Amphipod breeder setup

[reefermadnes5]

I have not added any pot scrubbers yet. I do plan on putting some in when its time to begin feeding out the other tanks. I was going to put some cheto in here but when i saw the amount of macro ipsf.com sent with the breeder kit i held off. I was thinking about maybe grabbing the ogo out and shaking it out in a bucket of water. That would be an easy harvest. If i had a sump i would have done this in my tank. I have to build a large enough number to put in my tank all at once and have them proliferate. Thats my goal here. My copepod population is coming along nicely in my tank now but i had to blast a crazy amount into the tank all at once to get over the hump of all my swimmers thinning out the numbers past sustainable. I didnt want to purchase that amount of amphipods so i decided to see if i can just build up to it and save $200. I might just wait and dump the entire pod hotel into my big tank when the time comes to close it.

 

[BigAl07]

@reefermadnes5 what "starter pod-pulation" did you go with?

 

[darrick001]

You could add a hob refugium to give them a place to grow without preditors. It would also help clean your tank at the same time. The CPR one works pretty well I haven't tried any of the others. It's great for pods but the light is to weak for nutrient export. I am adding stronger lighting to see if it's viable as a primary nutrient export . There are a ton of larger pods as well.

 

[reefermadnes5]

@reefermadnes5 what "starter pod-pulation" did you go with?

Ipsf.com has a clean up crew booster and a pod breeder is a part of the package.

 

[Crabby48]

Ipsf.com has a clean up crew booster and a pod breeder is a part of the package.

Ipsf is the best!

 

[reefermadnes5]

Ipsf is the best!

They are so generous with the quantity of macro! I stock that all over for my fox and most vendors leave me feeling robbed for the amount of macro for the price. This place sent me soooo much macro it was crazy. They are the only place ill go for my foxs snacks now.

 

[reefermadnes5]

You could add a hob refugium to give them a place to grow without preditors. It would also help clean your tank at the same time. The CPR one works pretty well I haven't tried any of the others. It's great for pods but the light is to weak for nutrient export. I am adding stronger lighting to see if it's viable as a primary nutrient export . There are a ton of larger pods as well.

I placed my tank in such a way that doing any hob isnt an option. Also have a few known jumpers so i have a lid. That is something forsure i wish i had. I would grow sea grapes and lettuce for my fox all day if i had a fuge! And pods pods pods.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Evidence of babies! They are very small but numerious! Covering the glass. Oh wow. This can lead to an explosive population growth. Going to have to be careful during tomorrow's water change. I honestly thought I had a diatom bloom and took a closer look with a magnifying glass. They look like spiders almost. Very exciting.

 

[Paul B]

I am lucky here on Long Island because I can collect them by the thousands but I don't breed them. I just dump them in my reef and they seem to reproduce in there but a breeder like you are making would ensure a steady supply. In a few weeks it will be amphipod spawning season here and they will be all over the place.



This is a 5 gallon bucket of them.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Almost 2 weeks past and the babies are absolutly ravenous. I put a pinch of flakes in every other day and it gets eaten under 48 hours. The walls of the tank were covered in diatoms until this morning. They are covering the glass. My pics are terrible but maybe they are visible for you.

They are all over the front and back glass removing diatoms like crazy. I think im going to make their water change water from tap ased sea water so i can feed the diatoms in this tank. My tap water is loaded with silicates.

 

[reefermadnes5]

This setup was an absolute sucess. I had hundreds of tiny pods in the tank. I moved the contents to my big tank. Substrate and all. My fox was out of macro and the big sea lettuce is one of his favs and my rocks have some algae these pods will make short work of.

With just the air stones and algae and fish food heater and light i was able to get 25 pods up to hundreds in close to 3 months. I believe this could have actually sustained indefinitly. If anyone is new to breeding amphipods and want to try i say do it. Its not difficult.

 

[Skywater]

Bubblers out, air stones in their place. Those balls of macro came with the pods. They showed up early so i had to take a long lunch and run and pick them up and get everything tanked today. The algaes dont sink. I have a large air pump so the water is moving a bunch. More than it was with the bubble filters. Think i should put a fan in? Petco didnt have any nanos so ill have to order something....but im not really sure if i need more flow.

AIr driven sponge filters never hurt...circulation, while amphipods cling to the material and eat any bits of detritus that is found on or under the sponge. May I ask what supplier was used for the macro algae?

 

[GARRIGA]

Grew amphipods like weed in my FW tanks but couldn't keep the salt variety alive for unknown reasons. Seeded 1200 and would often find them on my floss but after six months they literally disappeared. Doubt the fish ate them as I used to see them in the substrate. Granted the FW had plants and salt didn't therefore perhaps they needed plant matter and not just detritus. Seems they disappeared during the period of time where my tank was mostly algae free. Same with pods that showed up after initial fill likely in the salt.

New round I'm starting with a Fuge and some Pom Pom and see how that goes.

 

[reefermadnes5]

AIr driven sponge filters never hurt...circulation, while amphipods cling to the material and eat any bits of detritus that is found on or under the sponge. May I ask what supplier was used for the macro algae?

Ipsf.com. i highly recommend them because they are very generous with the macro.

 

[reefermadnes5]

Grew amphipods like weed in my FW tanks but couldn't keep the salt variety alive for unknown reasons. Seeded 1200 and would often find them on my floss but after six months they literally disappeared. Doubt the fish ate them as I used to see them in the substrate. Granted the FW had plants and salt didn't therefore perhaps they needed plant matter and not just detritus. Seems they disappeared during the period of time where my tank was mostly algae free. Same with pods that showed up after initial fill likely in the salt.

New round I'm starting with a Fuge and some Pom Pom and see how that goes.

I am going to do some scuds in my fw tank. Good diversity.

 

[Skywater]

Thankyou very much

Ipsf.com. i highly recommend them because they are very generous with the macro.

very