DONT TRUST LOCAL FISH STORE

[FlameangelLover]

I bought some live phytoplankton from my local fish store and got home and it smelled BAD. Like eggs sitting in the hot sun. I asked the lady if I can return it and she said “they all smell like that just put it in your tank you’ll be fine” I’m no marine biologist but it’s not supposed to smell like this!

For comparison I’ve been buying algae barn phytoplankton for months and it never smells bad but this phytoplankton almost made me throw up. She was willing to ruin my tank over 11$ !!!

Do your research and worse comes to worse don’t test it

 

[Saltyreef]

I bought some live phytoplankton from my local fish store and got home and it smelled BAD. Like eggs sitting in the hot sun. I asked the lady if I can return it and she said “they all smell like that just put it in your tank you’ll be fine” I’m no marine biologist but it’s not supposed to smell like this!

For comparison I’ve been buying algae barn phytoplankton for months and it never smells bad but this phytoplankton almost made me throw up. She was willing to ruin my tank over 11$ !!!

Do your research and worse comes to worse don’t test it

Live phyto has a short shelf life. It spoils very quickly if not refrigerated and inverted daily.... It should only be purchased directly from the growers. If she cultures it herself, the batch she sold you has spoiled and she should know this. Spoiled phyto smells like broccoli farts.

 

[FlameangelLover]

Live phyto has a short shelf life. It spoils very quickly if not refrigerated or inverted daily.... It should only be purchased directly from the growers. If she cultures it herself, the batch she sold you has spoiled and she should know this. Spoiled phyto smells like broccoli farts.

It smelled like the worst thing ever. And I don’t mind if it’s spoiled I understand it’s probably a bad batch. But what threw me off was the fact she was okay with me possibly hurting my tank with bad phyto

 

[stE26wy14]

title is insanely mis leading, i absoluetely adore my lfs's, just cause you has a bad expiereace with yours, doesnt mean we all will. Hopefully you will have better expiereances with others <3

 

[FlameangelLover]

title is insanely mis leading, i absoluetely adore my lfs's, just cause you has a bad expiereace with yours, doesnt mean we all will. Hopefully you will have better expiereances with others <3

You’re right I’m changing the title now I was just so ticked off. There are a lot of amazing fish stores

 

[Saltyreef]

It smelled like the worst thing ever. And I don’t mind if it’s spoiled I understand it’s probably a bad batch. But what threw me off was the fact she was okay with me possibly hurting my tank with bad phyto

Hard times for LFS. No sale no money to keep the lights on. Its their livelyhood vs your tanks. Unfortunate practice but this is why a lot of LFS cant stay open long term.
The good ones always prevail.

Always check expiration dates at small shops. The ones with only a single quantity of any one product on the shelf usually understand these things. If theres more than one i usually opt for the later expiration date.

 

[FlameangelLover]

Hard times for LFS. No sale no money to keep the lights on. Its their livelyhood vs your tanks. Unfortunate practice but this is why a lot of LFS cant stay open long term.
The good ones always prevail.

Always check expiration dates at small shops. The ones with only a single quantity of any one product on the shelf usually understand these things. If theres more than one i usually opt for the later expiration date.

Yeah it’s unfortunate and the post we less to express my anger and more to warn other beginners like me to research research research before doing anything

 

[Tinnerito]

title is insanely mis leading, i absoluetely adore my lfs's, just cause you has a bad expiereace with yours, doesnt mean we all will. Hopefully you will have better expiereances with others <3

My lfs says the same kinds of stupid things though. I think you should always be careful, even if you trust your lfs.

 

[FlameangelLover]

My lfs says the same kinds of stupid things though. I think you should always be careful, even if you trust your lfs.

Exactly! And I wouldn’t mind if it is spoiled mistakes happen. But you are really okay with ruining my whole tank over 11$

 

[Saltyreef]

Is it their own cultured phyto? If so I would tell them that they need to review their culturing methods and brush up on their knowledge.... Good live phyto smells like fresh broccoli. Spoiled dead phyto smells like uncle jimbos gas after eating broccoli.

 

[FlameangelLover]

Is it their own cultured phyto? If so I would tell them that they need to review their culturing methods and brush up on their knowledge.... Good live phyto smells like fresh broccoli. Spoiled dead phyto smells like uncle jimbos gas after eating broccoli.

lol yes they make there own. And yes the smell threw me off because I’ve bought algae barn phyto before and it always barely smells like barely anything

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I bought some live phytoplankton from my local fish store and got home and it smelled BAD. Like eggs sitting in the hot sun. I asked the lady if I can return it and she said “they all smell like that just put it in your tank you’ll be fine” I’m no marine biologist but it’s not supposed to smell like this!

For comparison I’ve been buying algae barn phytoplankton for months and it never smells bad but this phytoplankton almost made me throw up. She was willing to ruin my tank over 11$ !!!

Do your research and worse comes to worse don’t test it

agree they have no idea what they are talking about. If you want good phyto- get some Dinkins or RBS

 

[FlameangelLover]

agree they have no idea what they are talking about. If you want good phyto- get some Dinkins or RBS

They were willing to kill my tank over 11$

 

[Saltyreef]

They were willing to kill my tank over 11$

Granted, it likely wont kill your tank.....it just will greatly add to the built up nutrients vs its intended purpose.
If you have a good nutrient export system its really not a big deal. You shouldnt be dosing it in quantities that would overload your nutrient export methods even if it was alive.

 

[Saltyreef]

Phyto is sold in non live forms as well.

 

[liddojunior]

I buy reef legends phyto and it smells like grass. Delicious green water.

I say trust your nose. But there is some phytoplankton strains that release DMS. She actually might have a strain of phyto that is sulfur producing, so it’s not spoiled but it’s not gonna smell good. Sulfur is that rotten egg smell.

 

[stE26wy14]

My lfs says the same kinds of stupid things though. I think you should always be careful, even if you trust your lfs.

well
yes and no, its the same as saying, dont trust this online retailer because one thing was wrong AAAAAHH
but, you are still correct, there are alwasy moments that may chahnge your mind!

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

They were willing to kill my tank over 11$

yea won’t kill your tank.

 

[Tinnerito]

yea won’t kill your tank.

It could. My mother took care of my tank when I went out of town, not knowing my phyto culture was dead, and because I had her dose it regularly, I returned to see a whole ton of algae which potentially could destroy a tank if it is bad enough.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

It could. My mother took care of my tank when I went out of town, not knowing my phyto culture was dead, and because I had her dose it regularly, I returned to see a whole ton of algae which potentially could destroy a tank if it is bad enough.

that’s a stretch. If you threw the whole bottle in, dead phyto could cause some problems. But kill a tank? Show me evidence that it’s happened