# Who Uses Magnolia Seed Pods



## Krenshaw22 (Apr 21, 2011)

Hey guys I was wondering if I'm the only person who throws in Magnolia Seed Pods into there tanks. I tossed a few in like 6 months ago and still have them even though they have broken down a lot. But with them it proves to hold lots of little crevices for the microlife to hide/ live in. But it also gives me a more natural look. Plus my frogs are always on them also. If you guys are also interested I could sell you some and you can try em out yourself just let me know. I wanna know if other members use them too as stated before.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

I now have them in many tanks and they seem to work out well. I also put them in my water features with my groups of Anthonyi and the tadpoles seem to like to hang out around them. Several have been directly in the water for several months now and are still holding up very well.


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## Krenshaw22 (Apr 21, 2011)

therizman2 said:


> I now have them in many tanks and they seem to work out well. I also put them in my water features with my groups of Anthonyi and the tadpoles seem to like to hang out around them. Several have been directly in the water for several months now and are still holding up very well.


There is another positive use out of them. Wonder why more froggers don't use them.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

Krenshaw22 said:


> There is another positive use out of them. Wonder why more froggers don't use them.


I think that they just arent well known as being a good option yet. I think that the more people see them in use and hear about them they will become more widely used. When used on land, they are basically a microfauna hotel, springs and isopods both seem to love to live in and around them... probably an excellend source of food and cover for them.


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## cschub13 (Apr 27, 2011)

Mike,

I got some from you back at frog day, along with some other seed pods. After putting a few in some vivs they were covered in mold and fungi for about 3 weeks before the microfauna cleaned it up and now there are tons in and around the pods.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

cschub13 said:


> Mike,
> 
> I got some from you back at frog day, along with some other seed pods. After putting a few in some vivs they were covered in mold and fungi for about 3 weeks before the microfauna cleaned it up and now there are tons in and around the pods.


Yea, the mold grows quick on them, but once the springs find it, they clean it up quick. When I put them in tanks, I now frequently bury them in the leaf litter to give the microfauna more of a chance before the frogs find them and use it as a feeding station.

Thanks for the order by the way, it will go out yet today!


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## cschub13 (Apr 27, 2011)

therizman2 said:


> Yea, the mold grows quick on them, but once the springs find it, they clean it up quick. When I put them in tanks, I now frequently bury them in the leaf litter to give the microfauna more of a chance before the frogs find them and use it as a feeding station.
> 
> Thanks for the order by the way, it will go out yet today!



I will have to try that in my next build, I still have a pod or two left over. No problem by the way, good to see your site up. I look forward to more updates and some more plants in stock!!


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## Krenshaw22 (Apr 21, 2011)

Hopefully other members will give them a try and it'll spread and hey it could possibley change and everyone has them.in it. Because I see them as microfauna factories and they look cool in a Viv also. The few people who do use them may have stumbled onto something.


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## FHal11 (May 8, 2012)

Definitely seem like a good addition to me...they add a more natural look to the leaf litter, and they are great for the microfauna. I'm a fan


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

I have thought about trying them but never did.I have 6 trees so I have plenty of them.I'll have to give them a shot.

Lou


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

Anyone selling these? Stupid living in the desert. /grumble


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## FHal11 (May 8, 2012)

I'm not selling them per se, but living in Florida they are everywhere, and I'd be happy to collect them for you. If you cover shipping, just let me know how many you want and I can mail them out...

PM me and we can work out details...


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Make sure if you are collecting them from somewhere that is not your own that they are not treated with pesticides or fertilizer,that could wipe out your frogs.
I will collect some in the late summer/fall when the pods are mature and dry.

Lou


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## cschub13 (Apr 27, 2011)

ZookeeperDoug said:


> Anyone selling these? Stupid living in the desert. /grumble


Mike at Tropical Plants & Animals for Terarriums | Glass Box Tropicals carries them, or therizman2 on dendro.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

If you boil & bake...how long for each???


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## khoff (Feb 18, 2004)

I have used them in several of my vivs for a while now, and I know a few other froggers that use them too. They last a long time before breaking down. I just rinse them off real good, boil for 30-45 minutes, and let dry. Like others have said, they are a great micropod haven.

Kevin


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## Krenshaw22 (Apr 21, 2011)

See so I'd suggest everyone use them in there vivarium.


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## tahir tareen (Dec 17, 2009)

I use seed pods from Paulownia trees that grow around the neighborhood. If you've never seen one flower in person they are amazing, the flowers are scented like candy!

















these pods hold up well in the tanks. they will hold some water at first, making cool little filled cups for froglets to hang out in, which is what i see often with my cristobals.


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## Krenshaw22 (Apr 21, 2011)

tahir tareen said:


> I use seed pods from Paulownia trees that grow around the neighborhood. If you've never seen one flower in person they are amazing, the flowers are scented like candy!
> 
> View attachment 31251
> 
> ...


Haven't had access to one of those tree seed pods, but the tree and flowers themselves are are awesome looking.


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## JimO (May 14, 2010)

I would treat them like leaf litter. Boil for 10 minutes and then bake them until they are thoroughly dry. You'll have to bake them quite a bit longer than leaves and you don't want to simply dry them, but heat them up enough to kill any potential pathogens in the interier of the cone.

BTW, I've never used them before, but I am definitely going to start. This is a great idea.

Also, I've used acorn caps attached to twigs to "volumize" my leaf litter, but this thread gave me the idea to use seed pods from Sweetgum trees for the same purpose. They are structured similarly to magnolia cones, but they are much smaller - just a bit smaller than a ping pong ball.

Here is a photograph of a green pod still on the tree. I got the photo from Wikipedia at Liquidambar styraciflua - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. When they mature, the voids containing the seeds open up, so that the dried pod has alternating spikes and openings.

Monkey Ball -Seed Pod from Sweet Gum Tree | Flickr - Photo Sharing!









This link has a closeup photo of a dried pod.




Judy S said:


> If you boil & bake...how long for each???


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## Krenshaw22 (Apr 21, 2011)

JimO said:


> I would treat them like leaf litter. Boil for 10 minutes and then bake them until they are thoroughly dry. You'll have to bake them quite a bit longer than leaves and you don't want to simply dry them, but heat them up enough to kill any potential pathogens in the interier of the cone.
> 
> BTW, I've never used them before, but I am definitely going to start. This is a great idea.
> 
> ...


I've used twigs and acorns once. But thinking back to the swert gum tree seed pod those look awesome and perfect also I'm gonna have to try some of them.


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## harrisbt (Feb 19, 2013)

Magnolia seed pods worked really well for me in my temperate springtail culture, and are easy to feed out of. Like others, I half-bury them in the leaf litter, and tend to put them towards the back of the tank. I've had plants root right through them and take advantage of those little air pockets.


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## Beechshaven (Aug 5, 2021)

oddlot said:


> I have thought about trying them but never did.I have 6 trees so I have plenty of them.I'll have to give them a shot.
> 
> Lou


I have some. I have a couple of trees and just picked some. I make oils from flowers & more


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