DT's Shelf life?

[SeasonedReefer]

I was just wondering what is the shelf life on Dt's Phyto? I have probably had this large container anywhere from 6-8 months now. It has settled out quite a bit and smells absolutely rancid when you open it.:hmm4: but.... this is only when you get your nose right up next to the bottle. I think it is for sure more rank than usual. But at the same time I don't want to throw it out unless I know for sure it is bad. It is half full and the price tag on it say's 45.00 dollars ouch!

 

[Fireworm]

I am not sure about the shelf life on it, but Iknow that if you don't shake the bottle almost every day if not every day, it will go bad. You have to keep it shook up. I stopped using that a few years ago and started using the little green bottles of Phyto that Klaus sells. It is expensive for the size of the bottle, but it is only supposed to take 1 or 2 drops for a 100g system... that is a more concentrate DTs.

I have thought about the DTs pods though, any one try those to help out in your system? I have used some of the live pods that PW sells.... tiger pods or something like that, but that has been a few years on that as well.

 

[SeasonedReefer]

I have done the tiger pods before my fish ate most of them lol. I know I have seen people dose Dt's pods on RC but I don't know to what advatage it may have besides fish food for Mandarins small fish etc. Im sure they work as a micro clean up crew of some sort. but I have never seen them used other than feeding fish lol.

 

[Fireworm]

I know they are a fish food, but I think you can use them to replenish your pod population

 

[JCR's Reef]

I usually only kept DT's for 2-3 months at most because thats about its lifespand while being in a fridge. Plus you have to shake the bottle all of the time to keep it from settling on the bottom where they will die. You could try to grow some yourself and that would tell you if its bad or not but chances are your only going to be growing a few strands as the others have most likely canceled out the others.
DT's shouldnt have a foul smell at all so I would toss it.

 

[Fireworm]

What happens if you feed it to your tank and it has gone bad?

 

[DTagrin]

The best if used by date that is on every bottle of DT's Live Marine Phytoplankton is based on a shelf life of 5 months from harvest. It needs to be shaken up at least once a week although it will settle sooner. Live phytoplankton has an odor that is more intense in DT's because it is concentrated.