Phytoplankton culture question

[GobyWanKenobie]

I have been working with this phytoplankton culture for over a year (Thank you Dong), and recently it's been acting different. It's a very dark green, but after 3 or 4 days, it starts to lighten in color and pieces of dark green settle on the bottom. After I shake the bottle, it's great for another 3 or 4 days. Am I heading for a crash? Is it time to strain it and start over? I don't want to lose it because it supports my pod culture. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Mixed Reefer]

In my experience when I see dark particles in my culture or in neck of my culture container (wine jug) it’s contaminated. Start a fresh culture.

 

[luu78]

Are you doing a continuous nannochroposis culture? If a microscope is availble, look and see if there’s anything else swimming in the culture besides nannochroposis. Sometimes culture contamination can occur. You probably have dead phyto mixed with live phytos in the culture now. I recommend pouring it in a clean 2 liter bottle and let it settle overnight, harvest whatever is still suspended. If you inspect these under the microscope, they are still live and should be motile and should be good to start a brand new culture with then feed the bottomed out phyto to your tank. I snap photos of my culture daily and compare the photos based on culture coloration on the phone and can usually tell the whether the of nutrients/fertilizers is depleted or not. If same color over a 24 hrs period and no visual change in color darkness (culture density), then it’s safe to say that culture is good to feed the tank. Hope this helps save your culture.

Happy reefing!

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

Are you doing a continuous nannochroposis culture? If a microscope is availble, look and see if there’s anything else swimming in the culture besides nannochroposis. Sometimes culture contamination can occur. You probably have dead phyto mixed with live phytos in the culture now. I recommend pouring it in a clean 2 liter bottle and let it settle overnight, harvest whatever is still suspended. If you inspect these under the microscope, they are still live and should be motile and should be good to start a brand new culture with then feed the bottomed out phyto to your tank. I snap photos of my culture daily and compare the photos based on culture coloration on the phone and can usually tell the whether the of nutrients/fertilizers is depleted or not. If same color over a 24 hrs period and no visual change in color darkness (culture density), then it’s safe to say that culture is good to feed the tank. Hope this helps save your culture. View attachment 171401Happy reefing!

Thanks for the advice. I think I will let it settle and start with a new culture. I never let it get as light as your last 6 pictures. I wonder if I'm overfeeding.

 

[dz6t]

If the phytoplankton settles when it is being cultured( air bubbling is on), the culture is getting old.
If it settles when in the refrigerator, it is normal.

 

[dz6t]

One year is a good run for a phytoplankton culture, I will say get new culture to restart a new batch while the current batch is limping along.

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

One year is a good run for a phytoplankton culture, I will say get new culture to restart a new batch while the current batch is limping along.

Thanks for the advice. If I buy phyto from my LFS, is that good for a culture? It's not pre-bottled. It's in a big container, and he fills the bottle when you purchase it.

 

[ChrisV]

Thanks for the advice. If I buy phyto from my LFS, is that good for a culture? It's not pre-bottled. It's in a big container, and he fills the bottle when you purchase it.

To piggyback on this, how long can this kind of phyto be stored? Does it need to be kept with aeration and light, or can you stick it in the fridge?

 

[dz6t]

If the phytoplankton culture is under bubbling and light, they are good to use for starter culture. You may want to ask the store how long their culture is going on in the store.

 

[dz6t]

If you want to start absolutely fresh culture, you can buy algae disks online. They comes with a glass dish with solid green algae coated at the bottom of the dish. Just scrape the algae into a culture solution and let it grow.

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

To piggyback on this, how long can this kind of phyto be stored? Does it need to be kept with aeration and light, or can you stick it in the fridge?

If you want to make your own phytoplankton, it has to have light, fertilizer and aeration. If you just want to feed it to your tank, it should be good for a couple of months in the fridge. You have to shake the bottle and open it to release the gas every day or two.

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

If you want to start absolutely fresh culture, you can buy algae disks online. They comes with a glass dish with solid green algae coated at the bottom of the dish. Just scrape the algae into a culture solution and let it grow.

Thanks Dong, I can always count on you and the other members for help.

 

[dz6t]

You are very welcome. I always have running culture available and please let me know if you ever come this way,

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

You are very welcome. I always have running culture available and please let me know if you ever come this way,

I wish I was heading in your direction! Since my son moved back to RI, I'm never near your location. Someday, I'll make a special trip!

 

[sumant19]

I have good experience with Mercer of Montana Phytoplankton. Ordered from them 3-4 times in the last 3 years and every time the culture arrived fast and alive. They also sell F2 fertilizer and other accessories.

https://smile.amazon.com/Marine-Phytoplankton-Tetraselmis-16oz-Bottle/dp/B07MYDJBXJ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3VUT7Q01KHBLO&keywords=mercer+of+montana+live+phytoplankton&qid=1642476616&sprefix=mercer+of+m%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-2

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

I have good experience with Mercer of Montana Phytoplankton. Ordered from them 3-4 times in the last 3 years and every time the culture arrived fast and alive. They also sell F2 fertilizer and other accessories.

https://smile.amazon.com/Marine-Phytoplankton-Tetraselmis-16oz-Bottle/dp/B07MYDJBXJ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3VUT7Q01KHBLO&keywords=mercer+of+montana+live+phytoplankton&qid=1642476616&sprefix=mercer+of+m%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-2

Thanks. I use the F2 fertilizer. It seems to be working well. I want to have at least 3 bottles to draw from so I might try a couple of different cultures.

 

[Geo_6]

Hello! Any recommendations on which algae discs to buy?

 

[FREAKINRICAN69]

Hello! Any recommendations on which algae discs to buy?

Im following along. How much of this are you to dose and per day or weekly?

 

[Reefer508]

If you want to start absolutely fresh culture, you can buy algae disks online. They comes with a glass dish with solid green algae coated at the bottom of the dish. Just scrape the algae into a culture solution and let it grow.

Are these what you talked about?

Microalgae Disks – Florida Aqua Farms

Which strain would you recommend?

 

[dz6t]

Nano is the best type in terms of nutrition. Also nano is easy to propagate.