far more. the clear on has banana peel and is an open jar.
Not sure if that has anything to do with it

 

[C4Rez]

No clue. One would assume the clear one needs redosing of phytoplankton? /shrug. If they're both growing pods, then all good. I'm also culturing phyto (nanno and tetra) and pods (just Tisbe now) the last 2 months. May I ask what fittings you're using on that Ikea bottle/lid (I have the same... love ikea's 365 glassware. it's perfect)? Is that a RO fitting? I want to copy that setup. I'm basically using the same jars/lids but with 3/16" bulkhead hose barb fittings.

 

[emmysnewtank]

No clue. One would assume the clear one needs redosing of phytoplankton? /shrug. If they're both growing pods, then all good. I'm also culturing phyto (nanno and tetra) and pods (just Tisbe now) the last 2 months. May I ask what fittings you're using on that Ikea bottle/lid (I have the same... love ikea's 365 glassware. it's perfect)? Is that a RO fitting? I want to copy that setup. I'm basically using the same jars/lids but with 3/16" bulkhead hose barb fittings.

Check out Blue Reef Tank's video on YouTube about culturing pods. I copied his method with the same Ikea jars and bulkhead fittings. Its been working great for both pod and Phyto cultures...

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I use a different method to culture pods, but I couldn't say why sometimes my water also differs in color between cultures ... but the pods still seem happy.

raising tig pods - tiny 2.5g tank experimental culture #2

2nd attempt at raising tig pods is officially underway. Original attempt was outdoor lazy banana leaf method I found online - that is still underway but seems to be failing. Suspect Texas temperature and full day direct sunshine is too much, but that pod culture experiment still underway. 2nd...

forum.dfwmas.org

 

[emmysnewtank]

I use a different method to culture pods, but I couldn't say why sometimes my water also differs in color between cultures ... but the pods still seem happy.

raising tig pods - tiny 2.5g tank experimental culture #2

2nd attempt at raising tig pods is officially underway. Original attempt was outdoor lazy banana leaf method I found online - that is still underway but seems to be failing. Suspect Texas temperature and full day direct sunshine is too much, but that pod culture experiment still underway. 2nd...

forum.dfwmas.org

I thought about the banana peel method in a big bucket outside, but it weirdly seemed like more work to me. I wonder if the 'dirty' water and peel actually produce more growth than the clean jars and Phyto.

For now my jars seem to be going well so I am not going to mess with it...but was debating a 5gallon Home Depot bucket in the garage as an experiment next to my culture station.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I thought about the banana peel method in a big bucket outside, but it weirdly seemed like more work to me. I wonder if the 'dirty' water and peel actually produce more growth than the clean jars and Phyto.

For now my jars seem to be going well so I am not going to mess with it...but was debating a 5gallon Home Depot bucket in the garage as an experiment next to my culture station.

my only effort is harvesting... evaporation is my main obstacle, then secondly I have to remember to toss a bit of food their way every once in a while. Today I ate a banana, and since I don't recall when last I gave them any, I did chuck a tiny bit of peel into each culture.

One day just direct a serving of pods from fish into that 5 gallon bucket and give it a try. Originally I didn't use airstones and my stir stick was an actual tree small branch. Tigger Pods from Reef Nutrition are pretty tough... Its always good to have a backup supply of pods - what is the worst that might happen? Try it someday

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I have tried indoor and outdoor, I get pods delivered monthly so I'm available to play around a little,
My indoor was a crude setup, an airpump, 2 plastic containers.
I got alot of pods/ more than one bags worth from indoor culture but it's time consuming and constantly monitoring is a pain

My outdoor culture is ongoing and kinda less hassle. Try this thread

Thread 'More pods.' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/more-pods.835488/

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I have tried indoor and outdoor, I get pods delivered monthly so I'm available to play around a little,
My indoor was a crude setup, an airpump, 2 plastic containers.
I got alot of pods/ more than one bags worth from indoor culture but it's time consuming and constantly monitoring is a pain

My outdoor culture is ongoing and kinda less hassle. Try this thread

Thread 'More pods.' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/more-pods.835488/

Yep, that is what my indoor culture was based on and it also links back to same R2R thread you called out

raising tig pods - tiny 2.5g tank experimental culture #2

2nd attempt at raising tig pods is officially underway. Original attempt was outdoor lazy banana leaf method I found online - that is still underway but seems to be failing. Suspect Texas temperature and full day direct sunshine is too much, but that pod culture experiment still underway. 2nd...

forum.dfwmas.org

 

[emmysnewtank]

Fascinating...my plan was to strain out half the water and pods each week and replace w clean water...but maybe that's totally unnecessary and I can just scoop pods out whenever I want to feed the tank and just keep adding Phyto to feed them.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Fascinating...my plan was to strain out half the water and pods each week and replace w clean water...but maybe that's totally unnecessary and I can just scoop pods out whenever I want to feed the tank and just keep adding Phyto to feed them.

