Shipping Phytoplankton In Bags

[BIGBOB]

Hi,
I plan to ship quantities of up to 16 oz of phytoplankton in the mail. I intend to use watertight bags, and ship them in boxes using 2nd day air delivery via USPS.

If they are in a dark box for up to 48 hours, will they survive? And if the outside temperature is cold, will the plankton be ok so long as they don't freeze? I would think this would have a similar effect to refrigerating them. How likely are the bags to freeze if the temperature is below zero celsius? And should I use a heat pack in very cold weather?

Thanks for your help,
james

 

[Triterium]

Hi James,

It may depend on several factors.
Do you know the cell concentration? Are you doing any sort of cell separation technique or is it still in the original culture water? Since you are using nannochloropsis, it will do a lot better than other species. If the culture gets too hot, it will certainly kill the plankton. Since the plankton is in salt water, you will probably be ok going a little under 0 degrees C. If i were you, id do some experimenting with some temperature recorders when it starts getting cold in detroit. But you'd probably be okay just insulating it well in the box. I just pulled some tetraselmis out of my fridge that has been there since Oct 2, 2004. The cells looked great and many were still swimming around.

BTW, can you tell me more about your state-of-the-art culturing facility. I just spent a small fortune setting up phyto lab but its nothing special. Im just curious what makes it so cutting-edge. Can you post pictures please. Thanks

 

[Samala]

Triterium says..
I just pulled some tetraselmis out of my fridge that has been there since Oct 2, 2004.

Eww.. I'm glad I'm not your roommate Triterium! ("Dude dont drink the electric green gatorade...") So did you setup your mad-scientist lab then?

Anywho, I'm with Trit.. you should be okay shipping under 48hours dark and the phyto can take a beating with heat and cold. 0deg C is pushing it. But between fridging it in the middle of a MI winter and adding heat to the box and possibly frying the phyto I'd rather freeze it. Maybe add glycerol to the mix so the cells dont burst if it does freeze.....

But, for the paranoid in me, I would use 20oz soda bottles, or even small gatorade bottles. Much harder to puncture and cause a spill of algae.

>Sarah

 

[Triterium]

Yep i have most of the equipment i need to keep a bunch of sub-cultures going on a bunch of species (or at least thats the plan ).

Haha, at least i kept the tetraselmis in little vials instead of lemon-lime gatorade bottles.

i like the glycerol idea. I know the Provasoli-Guillard National Center for Culture of Marine Phytoplankton sells cryo-preserved cultures.

 

[BIGBOB]

Triterium,
I am keeping it in the original culture water, as I didn't see any major problem in doing this. I don't know the cell concentration yet, as I have not invested in anything for doing that yet. Do you have a process you recommend for doing this? I have a microscope of my own, but it only goes to 60x I believe. Also, besides giving me a more accurate idea of the progress of my culture, how else is this beneficial?

Samala,
where can I get the appropriate glycerol to try?

thanks to both of you for your help

Ohh yes,
and the state-of-the-art culturing facility consists of a fantastic 17 gallon plastic box with some fluorescent strips, a very high tech operation
but never the less produces nice phytoplankton

 

[Triterium]

James, i think the best way is to use a hemocytometer. But for nannochloropsis i bet you will need at at least 100x. I plot the density daily and use it to determine which growth phase my cultures are in. You dont want to harvest too early or you'll have excess fertilizer...or too late or your phyto may be hard to revive or may crash. How much fertilizer are you using? What type?

Haha, after reading your website, i was picturing some 1-acre greenhouse with huge culture vessels or something like that

 

[BIGBOB]

The fertilizer is Micro Algae Grow from florida aqua farms, and I believe I lasted used around 25 mL for the 17 gallon vat, but I'd have to check my notebook to be certain

 

[Triterium]

i think the dosage the bottle says is 0.45ml/gallon but i like to use close to double that. That way the culture grows denser and doesnt reach the stationary phase until 10-12 days usually. But ive had cultures reach that phase in 7 days and as late as 16 days. There are a ton of variables for how fast it grows so without tracking the density its hard to say.

 

[BIGBOB]

What do you think about the MICROALGAE DENSITY MEASURER:

"Page 2 Simple device allows you to estimate microalgae cell densities. Based on the Secchi principle. White dot mounted on a calibrated plastic stick is lowered down into a well lighted microalgae culture until the dot disappears. Depth is recorded off the scale and approximate cell density is obtained from chart provided. Chart provides density conversions on Nannochloropsis, Chlorella, Isochrysis, Tetraselmis, Pyramimonas, and Nannochloris. Manufactured by Florida Aqua Farms Inc. Can be easily calibrated to suit your specific microalgae and conditions."

Until I get a better microscope

I checked the bottle, it says for the f /2 concentration, administer 1.45 ml/gallon, which does come out to about 25 ml
I any case, I have had success with this fertilizer, but what do you use on your various cultures?

 

[Triterium]

I use f/2 for everything, but add silicates for diatoms. I have that density measuring stick and its very inaccurate. Seeing the dot depends a lot on the lighting level of the room you're in. Its also a good way to contaminate your culture. The only way i would even consider using it is if i had consistent lighting and made my own calibrated chart. But to make the chart you need a hemocytometer.