Growing pods in tank (using isolation container)

[shermanator]

I want to grow some pods in my tank using an isolation tank (acrylic box with holes in it for pods to leave). My plan is to fill it with live rock rubble and seed with a bunch of pods (tisbe, amphipods, etc).

My question: aside from whatever tank water can enter the box and the tank's natural flow (obviously will be lessened by the box), do I need to have a lot of flow (a powerhead in there) to grow pods?

A bonus question: will pods grow better with less LR and some chaeto (as opposed to a box stuffed of LR rubble)?

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by shermanator

I want to grow some pods in my tank using an isolation tank (acrylic box with holes in it for pods to leave). My plan is to fill it with live rock rubble and seed with a bunch of pods (tisbe, amphipods, etc).

My question: aside from whatever tank water can enter the box and the tank's natural flow (obviously will be lessened by the box), do I need to have a lot of flow (a powerhead in there) to grow pods?

A bonus question: will pods grow better with less LR and some chaeto (as opposed to a box stuffed of LR rubble)?

I can tell you I was cleaning my filter on a 6 gallon nano tank... I thought the amphipods I had added had been eaten or died off as I hadn't seen any in months. Upon opening the filter box there where *hundreds* upon *hundreds*... so, I'd conclude they thrive in higher flow pitch black dark areas lol. On the flip side, my biopellet reactor (clear acrylic) seems to have quite a dense copepod population as well... once again it is high flow, but in this case gets lots of light.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat

I can tell you I was cleaning my filter on a 6 gallon nano tank... I thought the amphipods I had added had been eaten or died off as I hadn't seen any in months. Upon opening the filter box there where *hundreds* upon *hundreds*... so, I'd conclude they thrive in higher flow pitch black dark areas lol. On the flip side, my biopellet reactor (clear acrylic) seems to have quite a dense copepod population as well... once again it is high flow, but in this case gets lots of light.

Thanks. Hmm, high flow in both cases.

Does anyone have any idea on how well they will reproduce / populate with lower flow?

I can put a powerhead on the acclimation box, might be good to keep crap from ending up there anyhow.

How about a mix of chaeto + LR versus just a bunch of LR? Anyone have experience? I know chaeto is used as a pod home in fuges (and that is what I have in my fuge), but I don't know whether the same holds for in tank?

[BlueCursor]

I don't have amphiopods (I have zoas), but my copeopods only come out at night. During the day I see nothing; go down at 5 AM with a flashlight and they are all over the glass and rock. I guess they come out of substrate and hiding places in the rocks.

Google pod condos. That may help you to grow and harvest them in a sump or refugium, then transfer them to DT.

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by BlueCursor

I don't have amphiopods (I have zoas), but my copeopods only come out at night. During the day I see nothing; go down at 5 AM with a flashlight and they are all over the glass and rock. I guess they come out of substrate and hiding places in the rocks.

Google pod condos. That may help you to grow and harvest them in a sump or refugium, then transfer them to DT.

I see more at night, but see tons during the day too