Culturing copepods

[kilnakorr]

If phyto is single cell algae then that needs nutrients and CO2 to flourish. F/2 is the industry standard formula for giving single cell algae what it needs to grow. Can be sourced from Amazon and Ebay. There are also predators that contaminate the solution and consume the algae. Unavoidable in a hobby setup and why best to keep a source refrigerated for eventual crashes.

Two seperate systems to maintain. Only way I've found to keep single cell algae alive is with lots of nutrients and CO2. Absent of CO2 it will take carbon from your hardness and crash your alkalinity causing PH drops.

I'm old and still trying to adjust to the new terminology. We just called it green water.

Yes. But adding sufficient CO2 when pods are present is hard, as the pods don't like a lot of flow.
Phyto is easy enough, but pods is giving my trouble. Also, I'm not sure phyto can use carbonate/bicarbonate as a carbon source, but that is another discussion.

 

[GARRIGA]

Yes. But adding sufficient CO2 when pods are present is hard, as the pods don't like a lot of flow.
Phyto is easy enough, but pods is giving my trouble. Also, I'm not sure phyto can use carbonate/bicarbonate as a carbon source, but that is another discussion.

Agreed. Pods likely won't produce the necessary CO2 required. Solution might to dose Soda Ash to increase both dkh and PH or Baking Soda if PH not an issue. I've not found PH to be the issue.

Plants and other organism that require CO2 for photosynthesis can and will strip carbonates. I've tested that in freshwater with both plants and single cell algae. There's science behind it. My dkh was always crashing yet during the day PH would be elevated and at night would drop. Huge swings. Dosing being the only solution or adding fish that don't feed on pods. In fresh, plecos and mollies were the solution. I'm going to try mollies in salt. Already have them acclimated and just need to add green water and pods and see how it all goes. Only one way to confirm.

 

[kilnakorr]

Agreed. Pods likely won't produce the necessary CO2 required. Solution might to dose Soda Ash to increase both dkh and PH or Baking Soda if PH not an issue. I've not found PH to be the issue.

Plants and other organism that require CO2 for photosynthesis can and will strip carbonates. I've tested that in freshwater with both plants and single cell algae. There's science behind it. My dkh was always crashing yet during the day PH would be elevated and at night would drop. Huge swings. Dosing being the only solution or adding fish that don't feed on pods. In fresh, plecos and mollies were the solution. I'm going to try mollies in salt. Already have them acclimated and just need to add green water and pods and see how it all goes. Only one way to confirm.

Hopefully my new 'device' works as intended with high flow for the phyto and less flow for the pods. I should probably have waited with the pods until I had a fresh batch of phyto, but hoping they survive a few more days while the phyto is brewing.

 

[GARRIGA]

Hopefully my new 'device' works as intended with high flow for the phyto and less flow for the pods. I should probably have waited with the pods until I had a fresh batch of phyto, but hoping they survive a few more days while the phyto is brewing.

Pods eat flakes too.

 

[kilnakorr]

Pods eat flakes too.

True. Guess they eat almost anything, so could just feed them a little flake food or reefroids.

 

[GARRIGA]

True. Guess they eat almost anything, so could just feed them a little flake food or reefroids.

Considering they find value in detritus, I wouldn't waste money on reef roids. Could dump your filter socks in the tank and let them have at it. My understanding is that all Copepods eat detritus and Amphipods eat algae. I'd double check on exactly which you have and go from there.

 

[kilnakorr]

Considering they find value in detritus, I wouldn't waste money on reef roids. Could dump your filter socks in the tank and let them have at it. My understanding is that all Copepods eat detritus and Amphipods eat algae. I'd double check on exactly which you have and go from there.

I already have reef roids, but not filter socks;Happy
I'm not sure what species I have, but looks like 'Tisbe'.

 

[GARRIGA]

I already have reef roids, but not filter socks;Happy
I'm not sure what species I have, but looks like 'Tisbe'.

If that's what they are then according to Algae barn they consume detritus and algae as adults but need phyto in the free swimming stage.

Could mix spirulina algae powder and use that as a food source. Works in fresh with daphnia. I'm considering that as coral food as well.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Considering they find value in detritus, I wouldn't waste money on reef roids. Could dump your filter socks in the tank and let them have at it. My understanding is that all Copepods eat detritus and Amphipods eat algae. I'd double check on exactly which you have and go from there.

Amthipods eat anything but mainly detritus. That's why they breed like cockroaches in most reef systems that get over fed

 

[GARRIGA]

Amthipods eat anything but mainly detritus. That's why they breed like cockroaches in most reef systems that get over fed

Wasn’t aware amphipods ate detritus. Thought it was just copepods. Good to know

 

[kilnakorr]

So. It seems my new phyto/pod tank is working and I have loads of new pods in the dense phyto:

When should I start harvest the little critters?
The culture was started December 27 th, so 14 days old today.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

So. It seems my new phyto/pod tank is working and I have loads of new pods in the dense phyto:

When should I start harvest the little critters?
The culture was started December 27 th, so 14 days old today.

