Fertilizer for macro algae lagoon

[Subsea]

Many hobbiest have found how fast macro can absorb nutrients by experiencing
"my macro went sexual". In most cases, they were using the macro to achieve low nutrient readings that they felt were required in their reef tank.

This thread will focus on the nutrient uptake of macro algae. Two years ago, I produced a five fold increase of Red Ogo each month. One pound of seed stock produced five pounds of harvest in a 75G tank using a tumble culture with 500W of 6500K MH. The production tank on my porch was coupled to my 10,000G greenhouse growout system. With such a large system, it was very forgiving on keeping up with nutrients required by macro algae in a 75G tank.

Macro algae harvested was Gracilaria Parvispora: Red Ogo or Tang Heaven Red.
Analysis was done by Ward Lab in Kearney, Nebraska.

Percentage results are dry basis:

Nitrogen. 2.59
Phosphorus. 0.082
Potassium. 13.54
Calcium. 0.555
Magnesium. 1.163
Sulfur. 4.81
Zinc, ppm. 139
Iron, ppm. 107
Manganese, ppm. 20
Copper, ppm. 7.0

"Miracle Grow" water soluble, all purpose plant food chemical analysis by percentage:

Nitrogen 24
Phosphate. 8
Potash. 16
Boron. 0.02
Copper. 0.07
Iron. 0.15
Manganese. 0.05
Molybdenum. 0.0005
Zinc. 0.06

Nitrogen source is Austin's Clear Ammonia: Ammonium Hydrixide at 1.5% concentrate.

In this particular sample of Red Ogo, the nitrogen to phosphate ratio is about 30:1. I will use that as my target goal for fertilizer.

 

[cksss]

Hi Subsea, Thank you very much for sharing the detailed analysis.

Could you tell me more about the greenhouse growout setup? Is it supported by artificial light too similar to the 500W in the production system or totally sun-lit? And are there any reasons for the Red Ogo to be in the 75g and not the 10,000g greenhouse growout setup?

Thanks!

Many hobbiest have found how fast macro can absorb nutrients by experiencing
"my macro went sexual". In most cases, they were using the macro to achieve low nutrient readings that they felt were required in their reef tank.

This thread will focus on the nutrient uptake of macro algae. Two years ago, I produced a five fold increase of Red Ogo each month. One pound of seed stock produced five pounds of harvest in a 75G tank using a tumble culture with 500W of 6500K MH. The production tank on my porch was coupled to my 10,000G greenhouse growout system. With such a large system, it was very forgiving on keeping up with nutrients required by macro algae in a 75G tank.

Macro algae harvested was Gracilaria Parvispora: Red Ogo or Tang Heaven Red.
Analysis was done by Ward Lab in Kearney, Nebraska.

Percentage results are dry basis:

Nitrogen. 2.59
Phosphorus. 0.082
Potassium. 13.54
Calcium. 0.555
Magnesium. 1.163
Sulfur. 4.81
Zinc, ppm. 139
Iron, ppm. 107
Manganese, ppm. 20
Copper, ppm. 7.0

"Miracle Grow" water soluble, all purpose plant food chemical analysis by percentage:

Nitrogen 24
Phosphate. 8
Potash. 16
Boron. 0.02
Copper. 0.07
Iron. 0.15
Manganese. 0.05
Molybdenum. 0.0005
Zinc. 0.06

Nitrogen source is Austin's Clear Ammonia: Ammonium Hydrixide at 1.5% concentrate.

In this particular sample of Red Ogo, the nitrogen to phosphate ratio is about 30:1. I will use that as my target goal for fertilizer.

 

[Subsea]

Greenhouse is 20' by 40'. It consists of eight 150G Rubber Maid tanks and a big tank at
12' by 20' at 4' deep. Rubbermaid tanks were set up to grow macro. The big tank was set up to cultivate live rock from Edwards Plateau Limestone.

Due to electrical cost near $900 and an infestation of Red Planaria, I shut down my outside growout system.

A long rectangular tank works best for a tumble culture.

