Phyto and cross contamination ??

[twintrades]

I only have one density stick and 3 different strains of phyto. Would wipeing it down with alcohol work for sanitizing it ?? I dont want to tst the Nanno and find out i contaminated my Iso .....


So what do yall think ?

 

[jake levi]

density sticks

density sticks

Make two more.

 

[twintrades]

What would be a good way to do that ?

 

[jake levi]

density sticks

density sticks

copy it onto another piece of wood, or a yardstick, mark the increments of the density stick onto the other ruler or stick,

 

[twintrades]

Wood is not even a possiblity. Btw do you culture phyto ??

I guess ill have to try and shape a peice of plexi to fit. And scratch some depth markers.

Anyone elese have an idea ?

 

[twintrades]

Wood is not even a possiblity. Btw do you culture phyto ??

I guess ill have to try and shape a peice of plexi to fit. And scratch some depth markers.

Anyone elese have an idea ?

 

[jake levi]

phyto

phyto

By the gallons. Since the 70s.

 

[twintrades]

If you made one out of wood wouldent the contamination issue be present ?( crap in the grain of the wood.) Not syin your wong but i just dont want to crash my Iso.

 

[AquaticFins]

You could create a clear sheath for it (like the protective quartz tubes used for UV lamps).

That way the density stick would never actually come in contact with the phytoplankton or culture water, but you should still be able to get a fairly accurate visual reading. You may need to use it at an angle instead of straight up-and-down (depending on how wide your culture vessels are), but it seems like it should work once you figured out the correction factor...which should be fairly straightforward math.

I don't know what the dimensions of your stick are, but that seems plausible if you don't want more than one density stick.

As to wood, I wouldn't be too concerned about it - so long as you're not using chemically treated lumber. You can always boil it...that will open up the pores of the wood and release most of the "crap" that may be in it.

 

[jake levi]

Or coat it with something clear, this isnt rocket science.

Any clear coating used on your dining table should be reef safe. Get a 3/8s dowel at the hardware, mark the increments on with a magic marker and then cover with a food safe urethane.

 

[twintrades]

I know its not rocket sience but with my first batch of iso i dont want to crash it. people say it touchy and i just didnt want to screw anything up.

 

[jake levi]

iso

iso

You wont, just follow the directions and you'll wonder why anyone ever complained. It needs consistent conditions. I culture my phyto in 8 jars, with replicates of each. If one sours you have another. You can do pods and rotis the same.

 

[twintrades]

Yea its time to split tonight. So I hope your right. (never had Nanno crash)

So im splitting iso and tetra

 

[GreshamH]

Yea its time to split tonight. So I hope your right. (never had Nanno crash)

So im splitting iso and tetra

oh Nanno will crash, just not as hard as Tet or Iso

and I would not worry about Iso getting into you Nanno, the Nanno will kick it's booty Iso lives up to its name. Isocrysis (crisis )

 

[twintrades]

Ive had the Nanno for a long time going on close to a yr for my culture. Just starting to get into iso and tetra. Im trying my best to keep them seperate. Thats why im parranoid about all this. But i guess im overparanoid :wildone:

Oh well.

 

[jake levi]

culturing phyto

culturing phyto

I use 2 quart jars, and gallon jars for phyto, and gallon jars for pods and rots, and 5 gallon inverted fountain jugs with bottoms off and taps in the necks for artemia. The only cross contamination I have ever had was rots getting in the phyto, so they are separate now and use totally different everything with them, works for me.

 

[twintrades]

So what are you doing with all the food you produce ???

 

[jake levi]

production

production

Actually wasting most, keeping cultures going while I crank up a new system, I have been doing this for a LONG time, so some cultures are old friends that have come back from almost the grave, ciliates are going to be the next one, I enjoy playing with these almost as much as the fish and inverts, and live rocks.

Its just another fascinating part of a fascinating pursuit. Get a decent microscope and you will see fascinating new worlds. All part of the whole.

 

[twintrades]

My wife and i bought one for our x-mas present to ourselfs.

Im in the same boat as you x-cept im in a reef club and everyone is welcome to my leftovers. Im planning on ciliates later as well. Rotifers are coming in asap.

 

[billsreef]

oh Nanno will crash, just not as hard as Tet or Iso

and I would not worry about Iso getting into you Nanno, the Nanno will kick it's booty Iso lives up to its name. Isocrysis (crisis )

I've seen people with crashed Nanno cultures that became nice vivid green cyano cultures. Without realizing it, until I told them that particular shade of green was wrong :lol: