Phytoplankton Culturing

[DYIguy]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but I plan to try culturing my own, so I'm asking again for help from the experts. Does it matter what type of phyto you use? Can I start with the Phyto that's a month old in my fridge or should I buy new. Do I need supplemental lighting or is a southern facing window enough

Any tips on how to and what to avoid is appreciated

 

[Hallowhead]

just got my f/2 fertilizer so following along before I embark.

 

[Juano908]

Same here, I’m willing to give it a try.
Just make sure the phytoplankton you already have is live phytoplankton and the F/2 fertilizer. As far as lights I’ve seen videos of people using their natural windows light.

 

[Yates273]

I’m no expert but I started culturing about 3 weeks ago and already have so much. Very easy to culture. I would recommend using F2 fertilizer. The culture in your your fridge should be good as long as you shook it when everything started to settle or the culture will end up dead. They need to be suspended in water column. I chose the Nanochloropsis (smaller cells than Tetraselmis) from Mercer of Montana. I would just buy a cheap grow bulb from big box store with one of those aluminum housings. From what I read they need like 16 hours of light. I know some people give them 24 hours. For me 16 and 7 days later I have a dark green culture ready to be used or stored. Hope this helps Any questions feel free to ask.

 

[NanoJoe]

If the phyto in your fridge is still alive and well (not smelling like rotten eggs or a brownish color) then you will be good to go.

I would dedicate a cheap LED light or even a regular old bulb could do the trick just to get that solid 8 hours of "intense" light.
Keep things sterile. this is very important. Ive only culture nannochloropsis bought by mercer of montana through amazon.
Water changes help with a turkey baster to get some settlement off the bottom of your culture vessel. I have had cultures crash this way too.
if you can do multiple cultures at once it would be good do have a secondary culture going in the event of one culture crashing.

 

[erics210]

I also used the Nanochloropsis from Mercer of Montana with their F2 fertilizer.
I used an old string led wrapped around a 2 liter bottle that was rinsed our with soapy water, flushed, then some rubbing alcohol, and flushed again.
I run mine 24 hours with a light air flow.

Only reason I started them was to feed rotifers.
I finally picked some up last week. I have been going through the process of growing the culture.
Sadly I am NOT sure if they are alive at the moment. So darn tiny.
I was using coffee filters instead of the 53 micron mesh filter suggested. Coffee filter is more like 20 microns.
BUT still going through the process a week later.
If nothing else, it is good practice.

If you are planning to use phytoplankton for rotifers, brine or just dosing your tank, may want to consider buying RG Complete from Reef Nutrition.
Very concentrated phytoplankton. Great for supplmenting your neeeds in a pinch, or if you have a crash of your culture.

Havent made phyto in a few months, and my saved batches went bad. Luckily Sump-n-Fishy had some to spare.

 

[erics210]

eholceker gave me a little clarity on using the Phyto for Rotifers or Clown Larvae....​

The Rotigreen Omega is a super FROZEN concentrate. Rotigreen Omega is a live phyto and super concentrated.
This you would take a small portion of and defrostin the fridge for a day or two and use monthly to feed phytoplankton AND tint the clown water if needed.

RG Complete is a non-frozen slightly more diluted, but still very concentrated , version of the Rotigreen Omega.
RG Complete has an ammonia binder in it and not live phyto. Basically it keeps your rotifer culture growing with dying due to toxic water.

you can use the Phytoplankton but hard to keep up with the demand.

ROTIGREEN® OMEGA

Frozen Microalgae for Greenwater with DHA enrichment Enrichment RotiGreen Omega™ is a frozen, whole-cell greenwater microalgae concentrate designed to provide greenwater while maintaining enrichment of rotifers in the larval tank. High in carotenoids and phospholipids. 2-year frozen shelf life...

reedmariculture.com

RGCOMPLETE™

Reef Nutrition RGComplete™ is a super-concentrated, premium quality zooplankton food and invertebrate food and enrichment for rotifers and many other filter-feeding zooplankton and invertebrates. Cell size: 1.5-12 µm, sized for Breeders, Aquarists & Propagators. RG Complete includes pH buffer...

reefnutrition.com

 

[NJTaxMan]

I got my station starting to get set up. Gonna be doing copapods and Phyto Pharming....as if cleaning my sump wasnt tedious enough!!

 

[Hallowhead]

I have copepods setup, culture seems to be expanding rapidly, need to get a sieve. Need to add my phyto, received F/2 last night, going to sterilize a jar tonight and get the culture setup.

I struggle to understand the timing, is it just based on how dense you want it to be? 6 days i've read? 10 days?

 

[DYIguy]

I have copepods setup, culture seems to be expanding rapidly, need to get a sieve. Need to add my phyto, received F/2 last night, going to sterilize a jar tonight and get the culture setup.

I struggle to understand the timing, is it just based on how dense you want it to be? 6 days i've read? 10 days?

