Culturing Phyto In a Decorative Fashion

[ClutchCityReefer]

I was tempted to start culturing my own phyto and as the title intimates, I was contemplating a solution that is both practical and looks good in my fish room.

I've seen this product, which claims to filter C02 from the air by growing algae in what looks kind of like a lava lamp (https://algenair.com/products/the-aerium-3-0?variant=42491936374938). To be honest, I am skeptical that this would do much in the form of filtering out C02, but considering it includes a built in light, bubbler, etc., I thought this might be something that may work to culture phyto. Granted, this would be a bit expensive, but compared to the total price of being in the hobby I figure its just **going to the bathroom** in the ocean, as my mother likes to say.

Does anyone with experience of culturing phyto think this could work? Here is a video that shows the bubbles once the thing is set up - the video should hopefully begin at the right time but if not you can see the bubbling at 3:14.

Thanks everyone, and please feel free to rain on my parade if you think this is a terrible idea that won't work.



@Reef Nutrition

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Yes, this would totally work... I mean, it is not as cool as my glass milk bottle on the window sill with a bubbler... but, to each his own. But for $275, it would work, maybe not as efficient as some other methods. Also are you going to buy more than one, if your going to split your batch?

 

[sixty_reefer]

If you going to spend quite a bit of $$$ on a reactor this would be my suggestion

 

[rhizotron]

XXX

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I have something like this of my own design listed in the Classifieds. Although I'm not making any absurd claims about air purification.

Not even close.... For starters, yours is a couple hundred dollars shy... and doesn’t come with a subscription service... and your build quality, seems a bit stout if you ask me... LOL...

 

[ClutchCityReefer]

Thanks for all the responses everyone! I like Rhizotron's solution as well as the reactor sixty posted, thanks guys.

If anyone has more ideas I am all ears, but I really appreciate the quick feedback!

 

[alabella1]

I was going to give the PhytoTank CL Copepod System a try.

https://poseidonreefsystems.com/cart#:~:text=PhytoTank CL Copepod System

 

[fryman]

Interesting, I was not aware of this product. It sure is pricey. Personally I would diy something similar for a fraction of the cost. If you want pretty colors you can get some different types of phyto like so:

Phyto does consume CO2, same as any plant although I am also skeptical how much of a difference there would be from such a small volume.

 

[rhizotron]

I also have this 6-gallon frag tank phytoplankton dedicated setup. I've added microcontrollers and a LED clock as part of the display. It's currently growing a batch of Nannochloropsis--these pics are just after setup, so water is still clear--but I'm going to next try hypersaline water with a Halobacterium culture.

 

[rhizotron]

I built another one of these decorative area lamp/nighlight setups. This one is in a bigger (2.75" diameter) tube and the whole deal is about 48" tall. It's currently growing a Dunaliella salina culture, which I really like. This is a hypersaline (currently in 85ppt medium) phyto and it should be easier to maintain than Nannochloropsis and others that are susceptible to contamination.

The electronics enclosures hold a microcontroller, RTC, relay and power connections. I really the white 7-segment clock display.

 

[ClutchCityReefer]

very cool @rhizotron, those are incredible...what temp do you run the culture and how long have you been culturing the Dunaliella? You've encouraged me to read up on the species and it does seem really well suited for culturing purposes and interesting.

Do you have some sort of "directions" you've written up to describe the culturing process?

 

[rhizotron]

very cool @rhizotron, those are incredible...what temp do you run the culture and how long have you been culturing the Dunaliella? You've encouraged me to read up on the species and it does seem really well suited for culturing purposes and interesting.

Do you have some sort of "directions" you've written up to describe the culturing process?

It seems very easy. The air runs for just one minute each hour; I'm trying to extend the life of that small, cheap air pump.

I have fertilized with a few ml of Guillard's f/2 solution per liter of water. Water is at room temp (about 68F) and very salty...

 

[ClutchCityReefer]

how long is the photo period? How often do you add fertilizer/harvest phyto?

 

[rhizotron]

how long is the photo period? How often do you add fertilizer/harvest phyto?

It's pretty casual. The photoperiod is 12 hours, but the LEDs also get turned on an off depending on whether we want light in that dark hallway.

I added 10ml of Guillard's to that tube, which holds about 2 liters. It took a while to get going, but now the culture is pretty thick. I think I will split it again in the next week or two.

 

[ClutchCityReefer]

awesome - keep me posted of your progress and what you've been learning and I will likely purchase one of these and try to replicate your success this Spring assuming they are available (few other more pressing home/fish tank projects before I get to my "gravy" projects)

 

[rhizotron]

awesome - keep me posted of your progress and what you've been learning and I will likely purchase one of these and try to replicate your success this Spring assuming they are available (few other more pressing home/fish tank projects before I get to my "gravy" projects)

Yeah you can get it cheap right here...

https://algaeresearchsupply.com/pro...

Here's where I got the Guillard's f/2...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/192595...

 

[rhizotron]

I also had that D. salina culture going well in this 6-gallon frag tank....

More recently, however, this has started to fizzle out and the water is starting to clear up. Instead of restarting with the D. salina, I'm going to try to get Halobacterium salinarum to establish. While also an extreme halophile, H. salinarum is a little more tricky, requiring a protein nutrient broth. I had some going a while ago in culture tubes, but with mixed results. I hope it might be easier with this larger, more stable volume.

 

[ClutchCityReefer]

@rhizotron what is your background? Are you a biologist or what has contributed to your knowledge/affinity for phyto? I always like to learn so keeping up with this thread has been great!

 

[Xenia]

Would this work aswell with a biorb ?

 

[rhizotron]

@rhizotron what is your background? Are you a biologist or what has contributed to your knowledge/affinity for phyto? I always like to learn so keeping up with this thread has been great!

LOL...I'm barely a novice. I would like to develop some better methods, but for now I'm pretty much just sticking cultures in containers with light and water movement.

Would this work aswell with a biorb ?

You should give it a shot. What kind of filtration does this have?

Something else that would be cool to try like this...

https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/aquarium-supplies/pns-probio/