
Email Question: What do I need for my tank?
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Customer: "Hey, I’m looking to stock up my tank with pods. It’s a cycled 90g with a sump. I was curious about the best way to do this. I’ve only got 2 clowns and some coral in there at the moment."
Reef Solutions: Thanks for reaching out! You’ve got a great-sized aquarium, and having a sump is a huge bonus. If you’ve got a refugium in there, that’s even better! I’ll give you a quick answer, like it’s my own tank, and then go through a longer explanation with some added tips.
Short Answer: To start, I’d recommend at least one 17.5oz bottle of Trigger Pods, Rotifers, and Phytoplankton. You could always increase to two bottles for each product to build an even stronger natural food chain.
Long Answer: For reference, each 8oz bottle of pods suits tanks in the 20-30 gallon range, and Live Phytoplankton is essential to support their populations. Your coral and clowns will benefit from the Rotifers, Trigger Pods and Live Phyto, while the pods rely on phytoplankton as a main food source. They will also consume detritus, but phytoplankton and algae are their primary food sources. It’s a huge difference when pods are cultured with phytoplankton alone – they grow much larger and healthier. Be sure to pickup a bottle!
If your clowns are paired and eventually start laying eggs (it can take a while, but once they start, it’s regular), having Rotifers will be essential for feeding the fry. Clown fry need rotifers as their primary food in the first week and a half, and the rotifers need to be “gut-loaded” with phytoplankton to be nutritious.
BUT:
It all depends on your budget. Most people don’t see rotifers without looking closely at a bottle, let alone in their tanks. If they did, they’d see a whole micro-universe right before their eyes! While many casual reefers add invisible elements to boost water quality, they might overlook the basics of a natural food chain. I'd personally recommend Rotifers to anyone and everyone but that's because I know their benefit.
On the other hand, Trigger Pods are visible to the naked eye, and you can see the fish eat them. So most folks tend to buy Trigger Pods and Phytoplankton.
If you want to check out the full collection of options, just click here.
I could go on forever about this, but I hope this answers your question!
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Joe
Reef Solutions, Owner