Copepod Culture

[bernd_kraut]

I recently started my copepod and phyto culture. Phyto culture has not changed in 3 days even though I added ferilizer it’s still yellow.

The copepod culture is full of green phyto, and clumps are starting to form in the bottom. I added 2 250ml culture, but I can’t manage to see many when I check on it. The PH is almost 9, and I don’t know if that’s affecting it. Also, the plastic container is starting to form something that looks like white algae, also don’t know what it is.
Here are some picture (both containers are under light for 12 hours):

 

[Subsea]

Both cultures look weak (Diluted)

When I get phytoplankton it’s a dark green, almost black. I dilute in a 1-1 ratio. It doubles concentration every 10-14 days. I harvest every 7 days.

I see this is your first post. Describe how you set up your phytoplankton culture. Where did your phyto concentrate come from?

 

[floridareeflabs]

Hello,

What kind of Phyto are you culturing? Did you buy live phyto or a blend or other and from someone reputable ? As for white stuff that is usually bacteria forming and will end up crashing the culture. We culture massive amounts of phytoplankton and are happy to help you figure this out but need a little more info.

 

[Subsea]

Hello,

What kind of Phyto are you culturing? Did you buy live phyto or a blend or other and from someone reputable ? As for white stuff that is usually bacteria forming and will end up crashing the culture. We culture massive amounts of phytoplankton and are happy to help you figure this out but need a little more info.

I buy live phytoplankton from Mercer of Montana. They have several variety, I use their modufied f/2 fertilizer and add liquid seaweed concentrate.

Amazon.com : Mercer of Montana

 

[floridareeflabs]

Hello,

Ok. So, some things to keep in mind with your phyto.


nannochloropsis phytoplankton will culture in most any gravity within reason but 1.020-1.028 is safe range, its very easy whereas tetraselmis phytoplankton you want your gravity around 1.028-1.030. You should start on lower gravity range as evap will cause cultures gravity to increase and too high is bad too.

F/2 and a full spectrum LED light along with a rigid airline to keep a rolling bubble for 12 days should yeild a good harvest. Ensure top is sealed and only allow airline in and a small hole for positive pressure to escape which in turn keeps dust/bacteria out.

Cleaning your containers depending on the type of material a light bleach solution and final rinse in rodi and then alcohol to sterilize. You can usually get away with just bleach and rodi rinse but if rodi water is not truly sterile you could get bacteria.

As for your phyto source, you want the starter phyto to be a dark green almost black looking. If its healthy and dense you can usually take 16-32 oz to start 1 gal starter culture. You also want to try and ensure your salt water your creating is sterile too, as if it has bacteria it will grow when you add f/2 and phyto etc.

The culture that you have that is yellow is dead if nano or tetra, it really shouldn't be yellow but more a very light green when started. If you have a microscope you will probably see if tetra no movement and if nano cells are not green or intact.


As for your copepods, dont over do the phyto, keep the water a very light tints of green and never too green or you risk crashing the culture.

 

[BanZI29]

@Reef By Steele
Thought you could help out with this.

 

[Subsea]

Hello,

Ok. So, some things to keep in mind with your phyto.


nannochloropsis phytoplankton will culture in most any gravity within reason but 1.020-1.028 is safe range, its very easy whereas tetraselmis phytoplankton you want your gravity around 1.028-1.030. You should start on lower gravity range as evap will cause cultures gravity to increase and too high is bad too.

F/2 and a full spectrum LED light along with a rigid airline to keep a rolling bubble for 12 days should yeild a good harvest. Ensure top is sealed and only allow airline in and a small hole for positive pressure to escape which in turn keeps dust/bacteria out.

Cleaning your containers depending on the type of material a light bleach solution and final rinse in rodi and then alcohol to sterilize. You can usually get away with just bleach and rodi rinse but if rodi water is not truly sterile you could get bacteria.

As for your phyto source, you want the starter phyto to be a dark green almost black looking. If its healthy and dense you can usually take 16-32 oz to start 1 gal starter culture. You also want to try and ensure your salt water your creating is sterile too, as if it has bacteria it will grow when you add f/2 and phyto etc.

The culture that you have that is yellow is dead if nano or tetra, it really shouldn't be yellow but more a very light green when started. If you have a microscope you will probably see if tetra no movement and if nano cells are not green or intact.


As for your copepods, dont over do the phyto, keep the water a very light tints of green and never too green or you risk crashing the culture.

Kudoes to your recommendations:

I especially liked the positive pressure opening to keep out dust. For me, that doesn’t work because lights are above the culture with no barrier between water and light and 12” of separation.

In your experience, why does culture crash when density of culture is similar to shipping density.

 

[floridareeflabs]

Kudoes to your recommendations:

I especially liked the positive pressure opening to keep out dust. For me, that doesn’t work because lights are above the culture with no barrier between water and light and 12” of separation.

In your experience, why does culture crash when density of culture is similar to shipping density.

Hello,

Per lights you want as much area exposed to light as you can so whatever your setup try to have it "sealed" (line in and air out hole) and you should see denser cultures in shorter time as a result. You really do not every want open air container as too risky for foreign matter to get in.


As for culturing phyto and crashes they tend to be a result of one or more of the following:

- started with weak to dead phyto
- f/2 dosing was too low or too high for the culture size
- lighting is not sufficient
- gravity of water is too low or too high
- improper cleaning techniques were used so bacteria takes over/out competes


We have seen many vendors ship dead or contaminated (blended or just one cell of another type) phyto and most reefers never notice as they are just dosing their systems but when culturing you want to try and get as pure/clean as possible. This holds true for your f/2, if it was not mixed with sterile rodi water you just do not know what will happen. Even your air line going in, if your air is not filtered you could be injecting things from your homes air right into your culture which can crash it.

 

[Subsea]

Hello,

Per lights you want as much area exposed to light as you can so whatever your setup try to have it "sealed" (line in and air out hole) and you should see denser cultures in shorter time as a result. You really do not every want open air container as too risky for foreign matter to get in.


As for culturing phyto and crashes they tend to be a result of one or more of the following:

- started with weak to dead phyto
- f/2 dosing was too low or too high for the culture size
- lighting is not sufficient
- gravity of water is too low or too high
- improper cleaning techniques were used so bacteria takes over/out competes


We have seen many vendors ship dead or contaminated (blended or just one cell of another type) phyto and most reefers never notice as they are just dosing their systems but when culturing you want to try and get as pure/clean as possible. This holds true for your f/2, if it was not mixed with sterile rodi water you just do not know what will happen. Even your air line going in, if your air is not filtered you could be injecting things from your homes air right into your culture which can crash it.

For my cultures, distilled water is inexpensive and because of heat of distillation, I don’t fret contamination from water source.

 

[Reef By Steele]

I agree with a lot that has been said here. Would be helpful if OP would provide a little more info. If I want a large culture from a small starter I try to run it through different vessels, it do a gallon culture in a 5 gallon container as it can build up guk around the water line. After cleaning and sterilizing the tanks, I always add bleach to my saltwater and run it so everything gets sterilized. Or have extras if everything so you can soak them in bleach at least over night. I struggled when trying to clean and restart a culture right back up. This is especially important if you are doing more than one kind as cross contamination is a killer as well.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Do you want to culture for re sale or just in general feeding like a mandarin or 2... soo many variations and options available