Pod screen

[Garf]

I have an idea that I could make a canvas screen work as a dedicated copepod breeder. Just need a little fuzz to grow on it to feed pods and therefore mysids. I have roughed up a screen and attached it to the bottom of my waterfall screen. It gets a little circulation from the ATS and it's bubbles. For lighting, a single one sided 20watt CFL about 9 inches from the screen. If it works I will make a separate build so that it is not removed every time I clean my ATS. If I can get the algae to grow slightly faster than it is eaten I reckon it could be left in situ.

[kerry]

My pods live on my screens once they get a little growth.

[Garf]

Yes, and I thought that I would try to keep a habitat where the life cycle of pods would encourage mysid predation. Obviously this is not achieved on an ATS because the mysids cannot get to the pods and during the ATS cleaning procedure most, if not all of the pods are killed and washed away. I like cheap stuff, and if I can achieve a cheap supply of pods and mysids for my DT I'll be very happy. Any suggestions on improving this are very welcome.

[kerry]

I see them in my waterfall box and they get washed down the drain if they get in the faster current. In my 10G pod tank I have a horizontal that has about an inch or so of the screen in the tank water and have tons of pods in this tank, there are hundreds on the glass alone.

[Garf]

So although yours is a horizontal, and mine is a vertical, you think my logic is sound?

[kerry]

I think in the water is fine. The one horizontal I have produces much more pods then the water fall unit does.

[kodiak66]

Just a suggest, You could add this kind of filter with bath scrubs to create a pod haven using air pump for water circulation..

Be sure to remove the foam and replace with bath scrubs like this.

[kerry]

In my pod tank I have porous live rock and a course crushed coral substrate that they can maneuver through plus the horizontal scrubber. I switch out chunks this live rock with my other tanks every week or two to keep them supplied with pods. This enables me to have a Mandarin in a 10G that is fat and happy. This pod tank also has an emerald crab and a peppermint shrimp in it. I feed this tank (and my other tanks) a homemade mix of blended up shrimp, carrots, and peas with a gelatin binder. This seems to keep the pods producing at a fast rate. If I think they are looking a little thin I just up the food for a week and then POD-PRESTO they are all over the glass again.

[kotlec]

What kind of carrots, and peas are you using Kerry ? Can you show pictures of ingredients and possibly process. I would like to try that recipe.

[kerry]

I have a 2 quart blender I mix it in. I get the bags of 1 pound frozen shrimp when they are on sale or sometimes as a treat for the tanks I buy fresh and peel them, I use one can(12oz) of the sliced carrots, one 12oz can of peas, and about 4 packets of gelatin (found in the cheesecake isle, I buy the big box with a couple dozen pack in it) and a bit of ro/di water to get it to mix up good. I thaw or peel the shrimp, I heat both the cans of peas and carrots in the microwave for a few minutes until they are good and HOT. While this is heating I am blending the shrimp on high, then I add the veggies while blending, I usually have to add a little water to get the mixture churning in a tornado fashion. Once this is a consistent color I slowly add a packets of gelatin one at a time and blend for a minute more. I pour this into shallow flat plastic seal-able containers, I put these in the fridge for a couple three hours to allow the gelatin to set. Once its set I store the extras in the freezer until needed.
The gelatin is adjustable to your desire.
I sometimes take a couple ounces of the mix before I add gelatin to use as a liquid treat for the corals at lights out.