Adding pods to newer tank?

[PhysicsPhD]

Hi, all!

Currently upgrading my 40B DT to a 110. In particular, I have a nearly 24" fuge planned for the sump, and would like to seed with pods. I was considering getting an earlier start with pods, like after cycling and adding some blue reef chrmois, and maybe a couple anthias. I LOVE the idea of a mandarin, but that takes a well-established pod-rich tank, so that's a later project. However, I am interested in seeding my fuge with pods. In the grand scheme of things, I know an appropriate bioload helps fuel pod food. Is it a bit too early to seed after a handful of small fish have been in it a couple weeks? I do have other fish to move, order based on temperment:
1 Blue Hippo
1 Bengaggi Cardinal (does not play well with others)
2 oc clowns that prefer overflow boxes to anemones
1 coral beauty
1 coral banded shrimp
1 pistol shrimp (anti-social)

 

[A1t2o]

Never too early to add pods. Try to get some chaeto from someone that has a good amount of pods in their tank. Find out where they came from and then you can add a store bought package of pods that is different from what they added for bio diversity. Just make sure they have something to hide in and food to eat. Like macro algae.

 

[Coelli]

In my experience the store-bought pods eventually disappear. I bought some of the bottled kind and also ordered from Algae Barn. They're free-swimming but I never see them months later. Your best bet is to get a bunch of chaeto from someone else. Mine's usually swarming with copepods and amphipods and I can't give it away fast enough. I have a 65g with a fat mandarin; in addition to pods he also eats planaria (and mysis, but that's just a stroke of luck).

 

[davocean]

I believe it is the tisbe pods that do better in our water temps.
Usually just a ball of chaeto contains enough to seed the tank
I still don't think a 40g is really big enough for a mandarin on it's own or even w/ a fuge, you would probably have to supplement regularly.
Is the hippo going in your breeder too?
Is the CBS compatible w/ a pistol? (I would assume not)

 

[PhysicsPhD]

I believe it is the tisbe pods that do better in our water temps.
Usually just a ball of chaeto contains enough to seed the tank
I still don't think a 40g is really big enough for a mandarin on it's own or even w/ a fuge, you would probably have to supplement regularly.
Is the hippo going in your breeder too?
Is the CBS compatible w/ a pistol? (I would assume not)

They're in the 40B now (not the mandarin, haven't gotten one yet), but moving to the 110. The blue tang will be getting big, and upgrading the tank so she has enough room.

 

[MondoBongo]

i agree that it is also never too early to seed in pods, and second (third at this point?) the chaeto idea.

i bought a load of pods from algae barn when i was starting my upgrade, but i already had my mandarin and needed to bootstrap the pod population in the new tank before moving her over. if i had the luxury of time, i probably would have just let their numbers build naturally from all my migrated rock, and small bits of migrated sand. nothing against buying the pods, just that given a more lax schedule for the migration, i could have saved myself a few bucks, and ended up with the same result, albeit a little later in the timeline.

for what it's worth, i was very pleased with the two half gallon containers i got from algae barn. they were swarming with all kinds and sizes of pods.