DIY cheap "pod hotel" project...

[afboundguy]

In my never ending researching of projects while stuck bored at work I stumbled across someone who had a post about corrugated plastic (stuff they make yard signs out of) and how they used it in their copepod culture. It got me thinking about using it in my culture (which I just started to the other day with amazing results). The idea is it creates a lot of extra surface area for the pods to live on and grow better above and beyond just the walls of the tank or jar.

I have also looked at a way to increase the copepod population in my tank to sustain a mandarin and in that research quest I found a Pod Hotel (https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/p...MIhcHvyfby6AIVEFYMCh1dmwBGEAQYASABEgIFcPD_BwE) but it was around $30 plus shipping..

So one day it hit me and I decided it would be easy to make my own pod hotel so I went out to a local big box hardware store and picked up some corrugate plastic which was 24"x18" for a little under $7.

 

[afboundguy]

I then cut two roughly 2 inch slices...

 

[afboundguy]

And then marked and cut those into 2 inch sections...

 

[afboundguy]

I made enough to make 3 pod hotels...

 

[afboundguy]

I decided to alternate the openings to create the most hidden surface area for each hotel...

 

[afboundguy]

I then decided to cut groves in the top and bottom pieces of each layer (just one side for the top and bottom pieces) so that the pods could have even more shelter and space to move around on the inside...

 

[afboundguy]

All I did was use super glue gell to glue them together. I'm glad I spent the extra time to cut the groves as it really will let the pods stay inside the hotel and do the dirty deed in peace and quiet...

 

[afboundguy]

This picture shows how cutting alternating slits in the top and bottom they'll be able to crawl around inside and go to all the levels...

 

[afboundguy]

Next I decided to throw them in my copepod cultures to get some pods to move in... After less than a day I was blown away at how much the culture exploded! The saturation of the culture at the top by the hotel was insane!

The corrugated plastic does float which worked well for my culture container so I could easily remove it but not so great for putting it in the tank...

 

[afboundguy]

So after letting them fill up the vacancy I now needed to figure out how to keep them on the sandbed in the tank. I first thought about gluing some small rock rubble or vacant shells to the underside but then I thought about frag plugs. 2 frag plugs superglued to the bottom worked perfectly and kept them easily on the sandbed. They also have the added benefit of being able to stick into the sandbed so they don't get moved around as well!

 

[afboundguy]

Once the coralline algae starts getting on them and they start to get "dirty" they'll blend right in. Not bad for what I have to imagine easily costing well under $1 per hotel. Tad bit better than the $30 plus shipping for the fancy real one

Stuck them in the back of the tank basically out of site from the front view of the tank...

 

[absolutecarrot]

Wow very clever

 

[afboundguy]

Wow very clever

Thanks... Every once in a blue moon I have a decent idea so I figured I'd share it!!!

 

[dz6t]

You built a 5 star resort for your pods.

 

[Chris A.]

I like it. Nice work.

 

[MrX]

Nice, I see a couple "hotels" appearing in my tank at some point. Also see this as a future BRS DIY project meeting station.

 

[afboundguy]

You built a 5 star resort for your pods.

I'd say it's probably a 4-4.5. It was quick and all the pieces aren't perfectly the same size which sort of bugged me but oh well lol... If I ever make more I'd definitely make the different floors the exact same size lol...

I like it. Nice work.

Thanks...

Nice, I see a couple "hotels" appearing in my tank at some point. Also see this as a future BRS DIY project meeting station.

I'd be down for it... Super easy to do and explain but I call dibs!!!

 

[kgstei]

Clever. And a very good job evplaining.

 

[FREAKINRICAN69]

Great job on the pod hotel chief. Looking forward to trying something like so for my systems

 

[afboundguy]

Clever. And a very good job evplaining.

Thanks and it was my pleasure I enjoy posting stuff like this!!!

Great job on the pod hotel chief. Looking forward to trying something like so for my systems

It's so easy and cheap. I almost thought of making a bunch and selling them for a few bucks with the extra corrugated plastic but since it's so cheap and easy I figured I wouldn't have many buyers