Algae powder dosing

[Stoneyed]

Hi all,

Assuming I can get my hands on spray-dried nannochloropsis or tetraselmis powder, How would I go about dose calculations?

Not sure what cell density is commonly sold live, but 1^7 is probably pretty close.

With a 1ml/gallon dose rate, you would be dosing 1^8 cells for every 10 gallons.

This paper gives an algae cell weight at 4^-11g/cell.

That works out to 0.004g algae in 10ml.

To dose a 250gal system, it works out to 0.1g.

Does it make sense to do it on a solids basis?

Thanks!

 

[KrisReef]

I read that but am pretty certain I don't really follow it. I don't understand having dried algae, that was rehydrated to dose in a 1ml/hr?

Still, I think I understand your goal of feeding a tank, and I would think you could try it and adjust dose until you find the sweet spot for the system.

I am interested in spray dried algae, would that be something like Reef Roids, a powder of plankton?

Lets just call this a bump response, don't tell anyone else.

 

[Stoneyed]

So if your growing phyto, it's almost easier to do large volumes. A 5-gal carboy is basically the same amount of effort as a 2-liter). Biggest drawback is storing it... and at >99% water, you are storing a LOT of water for not a lot of algae solids. (Just ask the algae-biofuel guys!)

I have access to a small spray dryer, which makes a ~45 micron powder out of liquids. The idea is to grow a big batch, spray dry, then dose the powder (which would have a shelf-life of a year or more in the fridge). It wouldn't be live, but nutritionally it would be essentially the same. I could also centrifuge it down to a paste, but the shelf life is somewhat limited, and prone to mold contamination after a month or two.

I guess the question then, is how much powder would equal an equivalent "dose?" Based on the above math it seems like the answer comes down to a question of cell density of the live culture. If your live culture is at 10^8 instead of 10^7, you would need 1.0g instead of 0.1g to dose the same amount of cells as you would with a live culture.

I wonder if anyone has done cell counts on commercially available phyto bottles?

 

[Shon]

Well, this is for freeze dried nanno, but the .pdf leaflet states (UP TO) 50g powder to 1 liter saltwater, use within 48hrs, max temp 4°c

Premium grade pathogen free freeze dried microalgae Nannochloropsis sp

NannoPrime, premium grade pathogen free freeze dried Nannochloropsis for Green Water Technique and for the cultivation and EPA (pre-) enrichment of rotifers.

algae.proviron.com

Edit to add.. leaflet states 1-5g per 1000l for green water

 

[Stoneyed]

Well, this is for freeze dried nanno, but the .pdf leaflet states (UP TO) 50g powder to 1 liter saltwater, use within 48hrs, max temp 4°c

Premium grade pathogen free freeze dried microalgae Nannochloropsis sp

NannoPrime, premium grade pathogen free freeze dried Nannochloropsis for Green Water Technique and for the cultivation and EPA (pre-) enrichment of rotifers.

algae.proviron.com

Edit to add.. leaflet states 1-5g per 1000l for green water

That's perfect! Thanks!