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- Dec 8, 2014
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Hey guys, a couple people asked for a guide to how i culture my phyto, so here it is!
Materials needed:
Starter culture
(Got mine from algoid technologies
on amazon)
FTCo. Plankton Delight (10oz) - Live Phytoplankton:Amazonet Supplies
Guillards f/2 which is algae food
(Also on amazon)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QJ...&dpID=41PWiW3iO9L&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
Syringe
A couple 16 oz empty soda bottles
Airline tubing
Rigid airline tubing or some kind of hard plastic pipette
Air pump
Plug in 24hour timer
Light source
(I use a simple fluorescent bulb fixture)
50% rubbing alcohol
Thumb tac
OK. First of all, you wanna take the bottle caps and drill a hole in each one for the air line to fit in. Then, with a thumb tac, poke a small hole in each to release air build up.
Next step is to take your empty bottles and pull of all stickers and paper. Rinse them out real well, then rinse out with alcohol. This is to kill off any bacteria that could harm your culture. Once you sterilize it real well, rinse out all the alcohol.
(This is step three)**
Next, you wanna fill about 1/3 of your bottles with live phyto. Fill the rest up with fresh salt water but leave about an inch of breathing room. Add 1 ml of the F/2 per 16 oz bottle.
After that, put the hard tubing or pipette in through the hole in the cap and attach your airline to it.
(You could just put your airline in it, but the advantage of using hard tubing is that it keeps the bottom mixed up and keeps the phyto from settling. If you use just airline tubing, you could shake the bottle a bit each day)
Attach them to your air pump and plug in your light to the timer close to your culture. I have my light running at 16hours a day, 8 hours of darkness (From what I've read, that's the best lighting schedule)
(Mine is probably 2-3 inches away, but i use a cool fluorescent bulb, which doesn't put off much heat. )
**Now, every 7 days, you'll need to split your culture. To do this, all you do is repeat step three.
You can reuse vessels as long as you wash and sterilize them again.
Phyto may be stored in the fridge for no longer than two months.
"Do not Freeze. Keep Refrigerated between 34 F-39 F (1-4 C). Phytoplankton will stay alive for up to 2 months in the refrigerator. Shake the bottle every day as aggregates at the bottom will smother and die off."
I'm two weeks into this, but so far, so good!!!
Any and all questions, comments and advice is welcome! Will keep updated!
Materials needed:
Starter culture
(Got mine from algoid technologies
on amazon)
FTCo. Plankton Delight (10oz) - Live Phytoplankton:Amazonet Supplies
Guillards f/2 which is algae food
(Also on amazon)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QJ...&dpID=41PWiW3iO9L&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
Syringe
A couple 16 oz empty soda bottles
Airline tubing
Rigid airline tubing or some kind of hard plastic pipette
Air pump
Plug in 24hour timer
Light source
(I use a simple fluorescent bulb fixture)
50% rubbing alcohol
Thumb tac
OK. First of all, you wanna take the bottle caps and drill a hole in each one for the air line to fit in. Then, with a thumb tac, poke a small hole in each to release air build up.
Next step is to take your empty bottles and pull of all stickers and paper. Rinse them out real well, then rinse out with alcohol. This is to kill off any bacteria that could harm your culture. Once you sterilize it real well, rinse out all the alcohol.
(This is step three)**
Next, you wanna fill about 1/3 of your bottles with live phyto. Fill the rest up with fresh salt water but leave about an inch of breathing room. Add 1 ml of the F/2 per 16 oz bottle.
After that, put the hard tubing or pipette in through the hole in the cap and attach your airline to it.
(You could just put your airline in it, but the advantage of using hard tubing is that it keeps the bottom mixed up and keeps the phyto from settling. If you use just airline tubing, you could shake the bottle a bit each day)
Attach them to your air pump and plug in your light to the timer close to your culture. I have my light running at 16hours a day, 8 hours of darkness (From what I've read, that's the best lighting schedule)
(Mine is probably 2-3 inches away, but i use a cool fluorescent bulb, which doesn't put off much heat. )
**Now, every 7 days, you'll need to split your culture. To do this, all you do is repeat step three.
You can reuse vessels as long as you wash and sterilize them again.
Phyto may be stored in the fridge for no longer than two months.
"Do not Freeze. Keep Refrigerated between 34 F-39 F (1-4 C). Phytoplankton will stay alive for up to 2 months in the refrigerator. Shake the bottle every day as aggregates at the bottom will smother and die off."
I'm two weeks into this, but so far, so good!!!
Any and all questions, comments and advice is welcome! Will keep updated!