Pod Planning

[devocole]

I take sand from a mature tank and pipette out the interesting creatures. I shake chaeto and pipette out the creatures as well as filter socks of a mature tank. It is not hard to get a large variety and they establish themselves quickly. This is the best way in my opinion. If you don't have a mature tank. Ask someone for half a cup of sand, a handful of chaeto and the junk from a filter sock.

 

[Psychedelic Fins]

I take sand from a mature tank and pipette out the interesting creatures. I shake chaeto and pipette out the creatures as well as filter socks of a mature tank. It is not hard to get a large variety and they establish themselves quickly. This is the best way in my opinion. If you don't have a mature tank. Ask someone for half a cup of sand, a handful of chaeto and the junk from a filter sock.

Like this idea. Might need to find a nearby reefer or get ask with my LFS.

 

[locito277]

So my conclusions from this thread are:
1. Buy it (anything from another system) and they will come (pods)
2. Phyto will feed the buggers and keep them really happy and multiplying.
3. In my 180 gallon tank, I shouldn't need to supplement pods to keep enough for a mandarin
4. Seeding initially could jump start my pod population (and introduce species variety)
5. My DIY pod hotels could be used in place of chaeto to transport from sump to display (if that is even needed)
6. Woodneer's wife and mine have similar reef tank desires

Pretty much. I buy pods from everywhere. Pod your reef is good too. Just lost my fat pair of mandarins Due to a tank wipeout. In a 180 I would dump a bottle of tisbe, one of acyclop And a tigger bottle. Wait till lights out and dump them in after lights out. Your tank will seed itself in time but so long as they have foodyou’ll have pods lol

 

[locito277]

Pretty much. I buy pods from everywhere. Pod your reef is good too. Just lost my fat pair of mandarins Due to a tank wipeout. In a 180 I would dump a bottle of tisbe, one of acyclop And a tigger bottle. Wait till lights out and dump them in after lights out. Your tank will seed itself in time but so long as they have foodyou’ll have pods lol

Forgot to mention. You could bring in unwanted stuff though someone’s chaeto. I do it but I’m a disaster lol

 

[Sarcazian]

Words of wisdom. Agree. Pods will eventually hitchhike into your tank even if you dip. They will mate and populate over time. Dont sweat it

I was surprised at this... I had what felt like billions of pods in my old systems and thought they had come from my old LR. I saved my rock in SW for 8 years and started fresh using only that rock.

Got the cycle done, brought in some corals (first) that were FW, iodine (Seachem reef), and H2O2 dipped. Corals QT'ed for a week before hand. Then two weeks later (2/5/21 I think) added some fish and 4 days later some minor diatoms started. I was dosing SeaChem Phyto as soon as I dropped in the corals.

Two nights or so I saw my first green on the glass and hundreds of pods. Tank was started 1/1/2021.