I feed my pods tiny bits of spirulina powder and some live phyto. I use European lazy banana leaf (peel) method, but indoors and small tanks (1-2.5 gallons), so I add a LED 5k spectrum 60w equivalent light for the phyto or whatever outdoors may be doing.

After 3-5 days, I begin harvesting daily using little brine shrimp net. Then I begin harvesting 2x daily... then 3x daily...

I never worry about the phyto or spirulina that collects on the bottom - pods can swim or 'walk' their way down to eat if they want... I have only recently added airstone wondering if that might improve my counts... haven't yet decided. Do think stirring with a stick daily makes a difference early on but once up to harvesting 3x daily then think the small net serves whatever function stick was doing. Airstone is causing foamy bubbles on top of culture. I do sometimes take the pods and bubbles and add to my 180gallon main tank.

Agree multiple cultures - I have a 2.5 gallon and 1 gallon beverage container both having started with Reef Nutrition Tigger pods (prefer this size as easier for me to see) and a 1 gallon beverage container started with AlgaeBarn EcoPods (for diversity - also think these pods like phyto more than spirulina powder - also don't care if one of the 4 types is eating EcoPod mixtures other types... if that makes them more nutritious when fish eat them - awesome circle of life).

Have learned too much banana peel can make pod water bit smelly and seems to kill off phyto (based on yellowing color, not deep spirulina green)... but pods don't care. Have learned not to add banana peel square days in advance of pod introduction else the banana peel develops white mold (or does banana peel always go moldy but pods eat mold... unknown as water goes dark dark green within week or so).

My boyfriend talked me into a water change despite my culture method starts and goes forward different from most here - add pods, add about 1/2 square of fresh banana skin, add starter +150ml phyto and then give bits of spirulina daily with occasional live phyto 50ml treat - no water changes, no straining, I do give a stir using little stick from yard (each culture has its own stick)... LAZY is within the name of the method I chose to follow <wink> then just start slow to harvest and counts just climb...

I don't grow my own phyto but I get thru online and some from local people that I'll pay or swap something - someone local is giving me phyto in trade for pods this weekend

This is lunch extract (also have breakfast and dinner extracts) from my 2.5 gallon, but I extract from all three tanks... my fish are fat... my flame angel has double chin

I do wash tiny used nets in tap water and don't reuse nets until dry (I have 10 tiny nets for 3 pod culture tanks: 3 breakfast, 3 lunch and 3 dinner nets - 2 sets of 5 nets (started with 5 nets, but I also started originally with just 1 indoor culture tank)). Its actually more to keep my main tank water out of my pod water since I've been fighting green hair algae in main tank and don't want it to get in pod tanks.

Hope this different info helps someone somewhere give pod culturing a try!

 

[Betex]

Quick question for anyone culturing phyto/pods. Can you re-use the storage container for the phyto after rinsing it with RO or would there be something that can cause it to crash while storing it for usage.

 

[elysics]

Quick question for anyone culturing phyto/pods. Can you re-use the storage container for the phyto after rinsing it with RO or would there be something that can cause it to crash while storing it for usage.

Looking at it wrong CAN cause it to crash.

I have never even rinsed the container growing my phyto, nor the container growing a mix of pods in more than a year, always just top off, no crash in sight.

I am not saying that you should do it like that, but it is possible. I don't even know if the phyto is still uncontaminated, probably not, but it still grows on my windowsill. I am capable of doing proper sterile technique, but until I get a crash with my current containers, I won't bother.

Just don't get any pods in your phyto and don't get any amphipods into your pods. I top off the pod container with old tank water through a coffee filter + phyto, phyto gets freshly made saltwater.

 

[Betex]

Looking at it wrong CAN cause it to crash.

I have never even rinsed the container growing my phyto, nor the container growing a mix of pods in more than a year, always just top off, no crash in sight.

I am not saying that you should do it like that, but it is possible. I don't even know if the phyto is still uncontaminated, probably not, but it still grows on my windowsill. I am capable of doing proper sterile technique, but until I get a crash with my current containers, I won't bother.

Just don't get any pods in your phyto and don't get any amphipods into your pods. I top off the pod container with old tank water through a coffee filter + phyto, phyto gets freshly made saltwater.

Yeah for sure I dont touch the growing phyto I am talking about the harvested phyto that is used for dosing or for the pods. This container would be the one in the fridge that I am talking about.

 

[elysics]

Yeah for sure I dont touch the growing phyto I am talking about the harvested phyto that is used for dosing or for the pods. This container would be the one in the fridge that I am talking about.

Oh, yeah i have always reused that too without rinsing or anything. But i try to not contaminate those, always pour into a cup not into the tank, don't touch the opening, etc. The bottles look relatively clean when they are empty

 

[Betex]

Oh, yeah i have always reused that too without rinsing or anything. But i try to not contaminate those, always pour into a cup not into the tank, don't touch the opening, etc. The bottles look relatively clean when they are empty

Perfect its what I do as well but just wanted to make sure that was the case.