Culturing your own Phytoplankton

[bunsenburner]

Just to clarify, When using the settle technique to reduce nutrient level before adding to the tank I would be cautious to resuspend in fresh water rather use nutrirnt free saltwater to avoid lysis by osmotic shock.

I am no expert in phytoplankton growth so don't put too much weight on my ideas. I really don't know but this oppinion is based on experince growing bacteria.


So far when I pelleted phytoplanton (probably all nano by now since it was a DTs start?) at around 1500 g I notice little difference in growth rate when compared to a similar innoculant from a non spun culture. Based on this crude analysis spinning doesn't seem to bad, at least for my home application.

On a large scale it seems like a device I once used called a sharpels might work. This is cool type of centrifuge where media continuously flows up a tall spinning column and the object of interest is forced to the side of the spinning column. Clear spent media exits the top of the device. Again I don't know in reality how well this would work.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

I'm leaving in hours (plane) to visit some wonderful hobbyists/stores/clubs in Arkansas and St. Louis...

I will be very disappointed (ahem... vendors) if jabs and inflammatory remarks turn this otherwise fab thread into a flame-fest. You WILL lose some of my respect for you.

My apologies to all, at large... but y'all haven't been privy to the flurry of ems, PMs I've got in the last week from some participating vendors (ahem, again) here whom I am sure disagree with each other, and suspect want to tear each other to shreds

I'm not kidding, and I won't be shy to say it... this forum is MY sandbox. If you boys don't play nice, you will ruin a good thing (this thread) and lose some respect... perhaps a 'lil business in the process. Pot shots and shilling your businesses are not welcome.

We are only interested in useful information exchanges.

Randy... thank you for changing your commercial links as requested.

Dennis... thank you for not going ballistic. At least not yet

kindly,

Anthony... who really hopes to see this thread standing strong when I return

 

[bunsenburner]

This thread was really going and I miss reading people thoughts. Anybody know a good place to get a cheap 50 um mesh to harvest rotis and pods? The kind folks at Reeds donated both Roti and Pod cultures to our club to help get AC out for a talk. Since I already had pods going I figured I'd give growing the pods a shot.

Just to give credit to DT's. They also donated a generous amount of phyto and oyster eggs. Picked some of both of these up as well.

Thanks to both companies. These donations were some of the hottest items.

 

[shanekennedy]

try http://filterbag.com

 

[Fredfish]

Hm... Interesting site. Gotta order 10 at a go though.

Fred

 

[Triterium]

I like the one from www.florida-aqua-farms.com

 

[bunsenburner]

Thanks for the filtration links. I ended up going with the one from florida aqua farms since it looked like it was high quality. Split the pods to keep them going until it arrives. Probably not all that exciting to anybody but me, but I'm having fun and like to share my stories....

 

[Fredfish]

Keep sharing bunsenburner.

I need to get some 100um mesh for my brine cultures. I was screening some brine when I happened to notice that a good number seem to be going through my LFS brine shrimp net.

I am still considering options on phyto for my (not yet set up) pod cultures. From what I have been able to find out, most pods prefer larger size foods.

I have exchanged a few emails with Dr. Adelaide Rhodes, a pod researcher, who suggested foods in the 5-10 micron size. She also runs Seapods.com so I figure she knows what she is doing.

Anyway, nano and tet are both very small in size, well below the 5-10 microns I want, so I was looking at the Reed Mariculture phytofeast product to give me a range of sizes.

The only other alternative I can see is to culture nano and one other larger phyto like chaetoceros (sp?) myself.

If I didn't have to drive 6 hrs. round trip to get the phytofeast it would be an easier decision.

I am still also concerned about shelf life. I wonder how much of its reserves the phyto will have used after two months in the fridge.

I know a number of other breeders with larger setups have pretty much given up on culturing because of inconsistencies in home setups. Most of these guys are raising rotifers which do well on nano and tet paste.

Fred.

Fred

 

[GreshamH]

Are you sure Adalaide runs see pods? IIRC her company is Essential Live Feeds ( http://www.essentiallivefeeds.com/ ).

 

[Fredfish]

Oops, oceanpods.com and essentially...

Dang, too many pod thingy websites.

Either way, she has been quite helpful.

Fred

 

[Anthony Calfo]

and she (Adelaide Rhodes) is an fabulous presenter! I was truly delighted and surprised the first time I saw her lecture. A head's up to any hobby clubs looking for speaker suggestions.

 

[bunsenburner]

Thanks Fredfish,
Not too much new. Spli the pod culture into 3 500 mL container last week. Seem to have lost one. Took the 2 remaining and scaled up the pod culture into a half full 5 gallon. Hopefully they'll take off.

The club will have to keep Adelaide Rhodes in mind for future presentations. There are a number who are interested in raising fish and a few who currently culture phtyo.

 

[Bugger]

Does anybody know where to buy other species other then nan and tet.

 

[moumda]

Bugger, try florida aqua farms.

 

[Atticus]

I can't wait for the "Secret" cell seperation techniques to go public. I am getting really tired of duct taping 2 liters bottles of home grown phyto to the rims of my truck tires as I drive to work...

 

[Roll221]

Great thread, I read the entire thing hoping to get this question answered. If in fact I feed home grown phyto to my tank, does it have any direct benefit to SPS coral?

Ed

 

[Anthony Calfo]

the current belief is that not many of the commonly kept so-called SPS corals directly consume phytoplankton. But... the regular feeding of phyto supports some microcrustaceans/zooplankton that DO feed "SPS" corals.

I would not feed phyto heavily in an Acro/Monti dominated tank... but I would feed some small amount regularly FWIW.

BTW... when abused (excess phyto fed) in such "SPS" tanks, you may see mucousal net feeding calcareous tubeworms or sponges flare in number. This can be somewhat to very irritating to the SPS corals to the point of being encroached (calcareous worms pushing back coral tissue... spreading mucus nets excessively, etc.)

 

[purplehaze]

Seafarm:
So your "Live" product is alive i.e. you can start a culture from it, the cells can reproduce. Or are you just using the word ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œLiveââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ as a trade mark meaning that it came from live algae. Your website changed with the new product, now your verbiage is very interesting suggesting that you are spinning your words to the point of confusing people into thinking it is alive.
Can you explain your odor inhibitor a bit and why you are not labeling your aquaculture products as containing an odor inhibitor and your aquarium products. People here hate snake oil and I would hate to see your products labeled as such because you are hiding things put in your product. Full disclosure is important for the hobby. When you sell a feed ingredient youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢re a liable for labeling the contents of your product. Your aquaculture products would be considered a feed ingredient.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

Good fair/questions... but I'm putting everyone on alert:

I really just want to see respectful questions and answers.

If anyone wants a dirtier fight... go elsewhere. You're guests in my forum while your here.

And for anyone confused by this or other posts of mine to this nature in this forum, there has been a lot of behind the scenes banter between opposing parties in (me) trying to keep this otherwise fabulous and useful thread open and pleasant.

I believe many readers come to my forum in part because of the constructive atmosphere.

I intend to keep it that way.

Play ball...

 

[Fredfish]

Purple haze, the live product is live. Can't help you with the odor inhibitor, though I expect that the concentrated stuff will have a strong algae smell.

Fred.