Phytoplankton Question

[Terry Mattson]

I have been dosing twice a week live phytoplankton from Algea Barn. I have am lps zoa tank. My reason for dosing is I have a mandarin and hoped it would help pod population. My question is Algea Barn is quite expensive. Are there alternative more cost effective products? Does dosing really help?

 

[Brad Miller]

You could culture your own if you like doing that sorta thing....

Culturing and feeding Phytoplankton to Coral, Pods and Fish

I've exhausted myself over the course of several months researching this and still can not seem to find the answers I'm looking for. I did order "Ocean Majic" Phyto from Algae Barn (4 strain mix) and have been doing their recommended dosing once a day by adding to my refugium for just over 1...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[sixty_reefer]

Believe it or not pods actually thrive more wend fed decaying algae. As long as you got any green algae in the refugium will be good enough to feed pods.

 

[Brad Miller]

While pods do feed on algae and detritus, they also need Phytoplankton....see the below article from Algae Barn as a quick reference.

Feeding Your Hungry Pods

Marine aquarists are really attempting to accomplish several goals when introducing copepods to their systems. These undoubtedly include elimination of

www.algaebarn.com

 

[Dana Riddle]

Get two 5-gallon aquariums, an air pump, manifold and tubing, a aluminum reflector and LED lamp from Lowe's/Home Depot, a timer and Guillard's f/2 algae formula (from LFS, Amazon, etc.) and follow directions. Total cost - shop around - as little as $50. Less if you already have some of this equipment. Soon, you'll have more green water than you know what to do with. I'm presently culturing almost 100 gallons of green water. I feed it directly to the reef tank, brine shrimp tank and rotifer tank.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Believe it or not pods actually thrive more wend fed decaying algae. As long as you got any green algae in the refugium will be good enough to feed pods.

Ya, have cheto and green algea in the fugees. I do see pods, just would like higher population in there. The DT has a lot of pids running under and on the Rocks. Most are from mid tank on reef to sand. The mandarin spends the day eating them and is healthy, growing.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Refugium

 

[Dana Riddle]

No need for a refugium. Feeding green water directly to the DT will make the zooplankton population explode (if it was seeded with live rock or from a vendor providing zooplankton 'bugs'.)

 

[sixty_reefer]

While pods do feed on algae and detritus, they also need Phytoplankton....see the below article from Algae Barn as a quick reference.

Feeding Your Hungry Pods

Marine aquarists are really attempting to accomplish several goals when introducing copepods to their systems. These undoubtedly include elimination of

www.algaebarn.com

Just because it’s an article it doesn’t mean it’s the stampeded true. There are people having some crazy successful garden cultures on GHA and algae pellets. And wend I say successful I mean there’s nearly no space for pods to swim. Phytoplankton got a lot of uses in this hobby and it does do wonders but for pod culturing is not always essential in my opinion

 

[vanpire]

I have been dosing twice a week live phytoplankton from Algea Barn. I have am lps zoa tank. My reason for dosing is I have a mandarin and hoped it would help pod population. My question is Algea Barn is quite expensive. Are there alternative more cost effective products? Does dosing really help?

You can also dose with frozen phyto. They work well for me. Cheaper and much easier.

Here is one example. There are others.

Tahitian Blend Reef Tank Formula

Tahitian Blend is formulated for feeding live rock, SPS and LPS corals, clams, tunicates, and other filter feeding organisms.

www.brineshrimpdirect.com

 

[Terry Mattson]

You can also dose with frozen phyto. They work well for me. Cheaper and much easier.

Here is one example. There are others.

Tahitian Blend Reef Tank Formula

Tahitian Blend is formulated for feeding live rock, SPS and LPS corals, clams, tunicates, and other filter feeding organisms.

www.brineshrimpdirect.com

Thanks
Do you know if pods in the DT will eat this?

 

[vanpire]

Thanks
Do you know if pods in the DT will eat this?

There are different types and these types of algae concentrate are what the farms used to feed their copepods and rotifers so my guess is that your copepods, rotifers and amphipods will also eat them.