Adding pods

JMorris271 · 01/09/2016, 11:47 AM

Hi . Can pods be added to the fuge with only lr ant no micro and get a pod population going and if so,when can they be added?
Thanks

davocean · 01/09/2016, 11:58 AM

They need a food source to sustain them, if there is surface algae on LR then that may get you by for a bit but really they should have some sort of macro.
I would add at night when lights are out, I add some to display and some to fuge, maybe turn pumps off for a few.

JMorris271 · 01/09/2016, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davocean

They need a food source to sustain them, if there is surface algae on LR then that may get you by for a bit but really they should have some sort of macro.
I would add at night when lights are out, I add some to display and some to fuge, maybe turn pumps off for a few.

Cheato is coming shortly . I was going to add some plankton as well for their munchies. Would this be ok?

Marchillo · 01/09/2016, 12:17 PM

Add at night is key. I turned off my return and my skimmer and added all to the fuge. I waited like 30 minutes for the pods to settle on the cheato. The tank was on moonlight but even after all that I could definitely see a couple of my fish feasting when pumps went on. Lol. I still think everything I did was fine but next time I add the lights will be completely off to the tank.

davocean · 01/09/2016, 02:02 PM

Chaeto is all I use and all you need IMO

JMorris271 · 01/09/2016, 07:06 PM

ok. Thanks. All I have now is rock. my question is doI need to wait for chaeto

Reef Frog · 01/09/2016, 10:31 PM

Live rock is a fine environment for pods. Adding macro algae is good too but not "required" to grow & sustain pods. Many species of copepod eat detritus, decomposing plant & animal matter, free floating micro algae that lands on the rock, etc.

CStrickland · 01/10/2016, 12:48 AM

That was my impression, that they live on the chaeto, but eat detritus. That's why pod condos can be made of old sponges, piles or rock, or corrugated plastic. Like, you only need a couple to start the population, and it self regulates based on how much food there is. Pods come in on just about everything, frags, rocks, algae etc. The ultimate number you have is set by resources (how dirty your tank is) and predation (mandarins and wrasses seem especially effective at hunting them).

tg1966 · 01/10/2016, 10:26 AM

I have always been unsure on the POD population in our tank. We have a mandarin that is super fat (his name is Tank). We have never added PODs but have a fuge with cheato and a couple corrugated plastic "hotels". That said I have never seen pods in the tank even at night.

01/09/2016, 11:47 AM	#1
JMorris271 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Foothills of SC Posts: 2,010	Adding pods Hi . Can pods be added to the fuge with only lr ant no micro and get a pod population going and if so,when can they be added? Thanks __________________ 120 gal mixed tank. Lightly stocked now but....

01/09/2016, 11:58 AM	#2
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	They need a food source to sustain them, if there is surface algae on LR then that may get you by for a bit but really they should have some sort of macro. I would add at night when lights are out, I add some to display and some to fuge, maybe turn pumps off for a few. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

01/09/2016, 12:17 PM	#4
Marchillo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 1,178	Add at night is key. I turned off my return and my skimmer and added all to the fuge. I waited like 30 minutes for the pods to settle on the cheato. The tank was on moonlight but even after all that I could definitely see a couple of my fish feasting when pumps went on. Lol. I still think everything I did was fine but next time I add the lights will be completely off to the tank. __________________ 80G Frag as DT Proflex Sump Model2 Reef Octopus Skimmer 2xMP10 & 2XR30W Pros I love technology

01/09/2016, 02:02 PM	#5
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Chaeto is all I use and all you need IMO __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

01/09/2016, 07:06 PM	#6
JMorris271 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Foothills of SC Posts: 2,010	ok. Thanks. All I have now is rock. my question is doI need to wait for chaeto __________________ 120 gal mixed tank. Lightly stocked now but....

01/09/2016, 10:31 PM	#7
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Live rock is a fine environment for pods. Adding macro algae is good too but not "required" to grow & sustain pods. Many species of copepod eat detritus, decomposing plant & animal matter, free floating micro algae that lands on the rock, etc.

01/10/2016, 12:48 AM	#8
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	That was my impression, that they live on the chaeto, but eat detritus. That's why pod condos can be made of old sponges, piles or rock, or corrugated plastic. Like, you only need a couple to start the population, and it self regulates based on how much food there is. Pods come in on just about everything, frags, rocks, algae etc. The ultimate number you have is set by resources (how dirty your tank is) and predation (mandarins and wrasses seem especially effective at hunting them). __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

01/10/2016, 10:26 AM	#9
tg1966 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 55	I have always been unsure on the POD population in our tank. We have a mandarin that is super fat (his name is Tank). We have never added PODs but have a fuge with cheato and a couple corrugated plastic "hotels". That said I have never seen pods in the tank even at night.