 

[Subsea]

At present, I have three 150G Rubbermaid tanks buried in the ground. One is growing red macro, one is growing green macro and one is curing diver collected live rock.

 

[Subsea]

In the Texas Hill Country outside of Austin, heat is the biggest issues for 5 months during the year. Between May and June requires 50% shade cloth. Without the 4' deep Big Tank at 7000G I could not have maintained water temperatures below 82 degrees. On hot days, evaporation rates reached 100 GPD which correlates to 850K BTU of cooling. Two 1HP fans moved 50K CFM of air through the greenhouse. A 1HP centrifugal pump circulated 40GPM thru a fountain header to maximize evaporation rates.

Because of finances, I shut down my outside system one year ago and cut back on inside capacity from 800G to one 75G tank. Three months ago I started building my system capacity back up. Inside capacity is at 500G. I have changed my livestock outside to include Gulf coast critters and macro. Amphipods and copepods are my mainstay outside. Three 150G Rubvermaid tanks are buried in ground to benefit from geothermal insulation. I have included three 300W heater set at 65 degrees. I will monitor the cost of outside operation in these tanks and do an analysis to evaluate if the greenhouse system would be cost effective next winter.

 

[cksss]

Very good idea to bury the tanks for natural cooling! Makes accessing them easier too.

Making up for the evaporation must be a big challenge, how are you currently doing that?

Are you also able to share the average or targeted water reading in your setup?

In the Texas Hill Country outside of Austin, heat is the biggest issues for 5 months during the year. Between May and June requires 50% shade cloth. Without the 4' deep Big Tank at 7000G I could not have maintained water temperatures below 82 degrees. On hot days, evaporation rates reached 100 GPD which correlates to 850K BTU of cooling. Two 1HP fans moved 50K CFM of air through the greenhouse. A 1HP centrifugal pump circulated 40GPM thru a fountain header to maximize evaporation rates.

Because of finances, I shut down my outside system one year ago and cut back on inside capacity from 800G to one 75G tank. Three months ago I started building my system capacity back up. Inside capacity is at 500G. I have changed my livestock outside to include Gulf coast critters and macro. Amphipods and copepods are my mainstay outside. Three 150G Rubvermaid tanks are buried in ground to benefit from geothermal insulation. I have included three 300W heater set at 65 degrees. I will monitor the cost of outside operation in these tanks and do an analysis to evaluate if the greenhouse system would be cost effective next winter.

 

[Subsea]

I use ground water as make up for macro growout tanks as well as reef tanks. All water is shared equally.

I have my own water well at 900' into Middle Trinity Aquifier. Analysis of ground water follows:

Sodium. 55 ppm
Potassium 14
Calcium. 130
Magnesium. 102
Total Hardness, CaCO3. 750
Nitrate. <0.1
Sulfate. 189
Chloride. 34
Carbonate. <1
Bicarbonate. 346
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3. 283
Boron. 0.33
Total Nitrogen. 2
Ortho Phosphorus. <0.01
Total Phosphorus. <0.01
Total Iron. 0.02
Manganese. <0.01
Nitrite. <0.1

 

[cksss]

Thats a very economical way of topping up!
Sorry for not being specific in the previous, i'm interested to know the water parameters of your growout tank

I use ground water as make up for macro growout tanks as well as reef tanks. All water is shared equally.

I have my own water well at 900' into Middle Trinity Aquifier. Analysis of ground water follows:

Sodium. 55 ppm
Potassium 14
Calcium. 130
Magnesium. 102
Total Hardness, CaCO3. 750
Nitrate. <0.1
Sulfate. 189
Chloride. 34
Carbonate. <1
Bicarbonate. 346
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3. 283
Boron. 0.33
Total Nitrogen. 2
Ortho Phosphorus. <0.01
Total Phosphorus. <0.01
Total Iron. 0.02
Manganese. <0.01
Nitrite. <0.1

 

[Subsea]

Because I did not measure chemical parameters in outside growout system, the ratios became skewed. This reenfirced my need to do growout in individual 55G tanks which is what I am doing now in my home.

After one summer of operation of outside growout system with no chemical test done, chemical analysis in big system was:

Sodium at 9227. ppm
Potassium at 428
Calcium at 393
Magnesium at 1266
Total Hardness at 6258
Nitrate at 0.9
Sulfate at 1067
Chloride at 16,800
Carbonate at 39
Bicarbonate at 119
Total alkalinity at 163
Boran at 3.12
Total Nitrogen at 5
Ortho Phosphorous. <0.01
Total Phosphorous at 0.02
Total Iron at <0.01
Manganese at <0.01
Nitrite at <0.1

 

[Subsea]

With respect to targeted values, it is a work in progress. It was my thought to make a blended cocktail in the proportions of Red Ogo analysis.


In general I would use nitrogen as my control parameter at 10-20ppm.

 

[cksss]

Thanks for the info! I'm overwhelmed :rollface:
How did you manage to get so much data? It'd be a pain to perform the tests using typical off-the-shelf testkit

With respect to targeted values, it is a work in progress. It was my thought to make a blended cocktail in the proportions of Red Ogo analysis.


In general I would use nitrogen as my control parameter at 10-20ppm.

 

[Subsea]

The test were not performed with hobby test kits. A professional agricultural labaratiry performed the test.

Because my main objective was to grow Red Ogo as a people edable specialty produce to gourmet restaurants, I wanted to ensure the customer what they were eating. I felt that it was good for business. Instead of it being an expense, I considered it an investment.

Because of Red Planaria, insufficient marketing retarding sales and high electrical cost; I shut down this project one year ago.

Present
I have defeated Red Planaria. After the first of the year, I will bring in a business partner to handle marketing. That leaves optomizing macro growth with a nutrient cocktail. The control parameter will be nitrogen. I do not plan on doing all the test above. From the economic point of view, because of the small volume, it is cheaper to do 100% water change on a 55G tank than to do all the test.

Depending on my cash flow, I may target one tank for a few months with all the testing and no water changes.

 

[karimwassef]

Could you post some pics?

 

[Subsea]

Vertical loop current for tumble

Vertical loop current for tumble

This is a tumble culture of Gracilarious Hayi. Tank size is 55G with Mag 12 pump for circulation. I dose this tank with miracle grow, kelp concentrate, iron and ammonia. There is an abundant pod population in this tank. When adding amonia, I slowly drip it in the most active current, at the vertical uplift.

 

[Subsea]

This is my 55G macro lagoon/patch reef. The tank has two fast growing Caulerpa Prolifera & Paspoides. The predominant red macro is Gracilaria Hayi. There are four tangs in this tank as well as two scats. I add large amounts of Ulva to this tank. It is also feed heavily with live oysters and clams. Flake food high in ocean kelp as a source of iodine.

With all the nutrients added as food, I seldom dose this tank. I allow bioindicators to tell me when more nitrogen is required. I dose this tank with ammonia when the fastest growing macro tells me it's time for Nitrogen. When the leaf tip of C. Paspoides no longer show translucent fast growth and some of the palm branches turn brown requiring pruning by Mollies.

Because I wish to have accelerated growth of macros and corals, I add nitrogen.

 

[Subsea]

Coral Banded Shrimp shed his skin last night. This tank is heavy on leathers, with some LPS, mushrooms and sponges.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

What about those shelves? Can you explain why you added those? I have a few guesses but I'd like to hear your reasoning behind them.

 

[Subsea]

I use 2" wide acrylic brackets to place corals or macro on back wall. I use very little rock in my tanks. The hanging brackets allow me to custom fit aquascaping into an open space circulation with no rock to hinder circulation. In the case of landscaping multiple tanks, this feature allows either coral or macro to be moved like hanging baskets beyween tanks. I have many different lighting grow-out options. I grow macro and coral under led, t5, CFL, MH and natural sunlight systems. For certain customers, I match their lights before selling designer live rock.