Any novel ideas of what to do with excess phytoplankton?

[Reefer Dan]

Hello there.

I keep having about a gallon/week of excess mixed phytoplankton and copepods. I have tried locally to sell them both (at ridiculously low/“wholesale” prices) and have had no interest for months.

Curious if anyone had any novel ideas on what I could use leftover phytoplankton for?

Not super interested in doing rotifers or more critters that will end up just switching out excess phyto for excess of those.

Already:
-dosing to reef tank
-culturing copepods (4 varieties)

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

My wife has been trying to get me to make an ebay store for Chaeto sales. I tried posting locally, can't even give it away. Throwing away a liter of it every week or two.

But im considering it, might be worth it for you, but once the subject of shipping costs come up it makes me not want to bother.

Whats your culture setup?

 

[Reefer Dan]

My wife has been trying to get me to make an ebay store for Chaeto sales. I tried posting locally, can't even give it away. Throwing away a liter of it every week or two.

But im considering it, might be worth it for you, but once the subject of shipping costs come up it makes me not want to bother.

Whats your culture setup?

I’ve been thinking of trying to sell online, but in the exact same boat with the shipping situation. Once that is tacked on it’s the same cost as “brand names” and a lot more hassle.

My cultures are in gallon jars. I have 5 species of phyto (I. galbana, R. Salina, T. Chui, C. Calcitrans, T. weissflogii) . Also growing apo, tisbe, Tigrio, and parvo copepods.

 

[Derrick0580]

I had the same issue, to the point I stopped shaking the 30-40 bottles in the garage fridge and its all just sitting settled and dead. Only sold maybe 4 liters total and I even eventually stopped dosing it in my tank as the gha got out of hand and I’m pretty sure it was due to the phyto.

 

[Reefer Dan]

I had the same issue, to the point I stopped shaking the 30-40 bottles in the garage fridge and its all just sitting settled and dead. Only sold maybe 4 liters total and I even eventually stopped dosing it in my tank as the gha got out of hand and I’m pretty sure it was due to the phyto.

Yeah I’m considering stopping. I do feel like I’ve seen some good benefits, but a lot of work to just dump down the drain.

 

[ThinBuLine]

Where are you located?

 

[Reefer Dan]

Where are you located?

Utah

 

[slingfox]

I just started growing phyto and have the same issue since the cultures were growing more successfully than expected. I started reducing the light exposure significantly so growth has slowed. Have you ever considered making a super concentrated phyto-based feed by letting the phyto settle and drying it out? I may experiment with that.

 

[Reefer Dan]

I just started growing phyto and have the same issue since the cultures were growing more successfully than expected. I started reducing the light exposure significantly so growth has slowed. Have you ever considered making a super concentrated phyto-based feed by letting the phyto settle and drying it out? I may experiment with that.

I would personally love to try freeze drying it, but I don’t have any connections with one of those.

 

[Kasrift]

Try trading it in with your LFS if they are bringing in any dragonettes I’m sure they’d take some copepods for store credit. Or maybe they need phyto for their NPS.

 

[Reefer Dan]

Try trading it in with your LFS if they are bringing in any dragonettes I’m sure they’d take some copepods for store credit. Or maybe they need phyto for their NPS.

I have tried this, but they all have a local supplier already.

 

[Dave-T]

Dose more? How much do you dose?