Pods?

jrh4711

jrh4711

New Member
Okay,

I have to ask being that I am not the sharpest kid in the class.:dummy:

What is a Pod?

What do they eat?

What eats them?

Where do they live?

What are the benefits to them?

What are the downfalls to them?

I am looking for a 30 gallon sump/fuge for a 75 gallon reef tank if anyone has one in the chicago area?
 
JWarren

JWarren

Active Member
Pods are very small invertebrates that will feed on free matter in your water column. Below is a photo of two common pods that are found in most tanks. It is in the best interest of your aquarium to have an abundance of these little guys because they help to reduce the nitrates in the water by eating some of the things that cause this pollutant.

pods_web.jpg
 
jrh4711

jrh4711

New Member
Thank you for the help.

Alright I understand what they are now.:hammerhea

But what about:

What do they eat?

What eats them?

Where do they live?

Where do you get them?
 
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JoJo

JoJo

Active Member
They eat micro sediments that cause nitrates in your system. I know Mandarin Gobies eat them plus other types of fish maybe Tangs. They can live in Live Rock rubble of your system, but mostly in refugiums. They are cultivated as your system matures.
 
corrado007

corrado007

Active Member
Just for fun, here's a video of some pods and a HH star in my sump. I had to drain and remove the sump the other day to add a new Auto Top-off container to the very cramped space under the stand and once it was drained down to around 1cm deep and I removed the return pump and other goodies I saw a star and these pods buzzing around.
Pods and Star
 
corrado007

corrado007

Active Member
ReefGuy69 said:
Those are some HUGE pods. wow...
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was a bit surprised at their size too. The star is about the size of a nickel or maybe a quarter when it's legs are extended to give an idea of the size of the pods. There are some smaller ones swimming by on the left edge also. I didn't think I'd see so much life in the return section of the sump. It's kind of funny to see but when I look at the tank's overflow from under the stand I can see pods and a bristle worm in there as well.
 
JWarren

JWarren

Active Member
Cyclopods and Calanoid tend to be the smallest (Photo above). Then Munnids are next (photo above), and then the Amphipods come in next on the size scale (in the video). The amphipods can get quite large. I've got a few in my tank that are almost 3/8" long when they stretch out their curved body. My mandarin generally has those for dinner.
 
jrh4711

jrh4711

New Member
Thank you all.

Does the fuge need to be seeded with these pods?

What kind of plants do they like in the fuge? Cheato?

Do the plants and pods need a sand or mud base?
:stars:
 
framerguy

framerguy

Well-Known Member
Does the fuge need to be seeded with these pods? Not necessarily, they should come in with your live rock. However, it doesn't hurt at all to kickstart their population by adding them.

What kind of plants do they like in the fuge? Cheato? The plants provide cover and a breeding ground. Cheato is an excellent algae for that purpose.

Do the plants and pods need a sand or mud base? No. The sand bed in the refugium is mostly used for natural nitrate reduction. If you do have a sand bed for that purpose it needs to be 4.5"+ deep. 6" is better still.
 
JWarren

JWarren

Active Member
Kathy,

If you can't see them, you need more! :)

I use a loop (magnifier) and check my front glass. They like to hang out under the lights and eat algea. Within the loop's viewing area (usually 1" x 1"), I want to see at least 5.
 
kathywithbirds

kathywithbirds

Well-Known Member
JWarren said:
Kathy,

If you can't see them, you need more! :)

I use a loop (magnifier) and check my front glass. They like to hang out under the lights and eat algea. Within the loop's viewing area (usually 1" x 1"), I want to see at least 5.
Click to expand...

Are we talking in the DT or in the fuge? The fuge has plenty but i never see any in the DT.
 
JWarren

JWarren

Active Member
Both.

Pods Pods everywhere! I love pods! Can't get enough pods! :)

Got a Manderin or other pod eater? You should be able to see some in your DT. If you don't, get some. You can never have too many pods!
 
kathywithbirds

kathywithbirds

Well-Known Member
There are pods that are BIG in my fuge... but in the DT, would they happen to look like dust motes when the lights are out? (I have no loop...)
 
jrh4711

jrh4711

New Member
Thanks again to everyone.

Where do you get pods to start the pod colony in the fuge?

I plan on getting 100 lbs. of live rock and about 50 lbs of live sand.

Will there be enough on the live rock to start a colony?

20 to 30 gallon sump. For the skimmer fuge return pump.

I am not to the point where I need to start a colony yet but I am getting closer. I cannot aford to get everything at once but I am slowly building piece by piece.
 
C

cheeks69

Wannabe Guru
RS STAFF
Copepods/Amphipods eat bacteria, diatoms, and tiny single celled organisms living in the water. Some are herbivores other are parasitic and can be a serious threat to your fish but generally speaking the one's that are HH's on LR are beneficial and are a food source for many fish.
 
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