Greetings CKS !
I tend to ramble about this stuff, so bear with me ...
Physical parameters:
Refugium (culture) system: 50 G (36" X 16" X 20"; acrylic).
External system: 140 G multi-tier fish acclimation & final stage
live rock "cure-out" system.
External Flow: approx. 100 gph (Rio 1100).
Internal flow: approx. 1000 gph (Rio HF 2600).
Lighting: 4 X 96W Power compact (ABS hood w/fans)
(2 - 6500K bulbs & 2 - 7100K bulbs).
Photoperiod: 16 hours/day (controlled by timer).
Temperature range: 76' F - 78' F.
NH3/NH4: approx. 0 mg/l (tetra test kit).
NO2: approx. 0 mg/l (tetra test kit).
NO3: approx. 20 - 50 ppm (drytab test kit).
pH: 8.0 (tetra test kit).
Alkalinity: 3 dKH (tetra test kit).
Specific Gravity: 1.024 (handheld refractometer).
Culture parameters:
Species: Gracilaria tikhaveae
Source: Quality Marine, Sea Dwelling Creatures, All Seas Marine
(CA wholesalers).
Additives: Kent Iron supplement (2X /week),
Kent Superbuffer dKH (2X / week),
Kent Kalkwasser (3X / week).
Kent Coral-Vite (* random ... whenever I feel like it),
MarcWeiss Coral Vital (*random ... what can I say?).
(* How's that for 'rigorous & replicable' experimental design ?)
Growth: Mass doubles every 29 days (the average from
10 samples during first 34 days the culture was running).
Observations ( ... more randomness ...)
Very bright light and extreme current (to the point that individual specimens are 'tumbling' throguh the tank) are really important. If I had to design the refugium over again, I would use metal halides. A shift to 5500K metal halides would clearly have been a better choice in terms of maximum growth.
The only irritation regarding the setup is the rapid growth of 'unintended' algae. Cladophora, Derbasia, Bryopsis, and others everywhere (although the Bryopsis is being "out-competed" at the moment. You can't see it in the picture, but the back top third of the right compartment's surface has a 3/4" thich mat of Ulva that needs to be removed every 3 - 4 days ... it's like dealing with algal Borg ... . A shudder to think of what 5500K halides would have produced. Many ( ... and I mean MANY ... ) amphipods have arisen, and after about 2 months they appear to be able to keep most of the "unintendeds" at a level where I only need to algae scrubb once a week (although I leave large sections undisturbed so that the amphipod population remains large).
On the other hand, the richness of the biodiversity, and the ebb and flow of succession, have been way cool. I get absorbed ... it's almost hypnotic.
Without more specific information regarding your system, I really don't know what else to babble about. Let me know if there is any other information I can provide.
Of course, ou could always try the "industrial" culture method
(see attachment).
HTH,
GDW
I tend to ramble about this stuff, so bear with me ...
Physical parameters:
Refugium (culture) system: 50 G (36" X 16" X 20"; acrylic).
External system: 140 G multi-tier fish acclimation & final stage
live rock "cure-out" system.
External Flow: approx. 100 gph (Rio 1100).
Internal flow: approx. 1000 gph (Rio HF 2600).
Lighting: 4 X 96W Power compact (ABS hood w/fans)
(2 - 6500K bulbs & 2 - 7100K bulbs).
Photoperiod: 16 hours/day (controlled by timer).
Temperature range: 76' F - 78' F.
NH3/NH4: approx. 0 mg/l (tetra test kit).
NO2: approx. 0 mg/l (tetra test kit).
NO3: approx. 20 - 50 ppm (drytab test kit).
pH: 8.0 (tetra test kit).
Alkalinity: 3 dKH (tetra test kit).
Specific Gravity: 1.024 (handheld refractometer).
Culture parameters:
Species: Gracilaria tikhaveae
Source: Quality Marine, Sea Dwelling Creatures, All Seas Marine
(CA wholesalers).
Additives: Kent Iron supplement (2X /week),
Kent Superbuffer dKH (2X / week),
Kent Kalkwasser (3X / week).
Kent Coral-Vite (* random ... whenever I feel like it),
MarcWeiss Coral Vital (*random ... what can I say?).
(* How's that for 'rigorous & replicable' experimental design ?)
Growth: Mass doubles every 29 days (the average from
10 samples during first 34 days the culture was running).
Observations ( ... more randomness ...)
Very bright light and extreme current (to the point that individual specimens are 'tumbling' throguh the tank) are really important. If I had to design the refugium over again, I would use metal halides. A shift to 5500K metal halides would clearly have been a better choice in terms of maximum growth.
The only irritation regarding the setup is the rapid growth of 'unintended' algae. Cladophora, Derbasia, Bryopsis, and others everywhere (although the Bryopsis is being "out-competed" at the moment. You can't see it in the picture, but the back top third of the right compartment's surface has a 3/4" thich mat of Ulva that needs to be removed every 3 - 4 days ... it's like dealing with algal Borg ... . A shudder to think of what 5500K halides would have produced. Many ( ... and I mean MANY ... ) amphipods have arisen, and after about 2 months they appear to be able to keep most of the "unintendeds" at a level where I only need to algae scrubb once a week (although I leave large sections undisturbed so that the amphipod population remains large).
On the other hand, the richness of the biodiversity, and the ebb and flow of succession, have been way cool. I get absorbed ... it's almost hypnotic.
Without more specific information regarding your system, I really don't know what else to babble about. Let me know if there is any other information I can provide.
Of course, ou could always try the "industrial" culture method
(see attachment).
HTH,
GDW