What are you using for the copepods, Thinking about getting into culturing them too

 

[Hallowhead]

What are you using for the copepods, Thinking about getting into culturing them too

I bought reef bugs off ebay. Used a cheese balls container filled with fresh salt water. I feed phytoplankton I bought every other day. A bubble a second for air and that's it. Very simple

 

[NJTaxMan]

I bought reef bugs off ebay. Used a cheese balls container filled with fresh salt water. I feed phytoplankton I bought every other day. A bubble a second for air and that's it. Very simple

Yeah..and 25 bucks a bottle in the local store in insane.

 

[eholceker]

I also used the Nanochloropsis from Mercer of Montana with their F2 fertilizer.
I used an old string led wrapped around a 2 liter bottle that was rinsed our with soapy water, flushed, then some rubbing alcohol, and flushed again.
I run mine 24 hours with a light air flow.

Only reason I started them was to feed rotifers.
I finally picked some up last week. I have been going through the process of growing the culture.
Sadly I am NOT sure if they are alive at the moment. So darn tiny.
I was using coffee filters instead of the 53 micron mesh filter suggested. Coffee filter is more like 20 microns.
BUT still going through the process a week later.
If nothing else, it is good practice.

If you are planning to use phytoplankton for rotifers, brine or just dosing your tank, may want to consider buying RG Complete from Reef Nutrition.
Very concentrated phytoplankton. Great for supplmenting your neeeds in a pinch, or if you have a crash of your culture.

Havent made phyto in a few months, and my saved batches went bad. Luckily Sump-n-Fishy had some to spare.

If your rotifers are alive your green water will turn clear as the will feed aggressively on it.

 

[DYIguy]

I have copepods setup, culture seems to be expanding rapidly, need to get a sieve. Need to add my phyto, received F/2 last night, going to sterilize a jar tonight and get the culture setup.

I struggle to understand the timing, is it just based on how dense you want it to be? 6 days i've read? 10 days?

Have you figured out the sieve yet. I'm thinking about this

Amazon.com

50 micron nylon sock 7" x 16"

 

[Yates273]

I have copepods setup, culture seems to be expanding rapidly, need to get a sieve. Need to add my phyto, received F/2 last night, going to sterilize a jar tonight and get the culture setup.

I struggle to understand the timing, is it just based on how dense you want it to be? 6 days i've read? 10 days?

You will know because your Culture will be a nice dark green once it starts losing
It’s color that means they have depleted their food source. I have gone anywhere from 6-8 days and probably could have left them for a few more but I was happy with how the culture looked

 

[erics210]

Have you figured out the sieve yet. I'm thinking about this

Amazon.com

50 micron nylon sock 7" x 16"

Funny you mentioned the filter socks.

I had a few mesh filter socks, NO CLUE what micron they were. BUt it was damaged at the bottom anyway, so CHOP CHOP.

What you do is...
Get yourself a 3" or 4" PVC Adapter (I used 4")
Took the mesh and layed it over the coupler to make a mesh sandwhich. I believe this mesh is 100 or 150 microns. I used to it actually funnel the entire rotifer colony to get any built up crud.





Originally I was using standard Coffee filters. Downside is coffee filters are 20 micron(approximatley) so the filter material gets clogged pretty quick. 40 or 50 microns would be ideal.


I was looking at the same filter and figure it would work. I did order a 1 meter x 1 meter mesh 50micron section off ebay. BUT immediatly after I paid, realized it was freakin China and wont be here till who knows when. Says April 5th. Sometimes stuff comes sooner, sometimes later.
Since I am still settiing up the Clown Larve Hatchery, not sure I catch this cycle anyway, so maye the time to wait.


Here is my mini phyto set up. JUST ramping back up. I believe the gallon I had gotten from Eric Rodriguez was bad/dead then, and didnt improve with age. SO got a 12 oz bottle from SumpNFishy and am under way. will be a little before I have sustainable phyto plankton so will probably be buying the Rotigreen Omega and RG Complete.

 

[DYIguy]

I also noticed the 50 micron socks on ebay and some on amazon wouldn't get here for weeks- i went and bought a 2 pack on amazon for $ 14, and will get it later this week- actually too soon for me- I'm still waiting on the Phyto kit- looking forward to not having to buy any- and maybe pods too- and maybe sharing with members that eat Taylor Ham

 

[erics210]

Did you order Mercer of Montana kit?

 

[erics210]

I also noticed the 50 micron socks on ebay and some on amazon wouldn't get here for weeks- i went and bought a 2 pack on amazon for $ 14, and will get it later this week- actually too soon for me- I'm still waiting on the Phyto kit- looking forward to not having to buy any- and maybe pods too- and maybe sharing with members that eat Taylor Ham

Are you planning rotifers or brine?
If not, you dont need the sieve.
Phyto is just green water.
You can split the colony, add appropriate salinity fresh salt mix and F2 for food and just keep growing phyto.
Just be sure to try and keep things sanitary. Quickest way to crash the colony.
Once you start getting more than you need. Fill up bottles and place in a fridge.
Have to shake daily to keep from getting die off. But then you are all set to start sharing!

If you do rotifers and clowns you definitely need the sieve!
As you will need lots of phyto for the rotifers to feed on, and for the larvae tank to remain green with rotifers.

 

[DYIguy]

Did you order Mercer of Montana kit?

Yes