At Home Phytoplankton Culturing

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

I've recently started culturing phyto at home. It appears to be growing pretty well but im noticing lots of growth on the bottle and also a lot of chunks floating about. Is this normal or is there something else growing along with my phyto?

Currently i have cultures of Nannochloropsis and Tetraselmis

 

[ichthyogeek]

The chunks aren't normal. Probably a combination of over-production (yay!) and bacterial growth (not yay). I'd recommend straining out the lumps through a filter, and then reculturing in sterile containers.

 

[csb123]

Every time I see those chunks, my culture is about to crash. Siphon the live stuff out, into a new sterile culturing vessel.

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

Shoot thanks for letting me know i will get on that right now!!

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

Ok fellas i went ahead and sterilized some new bottles and cut some fresh rigid airline. I purchased a wine strainer for the phyto when i started it just to keep debris out so luckily i had a pretty fine strainer.

I was able to remove as much gunk as my 200mesh filter would pull by doing 6 or 7 passes before putting it into the sterile bottle.

Everything looks fresh and clean lets hope it stays that way.

Heres some photos from throughout the process.

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

The chunks aren't normal. Probably a combination of over-production (yay!) and bacterial growth (not yay). I'd recommend straining out the lumps through a filter, and then reculturing in sterile containers.

So in general i shouldn't see any growth on the bottles at all?

So basically the way we tell that its growing is just by it turning a darker and darker shade of green?

This is my first culture so i was as sterile as possible but maybe not enough. I saw the growth and chunks and since it is green i thought that was just phyto growing. But there was a part of me that felt like it wasnt right because nobody elses stuff in videos or forum posts really looked like that.

 

[Silent]

If I remember correctly I believe DT's phyto needed to be shaken because it also looked like yours. I think it is pretty normal. It has been many years since I grew it myself and I vaguely remember seeing it look like yours. Never can be too clean and cautious though.

 

[csb123]

I’ve home experimented with trying to let it go or increase aeration, add less fertilizer, add more, and about every effort resulted in a crash. I’m new at this, but I‘ve had the most success with watching the density daily, and if it stalls, add more fertilizer, and if it stalls again then harvest it and start a new cycle.

Once I get the clumps, I’ve had a 75% success rate of saving the culture by the measures our OP has taken.
I suspect it’s due to bacterial contamination

For more sanitary conditions, I use a new 2 gallon ziploc in each jar for each cycle. I’m luck to have an ozone generator to sterilize the jars, lids, and tubing. I use the airline to add fertilizer, to extract samples, and harvest.

For insurance, I run two cultures, and save 16oz in the fridge. It can be revived after 10 days, maybe longer.

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

I’ve home experimented with trying to let it go or increase aeration, add less fertilizer, add more, and about every effort resulted in a crash. I’m new at this, but I‘ve had the most success with watching the density daily, and if it stalls, add more fertilizer, and if it stalls again then harvest it and start a new cycle.

Once I get the clumps, I’ve had a 75% success rate of saving the culture by the measures our OP has taken.
I suspect it’s due to bacterial contamination

For more sanitary conditions, I use a new 2 gallon ziploc in each jar for each cycle. I’m luck to have an ozone generator to sterilize the jars, lids, and tubing. I use the airline to add fertilizer, to extract samples, and harvest.

For insurance, I run two cultures, and save 16oz in the fridge. It can be revived after 10 days, maybe longer.

do you have photos of your setup? Specifically how you use the 2gal ziplock bags with your jars?

I do have a 20oz experimental bottle that i accidentally put .6ml of fertilizer in so im seeing what happens with the others ones. From now on im going to use clean bottles every time that i transfer the phyto and the first sight of any clumps i will strain it out. Atleast until I have built a big enough stockpile to do more experiments.

 

[csb123]

Sorry for the one sideways pic.
The ziplock pic shows how I staple the edge, so only a couple of inches can open.
I keep that funnel and pitcher sanitized along with the rest.

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

Sorry for the one sideways pic.
The ziplock pic shows how I staple the edge, so only a couple of inches can open.
I keep that funnel and pitcher sanitized along with the rest.

Hey dude i was also wondering if you wouldnt mind pointing me towards the ozone generator you use or a good one and how you keep that away from you and your house? Im assume some tote or box that you put materials in with the ozone machine

 

[csb123]

The company is on the label, in the generator.

I stick it a big tote with a lid. I run it for a half hour, maximum. I also have an external fan aimed at the tote, to circulate around the room. I run it on a timer at night, when no one is in the fish room. I does freshen up the room, as a side benefit. Ozone is highly oxidative, so over time things will rust...look at the screws holding the fan.

P.S. it can be used to de-scent hunting clothing.

Sean

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

Haha wow that is pretty crazy how the screws have rusted like that.

So do you just end up placing this and all your materials in a confined space until you deem it sterile?

I also kindof got to thinking that if my airpump is just out in the open its sucking in all sorts of who knows what into my cultures. I mean the air pumps dont have any filter or anything so when I build my phyto stand i think im going to section off my airpump and have some small box fans blowing air thru an air filter and also have a uvc bulb shining to kill any bacterial or hopefully atleast most bacteria before it gets pumped into my cultures.

I want to start selling my phyto but im not trying to introduce unknown bacterias into peoples systems

 

[csb123]

I’m betting my life it gets sterile. Since I have to reuse my PPE in the ER, I sterilize it after every shift.

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

I’m betting my life it gets sterile. Since I have to reuse my PPE in the ER, I sterilize it after every shift.

Ozone is real strong im sure it is too. Do you worry about the air being pumped into the cultures not being sterilized?

I was thinking that may be a big reason for possible contamination.

 

[csb123]

Could be an issue. I can’t spare an N95 to put on my air pump.

 

[TFD Live Reef Foods]

Could be an issue. I can’t spare an N95 to put on my air pump.

Yeah i know masks are big necessities for people right now. I kindof like my airfilter and uvc idea. Could prolly just use those super fine filters for heater and ac