Phyto
- Thread starter Matrexz
- Start date
Prater
New member
I have built a unit that was pretty cheap and siple. Adam has also built a system that he demonstrated at the meeting.
Here is my system.
Parts:
8 two liter clear coke bottles-whatever you like to drink
8 rigid airline tubing-Petsmart
2 4 gang airline valve-Petsmart
1 roll soft airline tubing-Lowes
1 airpump-Petsmart
1 10 gallon strip light with grow bulb-Walmart
1 two liter cary pack-Coca-Cola or Pepsi found outside most places carying the product
The only real work is drilling a 1/4 inch hole in the lid of the coke bottles with another hole drilled next to it with the smallest drill bit you have. The small hole is to let pressure out of the system. slide the rigid tubing through the lid and connect it with some airline tubing to one of the 4 gang valves. Do this on all eight bottles and connect the gang valves to each other and then to the air pump. i also added a one way airline valve between the pump and valves to keep from siphoning water out of the bottles. A ten gallon light strip fits perfect in the center of the bottles. Set the valves so that air is only producin one two three bubles per second. It takes a bit of work but once it is set just leave it. Make sure everything is sterile and add your desired water and culture.
Here is my system.
Parts:
8 two liter clear coke bottles-whatever you like to drink
8 rigid airline tubing-Petsmart
2 4 gang airline valve-Petsmart
1 roll soft airline tubing-Lowes
1 airpump-Petsmart
1 10 gallon strip light with grow bulb-Walmart
1 two liter cary pack-Coca-Cola or Pepsi found outside most places carying the product
The only real work is drilling a 1/4 inch hole in the lid of the coke bottles with another hole drilled next to it with the smallest drill bit you have. The small hole is to let pressure out of the system. slide the rigid tubing through the lid and connect it with some airline tubing to one of the 4 gang valves. Do this on all eight bottles and connect the gang valves to each other and then to the air pump. i also added a one way airline valve between the pump and valves to keep from siphoning water out of the bottles. A ten gallon light strip fits perfect in the center of the bottles. Set the valves so that air is only producin one two three bubles per second. It takes a bit of work but once it is set just leave it. Make sure everything is sterile and add your desired water and culture.
jpitts101
New member
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/ds/index.php
you can get a starte of phyto from a local, you will need to get fertilizer from somewhere like florida aqua farms. i can get you a starter and if you want i just bought a big bottle of f2 fertliizer i will split it with you if you split the cost. i have tetraselmis and nanno that i can get you started on if you want a starter. they are easy in my opinion ( i havent had one crash yet knock on wood)
you can get a starte of phyto from a local, you will need to get fertilizer from somewhere like florida aqua farms. i can get you a starter and if you want i just bought a big bottle of f2 fertliizer i will split it with you if you split the cost. i have tetraselmis and nanno that i can get you started on if you want a starter. they are easy in my opinion ( i havent had one crash yet knock on wood)
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
Jpitts, I have been looking for that link for a minute and a half now, LOL. I told somebody in TX I'd send em that one and I couldn't find it again.
fwiw, people, that's the article that i based my entire Phyto culture station off of. I just made a few needed modifications to make it pretty
.
fwiw, people, that's the article that i based my entire Phyto culture station off of. I just made a few needed modifications to make it pretty
.
jpitts101
New member
you should have asked adam i would have sent it to you !! lol. i found it very useful. i didnt get a flier that you handed out at the meeting so i found that article to help me out. where are you getting your tetra and N. Oculata from adam? your more than welcome to any phyto i have. it may save you a few bucks. i'll be at the meeting this weekend. ( if i can find my way )
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
I'm getting them from you Jpitts, lol. (I forgot your screen name so i didn't say who i was getting it from. my bad, I'm ditsy like that) fwiw, the Nannochloropsis is also known as Nannochloropsis Oculata (N. Oculata). When you bring the phyto to the meeting, one tad hint, get a print out of what water parameters you are keeping it at, salinity, ect. ect. This would prove very useful to me and anybody else getting some from you. and thanx again for offering, you are definatly saving me a few bucks there.
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
Matrexz, I would highly recommend you stick with an F/2 formula for culturing phyto. If jpitts will split his with you, take the deal. it's the same stuff I use and it works great. I've actually have a bottle right now that has been culturing for about twice the recommended length of time, I keep adding more fertilizer to see how long I can keep a culture alive. For kicks.
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
The N. Oculata he has would probably be the easiest and all rounded strain to try. Great for newbies just getting into this. N. Oculata can be very forgiving about water quality. The Tetralselmis is a little more picky about water quality but is far more nutitional than N. Oculata. Plus, TET is a larger (2-4micron) Motile green algae, so it's more enticing to eat to those critters that like phyto. I don't remember if N. Oculata is motile or not but it's alot smaller than TET. Feeding your tank a mix of the two would benefit the mini-ecosystem phenominaly.
jpitts101
New member
just checking adam, i knew you said you wanted them but thought maybe you didnt want to wait and went ahead and got them from somewhere else. i'll get all the parameters for you too. im not sure what i paid for the f2, i bought it from florida aqua farms and its the 500 ml bottle. i use about 20 ml a week so the 500 will be around for about 20 or so years if i dont split it up!
