phyto reactor

[titoreefs]

Im interested in a phytoplacton reactor but im curious if anybody has gone this course and if so can you share your experience.What are the pros and cons of such a hookup.

 

[Julio]

I would just g with the regular inexpensive reactor or a soda bottle, air pump and full spectrum lighting.

 

[rustybucket145]

air pump and soda bottle has been working great for me, i split the culture every 7 or 8 days to restart. It is pretty brainless. The books and manuals make it sound like you are doing a high tech bio experiment but the concept behind it is very simple.

If you want any more info about my experiences pm me and I will give you some details.

 

[titoreefs]

im very interested in this.do you guys have any pictures and some details you can share?

 

[titoreefs]

Where can i get the cultures? and what kind?

 

[gobygoby]

here is a pretty sweet reactor but man its $$$$$$$$
grotech

 

[titoreefs]

I cheked that site and they are in fact very pricey.NO details though..Julio and rustybucket145 say its relatively easy to build and operate so lets see if they can provide with some more info and any pics of their set ups if posible.

 

[gobygoby]

ya I have seen lots of culture stations. very easy to make...from what I hear the hardest part is getting the initial culture....

from there is just air buble and light!

and then you can get into rotifer culture.

Goby

 

[titoreefs]

Thats the way im trying to go.from what ive learned coral growth is awesome with these kind of live foods.Makes sence because is the closest to what they recieve in nature.

 

[ddoering]

Hi Titoreefs,

If you are looking for starting strains for your own phyto, try looking at florida aqua farms, they sell pure strain aglal disks for starting your cultures up so you can pick the phyto you want to grow.

http://www.florida-aqua-farms.com

I think they also have pics of little culturing stations.

Can also try checking out Reed mariculture, they sell phyto concentrate if you decide it is easier to buy phyto to feed your tank instead of batch culturing it.

www.reedmariculture.com

Also try searching for articles on a thing called a "geosapper".

This was something that was designed to be a multi chamber phyto/rotifer culturing device, give you some ideas maybe on making your own setup.

Cheers and good luck.

Doug

 

[Dwayne]

These will get you pointed in the right direction.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/ds/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/nftt/index.php

FWIW.

 

[titoreefs]

Thanks to all you guys:thumbsup: your references were awesome.I think im ready to give this a try.Seems in the past there has been quite an interest in this topic.Its a shame I hadnt discovered this site before.

 

[joedirt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6705175#post6705175 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dwayne
These will get you pointed in the right direction.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/ds/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/nftt/index.php

FWIW.

That "Geosapper" is an excellent idea I am definitly going to build one. I do have one question and possible modification I'd like to run by you.

What if you made the top section Exactly like the middle section, with the surge tube. Then tap off your return pump and drip into the top section. This way it is completely self sufficient and salinity swings wouldn't be an issue.

I guess the quiestion would be what would be the outcome of a double surge, since that is what would essentially happen?

 

[Dwayne]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6729261#post6729261 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joedirt
What if you made the top section Exactly like the middle section, with the surge tube. Then tap off your return pump and drip into the top section. This way it is completely self sufficient and salinity swings wouldn't be an issue.

In a word "contaminants". The water coming from the return pump would need to be sterilized to some degree. Otherwise the phyto in the first section would be consumed before it could multiply.

I did try building a self-sufficient model. I used a UV sterilizer. I had a small pump attached to a float switch that ran very small amount of water through the UV chamber.

The longest time I could get the thing to work would be a week or so. Everytime something different would happen. Float switch stuck flooding the phyto chamber, phyto chamber cracked, hose came lose from the pump (phyto chamber went almost dry), and so on. Finally, I got busy with other things and just stopped trying to make it work.

FWIW

Dwayne

 

[graveyardworm]

I was looking at these. The price wasnt too bad. They're set up to run on CO2, but you may be able to do it with just an air pump.

 

[YoungReefer06]

I wish i was into DYI so i could build some of these things i see on this site.....

Oh yeah... why i am posting..... i want to tell ou guys you can buy lve phytoplankton on livebrineshrimp.com

Also you can buy professional culture kits for brine shrimp, rotifers, and phytoplankton...although i think it will be worth it just to build your own.

 

[ediaz]

Agarra unos cuantos padrinos de pepsi mijo, y listo. LOL

Si necesitas ayuda para crecerlo dejame saber yo soy experto creciendo agua verde y payasos.

Donde esta tu local?

Edgar

 

[YoungReefer06]

No hablo espanol. Tu habla ingles?

 

[ediaz]

Si!

 

[romunov]

And one more: Culturing phytoplankton