does anyone know how to grow phytoplankton?

[gtstylez87]

I would like to start growing my own phytoplankton, but i dont know how. I tried reading up on it online but it left me with more questions than answers. I read that its really easy and and you check it once a week, and others said that its really hard and time consuming. Then I read it put potting soil in a pot and heating it up for x amount of hours, then letting it cool and using the water from that or just use miraclegrow liquid plant food. The material I have it a 10 gallon tank with hood and a whisper 10 power filter with about 90gph. I was planning to grow it outside under indirect sunlight. I live in south florida and in the shade its not so hot. If not I have a place of it in the house, but i might need to buy lighting of it. It a fresh water hood and the lighting is exposed to the water and the hood will go bad pretty fast. The next problem I would have is getting a culture of living phytoplankton. For that I was going to get a sample for the ocean. I have a powerful microscope that I could check a water sample for them. If you can inform me anymore please do.

-Thank you

 

[scottwhitson]

Home grown Phytoplankton is very easy to culture. Melevsreef.com has an excellent step by step tutorial. I just use 2 liter clear pop bottles and a little squirt of Miracle Grow, an air pump and some rigid tubing going to the bottom of the pop bottle. Most LFS will have live Phyto and you can buy your first bottle and then start your own culture off of it.

 

[gtstylez87]

thanks. I think in going to try to get a culture from the ocean. I have some phytoplex left but its all dead. the plan was to start growing it so i wouldn't have to buy more. I am going to try to grow it in a 2 liter, then try to grow it in a 10gal

 

[billsreef]

Best bet to start is growing Nanochloropsis. It's fairly easy and forgiving, making it less likely to crash. As for fertilizer, skip the Miracle Grow. While it will grow some phyto's, it will grow nutritionally inferior stuff. You can get the proper Guillards f/2 media from Florida Aqua Farms easily, and it's not even expensive