Phyto culture

[wilfx]

This is my first attempt at growing phyto. I started the first culture about 10 days ago. The color started ia light green and does not seem to be getting darker. I did find some dark green stuff on the bottom of the bottom. I shook the bottle a little to mix it up and it did seem to make it a little darker.
As I said this is my first attempt and I am not sure what I should be looking for at whcih time. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[herozero]

give it a swirl every morning. make sure you have air moving into the culture and that it is enough flow to suspend that stuff.

 

[wilfx]

I have a fine air stone in the bottle. not to fast not to slow. I think:hmm2: I have started swirling it just the other day. do you think maybe I shouls have been swirling from the beginning? Would it still be a green color if it was all dead?

 

[herozero]

crashed culture would be barely green with lots of gunk at the bottom. melev has a good picture of it on his site. did you add any sort of "food" for the phyto?

 

[wilfx]

Yes we actually bought the cultures and food from florida Aqua Farms.

 

[herozero]

check this out. been following it since i started my own phyto and can't complain with the results.

http://www.melevsreef.com/phytoplankton.html

 

[GreshamH]

check this out. been following it since i started my own phyto and can't complain with the results.

http://www.melevsreef.com/phytoplankton.html

Ugh... Miracle Grow FTL

The OP has much better/safer nutrients to feed (proper f/2).

 

[Maivortex]

I have a fine air stone in the bottle. not to fast not to slow. I think:hmm2: I have started swirling it just the other day. do you think maybe I shouls have been swirling from the beginning? Would it still be a green color if it was all dead?

Never use an airstone. The fine bubbles will lyse the cells. The cells will die at the sparger site and when the bubbles break the surface.

 

[billsreef]

Yup. Get rid of the airstone, and set those bubbles to a nice rolling boil.

 

[wilfx]

I got rid of the air stones. It does seem to be getting darker. i also noticed some white looking chunks floating around. Any ideas on that?

 

[jrwap]

This is interesting... might just have to be my next project... too expensive to keep buying!

-JRW

 

[Maivortex]

The white chunks are likely clumps of dead phyto or bacteria. Its probably dead phyto.

 

[gtfourmn]

Ugh... Miracle Grow FTL

The OP has much better/safer nutrients to feed (proper f/2).

What would be a better/safer alternative? Relatively obtainable?

Thanks

 

[GreshamH]

What would be a better/safer alternative? Relatively obtainable?

Thanks

Yes we actually bought the cultures and food from florida Aqua Farms.

Any F/2 source will do. FaF can sell you everything you need.

https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure...77.11270*qM6J10&product=MICRO_MACRO_NUTRIENTS

Micro Algae Grow is what you want.

 

[wilfx]

We did buy some of the Micro Algae Grow from FaF.
What is F2?

 

[gtfourmn]

Any F/2 source will do. FaF can sell you everything you need.

https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure...77.11270*qM6J10&product=MICRO_MACRO_NUTRIENTS

Micro Algae Grow is what you want.

Thanks

 

[GreshamH]

We did buy some of the Micro Algae Grow from FaF.
What is F2?

Micro Algae Grow = F/2 with a fancy name

 

[billsreef]

Micro Algae Grow = F/2 with a fancy name

The fancy name Gresh is reffering to is Guillards media. F/2 actually stands for the concentration used for typical growing and often gets used as essentially slang for the media.

 

[Sig45]

Nannochloropsis is sessile and will sink to bottom if not given appropriate aeration. I prefer heavy bubbling with Nanno. FAF fertilizer F/2 works well and lasts along time. Refrig life is about 6-9 months.

Nanno should get dark green in 5-7 days. Pale green/yellow is a crashed culture( stinky as well). Usually due to bacterial contamination.
White is usually fungal contamination. If this occurs these bottles need to be discarded. If glass bottles then bleached.

 

[GreshamH]

The fancy name Gresh is reffering to is Guillards media. F/2 actually stands for the concentration used for typical growing and often gets used as essentially slang for the media.

:lol: actually the fancy name I was referring to is the one FaF gave it Everyone else calls it Guillards