Growing phytoplankton

[65madreefer]

Hey folks I have a 75 gallon display with 20 gallon sump, estimated total of 80 gallons of actual water volume. Heavily stocked with softies and lps. I have some carnation corals too. Under my stand I have the sump and a 10 gallon cube tank I WAS going to use for top off but I'm changing that up to adding a float valve to the sump for direct ro/di top off. My question is can I use the cube tank as a phyto growing/dosing tank? If so how would I set it up? Components and places to buy phyto and fertilizer to grow it would also be helpful. I've watched tons of YouTube videos but everything I've seen seems jank. Thanks for the help

 

[johanaamayax2]

You can use the 10-gallon cube for growing and dosing phytoplankton with a simple setup
Use a 6500K LED grow light (run for 16–18 hours daily).
Use an air pump with rigid airline tubing to keep the culture oxygenated.
Start with live phyto (Nannochloropsis works well) and F/2 fertilizer, available from suppliers like AlgaeBarn or Reef Nutrition.
Grow it in saltwater (same salinity as your tank), dose fertilizer, and once it’s dark green (after 7–10 days), you can start dosing your main tank.

 

[SantaMonica]

Could also toy around with an optional pods compartment, where the phyto overflows into it, then into the display.

 

[midnightbast]

Using the cube tank as a system for growing and dosing phyto is a fantastic idea! You'll require an air pump, some rigid tubing, a light source, and a starter phyto culture along with fertilizer, which you can find online.For high-quality supplies, take a look at aquarium stores or reliable pet care websites. Also, if you have pets, you might want to check out Revolution for Cats Without Vet Prescription for convenient flea and parasite prevention!