Home grown phytoplankton

melev

melev

Club President
Staff member
Board of Directors
Sponsor
[My first culture is finally done tomorrow. Then in a week, my second batch will be ready, in case any of you were waiting on me to grow some.

I can't wait to start using it!]
 
[Here's how it is set up for now. In case you were thinking "I wonder how he's doing that...." ???

phyto.jpg
alt="">]
 
[No, I ordered Micro Algae Grow and one Nanocloropsus disk from Florida Aqua Farms to get things started. I'm now on my 3rd batch.

Peter, after you and Arnold left yesterday, I switched my culture bottles for the new batch. Took about 10 mins. :) Now I have about 5 liters in my fridge!]
 
[Marc -
When I decided to start growing phytoplankton again, I'm going to use your idea to make extra 2 litter bottles in dark closet. I got tired of doing it because I often run out of prepared saltwater.
I lost all of my rotifers because I stop feeding them algae regularly.
Peter]
 
[Filling those up was really annoying as I was pouring water out of a bucket into a 1 gallon tea jar with a spigot. Next time, I'll just use a funnel and fill up a dozen bottles and store them in that dark hall closet.

After starting the new batch yesterday, I still have 1.5 bottles left in there for one more final batch. So I guess my 3 gallons of culture medium that I made lasted me 4 batches, which would be a month's worth.]
 
[I've been told that heat isn't a problem, but I don't actually believe that. That is why I have a thermometer in there to see how hot it actually is in the bucket.

Another reason it is in a bucket is I can pick up the whole setup and move it inside if necessary. Since it isn't very quiet, I'm not positive where it will go at this point. I do have a guest room, but the bubbling would drive any guest insane. The laundry room might work with a little arranging, but it wouldn't be dark for sure since I'm up at night. Maybe right by the front door. :laugh:]
 
[LOL, brings back memories, I started our own batch with the same disk, there is also an additive you can add with each batch, I also ordered Rotifers and ended up with 2 10 gal tanks of the rotifers and about 10 -12 2 liter bottles of the green water, I combined the green water and rotifers (screened off so all the waste water was gone) and then froze them in normal Ice cube trays, I gave away prime green water and then bags of my special cubes to our local fish store, I now don't have anything cultivating as I have literly half a frezzer full of the stuff, and its quick and easy, I add 2-3 cubes per day, also defrost alittle bit and directly feed our candy coral that is currently not happy no matter what I do for it. I also have a great tip for feeding the green water. Get a 60 cc syringe, add some airline tubing onto the tip and add about one foot of the ridged airline tube to that suck up the green water and then you can get very accurate aim at your corals without putting your hands in the tank!!! (Which can have oils and other residues that aren't so good for the tank) ANyway that was mths ago and I still have a supply of green water cubes, (just have to inform guest not to use the green cubes in there drinks!!)]
 
[:laugh long: :shocked:
"Green Cubes" in there drinks!!!
Now that's funny stuff. I think I would let a few cubes be used, that would be even funnier. The gift that keeps giving?

How did you screen? Did you get the Florida Aquafarms kit w/screen?
Marc,
how do you screen? I have now three bottles from the small 20oz batch you gave me the other week ago. They all are as green as pea soup. I have been using the F/2 gillards stuff?
I have another packet of stuff,(yellowish powder) and a liquid you mix with it, but have not messed with that food for this kind of stuff.
I bought lots of supplies 1 year ago, yet did not get the screen they were offering, either you or Marc have a special way you go about this?
Better methods, odd finding that you want to share, or would mind sharing?
Thanks Marc, good stuff. :nod:]
 
[I just wanted to start out in my reply that I've moved my stuff into the house as the garage is way too hot and I was worried my cultures would cook and rot.

They are in a closet so I don't have to see the light or hear the bubbling, which has been excellent. The heat in the closet with the door cracked open is about 80, according to my handy kitchen thermometer.

When I feed phtyo, I turn of the skimmer for an hour, and shake the 2-liter bottle thoroughly. I have a square glass that I bought at McDonalds a few years ago, and I believe it holds a good pint of fluid. I'll have to measure that specifically some time, but I fill it a little over half full and pour that into my 29g, and a full glass into my 55g. I do this every other day, but I'm tempted to do it daily.

I don't screen the fluid at all. All the bottles in my fridge are shaken every other day, because they settle and separate, but I don't know if that helps or not.

I divide up the cultures every Sunday. 1.5 bottles are used to make 3 new bottles, and 1.5 bottles are ready to use and are labeled and stored in the refrigerator.

I'm culturing brine shrimp again, to feed the goniopora and other corals. BrineShrimpDirect told me to keep a 100w bulb light over them for 48 hours straight, then harvest them for feeding.]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top