I couldn't even guess what month I last did any sort of partial water change...

agree the phyto for pod culture methods are a lot more work, which is why instead I go with the easy lazy spirulina banana method...

now, depending TYPE of pods you go with it can make a difference - I like Reef Nutrition tigger pods because if I'm lazy about harvesting as fish food, at least they don't go cannibalistic which cuts back on harvest... if they have enough food and whatnot they just get cuddly <wink> more fish food lol

 

[emmysnewtank]

I’m guessing the lazy method you are all just scooping pods out…but I’m trying to siphon out thru a sieve and keep jars clean…but then I end up w a bunch of dead photo and waste caught w my pods in the sieve…

is it ok for this waste to get dumped into tank w the pods?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I’m guessing the lazy method you are all just scooping pods out…but I’m trying to siphon out thru a sieve and keep jars clean…but then I end up w a bunch of dead photo and waste caught w my pods in the sieve…

is it ok for this waste to get dumped into tank w the pods?

SO maybe its okay = that 'waste' will add to your nitrates and phosphates where you dump it.

I dump it in my main display tank (or sometimes in planted refugium in sump that goes up to main tank) but then we've got a lot of things we do to lower both nitrates and phosphates so I don't have to rely just on water changes to knock those nitrate and phosphate numbers back - else our corals did/would object to such high numbers (I'm also a strong +2x daily feed meals)

lazy method is also dirty and collects spirulina... though that is some of why lights are there to encourage pods to get off bottom/food and be higher in the water column so I can catch pods a bit more cleanly (but rarely truly 'clean')

 

[Kasrift]

They both have pods growing. The greener one has far more. the clear on has banana peel and is an open jar.
Not sure if that has anything to do with it

I've been growing both for awhile now with the Poseidon Reef tanks. I can tell you that the open jar with just a banana peel has more "contaminates" so the phyto dies faster than the closed system. I've crashed my culture of phyto twice, and both times it was because I was lazy and didn't make sure that it was contaminate free by using alcohol wipes and everything when setting up the culture. Live phyto in my copepod culture can stay green longer as long as it isn't consumed or settles completely to the bottom. Live phyto can die REALLY fast with any contaminates. I'm not saying you have lysol or something, I'm just stating that there are other bacteria or things in the water from the banana that the phyto won't like. The two times I've crashed my culture, it went from bright green to white in a day.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I've been growing both for awhile now with the Poseidon Reef tanks. I can tell you that the open jar with just a banana peel has more "contaminates" so the phyto dies faster than the closed system. I've crashed my culture of phyto twice, and both times it was because I was lazy and didn't make sure that it was contaminate free by using alcohol wipes and everything when setting up the culture. Live phyto in my copepod culture can stay green longer as long as it isn't consumed or settles completely to the bottom. Live phyto can die REALLY fast with any contaminates. I'm not saying you have lysol or something, I'm just stating that there are other bacteria or things in the water from the banana that the phyto won't like. The two times I've crashed my culture, it went from bright green to white in a day.

I'd suggest 'growing' your phyto without your pods.

Instead, keep your phyto clean and periodically feed it to pods.

Completely agree that doing both in same container is doomed. Its also why I don't grow phyto.

 

[Kasrift]

I'd suggest 'growing' your phyto without your pods.

Instead, keep your phyto clean and periodically feed it to pods.

Completely agree that doing both in same container is doomed. Its also why I don't grow phyto.

I do culture them separately. I have two tanks from the Poseidon reef system. They need different flow in them for bubbles. Sorry if I wasn't clear on my setup, but yes I dose the other container with the pods and I keep a clean culture for the phyto.

 

[Kasrift]

This is right before harvesting which is why the copepod on the left is clear. I harvest the nanno phyto and reset both while adding more phyto to the copepods on the left.