Best phytoplankton

Kasrift · Oct 16, 2023

Hi, I've been culturing Nanno and Tetra for just over a year. I'm adding two more phytoplankton reactors for two more species. I'd love people's feedback on two others to add. I'm leaning towards Tisochrysis for one.

For the other, looks like Top Shelf Aquatics has Rhodamonas and I see Pod Your Reef has

PHAEODACTYLUM TRICORNUTUM.

Mr. Mojo Rising · Oct 16, 2023

If you want a challenge, try isochysis. I tried twice and couldn’t get it.

Kasrift · Oct 16, 2023

Mr. Mojo Rising said:
If you want a challenge, try isochysis. I tried twice and couldn’t get it.

Does it crash easily? That is also what I'm wondering for other strains as well.

Mr. Mojo Rising · Oct 16, 2023

Yes. Well for me anyway lol. It’s the “golden brown” phyto.

Kasrift · Oct 16, 2023

Mr. Mojo Rising said:
Yes. Well for me anyway lol. It’s the “golden brown” phyto.

Tetra and Nanno have been easy enough for me, every time I harvest I save a backup bottle in case of a crash. I've had a couple over the year, but am pretty solid with the process now.

Hopefully any strain I add doesn't crash easily. I follow all the procedures of rubbing alcohol wipes, new equipment etc but it'd be a pain to have a strain that is too sensitive.

marinebreeders · Oct 23, 2023

My experience with growing multiple species is to keep the nanno as far away from other cultures lol

Nanno gets in all the cultures if you're not careful, I recommend using another pump and another area to grow other species.

Are you using phyto to add to your reef tank or is it for pods? Phaeo is fun to grow and it requires an extra step of silicate, my tisbee culture really appreciates this diatom algae.

I do have to agree that ISO is challenging to grow and Rhodamonas is cool because it is red.

Kasrift · Oct 23, 2023

marinebreeders said:
My experience with growing multiple species is to keep the nanno as far away from other cultures lol

Nanno gets in all the cultures if you're not careful, I recommend using another pump and another area to grow other species.

Are you using phyto to add to your reef tank or is it for pods? Phaeo is fun to grow and it requires an extra step of silicate, my tisbee culture really appreciates this diatom algae.

I do have to agree that ISO is challenging to grow and Rhodamonas is cool because it is red.

That's really funny. I happen to split my cultures with Tetra first, then Nanno. This is just based on how they sit on the shelf. Funny that it is the strongest strain so if cross contamination occurs that would be the dominant strain.

I do it for feeding the tanks. I don't culture copepods (yet). I feed the tank which causes an explosion in copepods naturally, which helps feed my mandarin, six line, and springeri damsel which are all in a 32 gallon.

I culture because it is interesting and I think it is a natural building block to reefs. I actually cause a phyto bloom by dumping in a ton on water change day in the morning and just do a change later in the day.

I literally just got two new Poseidon Reef System reactors this morning in the mail, so need to order two more strains. I hear TIso crashes easily, any thoughts on that one?

marinebreeders · Oct 23, 2023

Haha I did read your accidental feed in the previous post lol

Totally agree with the statement of growing phyto and pods as the building blocks to reefs, I am interested in reproducing corals sexually but it all starts with phyto and pods.

But yeah...nanno gets everywhere!! I made the mistake when I first starting growing phyto, it got into all my cultures... I had to start over

marinebreeders · Oct 23, 2023

Poseidon Reef system is pretty cool tho, I haven't bought one, but it looks so convenient to use... I did however buy their inline air filters. Those are pretty sweet!

I am not convinced tho on the culture bags, I know the laboratories use them, but I prefer to stick to glass. Ha makes me feel more of a scientist.

Kasrift · Oct 23, 2023

marinebreeders said:
Poseidon Reef system is pretty cool tho, I haven't bought one, but it looks so convenient to use... I did however buy their inline air filters. Those are pretty sweet!

I am not convinced tho on the culture bags, I know the laboratories use them, but I prefer to stick to glass. Ha makes me feel more of a scientist.

It's convenient. I know it's the expensive route, but I sell excess phyto, so it pays for itself. The culture bags are 14.99 for a 10 pack, I sell 16oz bottles for $5 a piece either blend of the two strains I culture or bottled separate.

Culture bags make cleaning MUCH easier.

marinebreeders · Oct 23, 2023

Hey that is awesome! I love it when it pays for itself, I haven't posted my phyto for sale, not sure how the market here is in Chicago. How is it in San Diego? Also... I am bit jealous the weather here suck in comparison to yours lol

Kasrift · Oct 23, 2023

Haha. It's ok, you have to be persistent to find a few people that need it on a regular basis.

livinlifeinBKK · Oct 23, 2023

Kasrift said:
Haha. It's ok, you have to be persistent to find a few people that need it on a regular basis.

Hey, mind sharing your Nanno culture setup? I'm just about to begin to culture my own.

Kasrift · Oct 24, 2023

livinlifeinBKK said:
Hey, mind sharing your Nanno culture setup? I'm just about to begin to culture my own.

I replied via pm, but I'll post things here as well.

Kasrift said:
Lots

1). Culture opposite daylight hours. The LEDs cause the jar to heat, so at night it keeps it warm and lights off during the day.

2). Most cultures say 16 hours. 14 hours is the majic number.

3). The highest possible bubbles, the better.

4). 1.5 ml F2 Guillard per liter vs the 1ml per liter recommended. If you buy a large bottle of F2, for whatever reason it degrades over time and you’ll have to add more. I’m more 2ml per liter, but I’m at the bottom of a large bottle I bought over a year ago. I’ll probably smaller bottles of F2 even though it is less cost effective.

5). Nanno is the easiest to culture, just keep in mind not everything eats all types of phyto, that’s why there are blends.

6). Culture strains separately

7). Culture at 1.022

Reefer Dan · Oct 24, 2023

My personal opinion would be ditch the nanno and do rhodo, iso, T. Chui, and a diatom like Thalassiosira weissflogii .

Kasrift · Oct 31, 2023

marinebreeders said:
Haha I did read your accidental feed in the previous post lol

Totally agree with the statement of growing phyto and pods as the building blocks to reefs, I am interested in reproducing corals sexually but it all starts with phyto and pods.

But yeah...nanno gets everywhere!! I made the mistake when I first starting growing phyto, it got into all my cultures... I had to start over

I've been successful with two corals that way. Poccillopora spawns, but that isn't a good thing since it gets everywhere. And I had my hammer spawn and start growing in weird spots, have a baby hammer growing on my crocea clam.