Mesh cover for tank

[mikemartinez]

I am setting up a small 5 gal tank for some dwarf seahorses and needed to find a way to cover it just so nothing could get in like flies specially in the summertime so I can up with this.

Let me know what you think..... I still need to trim up some of the mesh...

This is without the mesh cover

And this is with the mesh cover

I used some of the material that is used for screen doors, its made of fiberglass so I dont think it will be ruined by the salt and I used some wood mouldings for the frame itself and just super glue gel'd it together... I left an opening for the filter and heater cables.

I wanted to make sure it was not only functional but also cheap I spent around 10 bux and still have ALOT of mesh left...

 

[NeveSSL]

Nice! I really badly want a dwarf seahorse tank, but we just don't have the room for all the brine and phyto I would also need right now. :-/

Keep us updated on the tank! Where are you getting your DSH's from?

Brandon

 

[mikemartinez]

I'm getting them from my neighbor cause he breeds Seahorses... I watched his tanks for him recently and he wanted to give me a pair..

 

[rcmike]

Sweet! I really enjoyed mine and they were breeding like crazy until a heater malfunction wiped them out. I would recommend breeding copepods instead of brine shrimp. I started out with brine shrimp and they did okay but they really took off after I started feeding copepods. I really want to get into them again sometime but, like Brandon, I just don't have enough room.

 

[NeveSSL]

That's awesome, Mike (Martinez ). Maybe I can get a few from you later on after your start reproducing.

Hey rcmike, did you have a culture of copepods or were you buying them? What species?

Brandon

 

[rcmike]

I was culturing them. I can't remember what species they were. I do know they weren't tigger pods though. I tried them and they didn't do well.

 

[NeveSSL]

I've heard they don't do well. Someone mentioned they are actually a cold water species and do not thrive at reef temps. Not sure on that, though.

Brandon

 

[poolkeeper1]

Brandon, That was correct but they have changed cultures and are now selling a warm water Pod that actually reproduces well In a fuge. Chris and Sean both carry them I believe? I got a bottle and they did great on my Solana that I sold, So almost time for a new bottle.
Bill

 

[NeveSSL]

Nice! Might be fun just to try to reproduce the new strain to see how they do.

Man, I feel like such a nerd typing that. :lol:

Brandon

 

[mikemartinez]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

From what I can remember he is currently feeding them Baby Brine shrimp but now that RCMike mentioned it I will look into pods as well..

hopefully if I can get them to breed I will let you guys know so you can get some from me...

 

[rcmike]

I may get back into them eventually. I've just got so much going on now with trying to get my reef back into shape and the chameleons. Maybe in a few months I'll try again. Here is the thread on mine. I didn't mention the copepods in it but I was feeding them almost exclusively after a couple of months. They really started breeding after that.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1206335&highlight=seahorse

 

[GreshamH]

Brandon, That was correct but they have changed cultures and are now selling a warm water Pod that actually reproduces well In a fuge. Chris and Sean both carry them I believe? I got a bottle and they did great on my Solana that I sold, So almost time for a new bottle.
Bill

If you're talking about Tigger-Pods we have not changed the culture and we have always bred them at 75f-mid 80's f (temp is dependent on time of year since we don't chill them). People think since the ocean around here is cold that they are cold water species. Problem is, they don't live in the ocean, they live in the upper splash zone. I've seen the USZ in the high 90's at times during summer months and low 40's in the winter. Tigriopus californicus are amazingly hardy animals that can take a wide range of conditions.

 

[poolkeeper1]

What I do know for sure Is that the Tigger Pods that I tried In the past never reproduced, For me or anybody else I talked to about them. My LFS owner told me that the Pods they have Now are different and actually gave two of us a bottle to try out and LHK how they did. That being said this current bottle I tried did live and most likely were reproducing since I sold that system complete fuge and all that Is all I can say at this point.
I am setting another tank and will stock my fuge with another bottle and I'll LYK for sure what happens In my situation as to what does and does not take place, But this Is my actual experiance only and do not speak for anyone or any product. I hope they work and reproduce like mad personally!
Bill

 

[GreshamH]

<<<< works for Reef Nutrition


We did not change the culture. We added more to the bottle many moons ago but the culture is the same one we've been doing for years now (since we started selling them).

 

[MVlk]

Bill, Once your sump is up and running I'll give you the majority of my cheato ball. It is infested with pods like the rest of my refugium.

 

[luckyfish]

What, if anything specific were you feeding your pods?

 

[poolkeeper1]

I have never fed Pods specific, My 185 Is Over run with Pods and always has been. They came In with good quality live rock as I never did seed that tank. But my Solana I did for the purpose of speeding things up to create a healthy enviorment for a Mandarin Fish sooner than later. I do feed my tanks foods specific to the needs of my SPS and fish, So that's what the Pods get and nothing more.
Bill

 

[MVlk]

I feed them nothing. Just what makes it into the refugium.