First Time Culturing Phytoplankton

[Shadows Reef]

How are you sterilizing equ/container?

I also bought the bags they used for their gallon phytotank because I liked their system for sterilization

 

[Shadows Reef]

+1 start with a single strain per jar.
That live phyto feast has some other additives not to mention its 4 strains of phyto in 1 product. More marketed towards end use vs culturing.
They likely mix it all up then ship it out. Their cultures are seperate.

I will definitely get a single culture of Nanno for my next batch, while I order that; any recommendations on the best place to order a starter culture from?

 

[Silent]

Plenty here on R2R sell it.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I will definitely get a single culture of Nanno for my next batch, while I order that; any recommendations on the best place to order a starter culture from?

Is there something in particular you are trying to feed?

 

[Shadows Reef]

Is there something in particular you are trying to feed?

Right now no not in particular but currently I have a mixed reef with lots of LPS may get a maxima or derasa clam in the future though

 

[John08007]

I used the live phytofeast from reef nutrition, seen a few threads of people using that as long as it’s new and my LFS got them on this last Thursday, maybe it’s just the strongest culture fighting to survive since it’s a mix?

I didn't see in your details, how much phyto did you add to how much saltwater? When I use to make my 9wn I couldn't start with something like 10-25% phyto, usually 50%

 

[R.Weller]

I will definitely get a single culture of Nanno for my next batch, while I order that; any recommendations on the best place to order a starter culture from?

Mercer of Montana on Amazon. Great quality & easy to grow. We use a glass vessel & 9 watt generic LED full spectrum grow bulb from the local hardware store. 1/2 1.019 saltwater to 1/2 phyto. Add light & air & wait 7 days.

 

[Saltyreef]

I will definitely get a single culture of Nanno for my next batch, while I order that; any recommendations on the best place to order a starter culture from?

+1 for mercer of montana.

 

[Shadows Reef]

I didn't see in your details, how much phyto did you add to how much saltwater? When I use to make my 9wn I couldn't start with something like 10-25% phyto, usually 50%

I only added a 1/4 of the of the love phytofeast, I saw a video deven from reef dudes did and he used very little And that was the only basis I had on how much to use

But I think I will go with the Mercer seen lots of good tho gs so far about them and many of you are recommending them

 

[Saltyreef]

Agreed with above. Use 1/2 the 16 oz bottle and mix according to directions.
Salinity you want around 1.019 and 2ml of fertlilizer to a full 64oz jar.
I run lights @ 18 hours but my lights are extremely strong.
Notice the golden color of the "phyto mix" on the top jar.
4 strains in 1 wont grow like you hope.

The bottom is tetraselmis and is a lot more dense and stays mostly in suspension vs the oceanmagik blend.

 

[Shadows Reef]

Mercer of Montana on Amazon. Great quality & easy to grow. We use a glass vessel & 9 watt generic LED full spectrum grow bulb from the local hardware store. 1/2 1.019 saltwater to 1/2 phyto. Add light & air & wait 7 days.

I will order some from them and restart I have another 3 meters of these led lights, should wrap the vessel with more? I didn't want to use too much because the specific phosphate cob style LED strip I'm using puts out about 4 times more light.

Now one thing I failed to mention which I'm not sure if it's a big problem or not but the lights I'm using is 4000k, they were out of the 6000k ones at the time, think that will make a major difference?

 

[Shadows Reef]

Agreed with above. Use 1/2 the 16 oz bottle and mix according to directions.
Salinity you want around 1.019 and 2ml of fertlilizer to a full 64oz jar.
I run lights @ 18 hours but my lights are extremely strong.
Notice the golden color of the "phyto mix" on the top jar.
4 strains in 1 wont grow like you hope.

The bottom is tetraselmis and is a lot more dense and stays mostly in suspension vs the oceanmagik blend.

What strain is your top one?

 

[Saltyreef]

What strain is your top one?

Oceanmagik. I harvested about 64 oz before it ended up crashing/growing biofilm.
Never stunk like a crash i just didnt like the floating particles. Plus it grows on the vessel walls which i didnt like.

 

[Shadows Reef]

Oceanmagik. I harvested about 64 oz before it ended up crashing/growing biofilm.
Never stunk like a crash i just didnt like the floating particles. Plus it grows on the vessel walls which i didnt like.

Still really cool man! Do you think there's any issue with me running the output through carbon to reduce the smell?

 

[Saltyreef]

Still really cool man! Do you think there's any issue with me running the output through carbon to reduce the smell?

No issue at all. Output is just so vessel wont overpressurize so just ensure its free and clear.

 

[R.Weller]

I will order some from them and restart I have another 3 meters of these led lights, should wrap the vessel with more? I didn't want to use too much because the specific phosphate cob style LED strip I'm using puts out about 4 times more light.

Now one thing I failed to mention which I'm not sure if it's a big problem or not but the lights I'm using is 4000k, they were out of the 6000k ones at the time, think that will make a major difference?

I know some people have been successful with strip lights, but we have been successful with one of these bulbs for both phyto & cheato:

Feit Electric 9-Watt BR30 Medium E26 Base Non-Dim Indoor and Greenhouse Full Spectrum Plant LED Grow Light Bulb (1-Bulb) BR30/GROW/LEDG2/BX - The Home Depot

The Feit Electric 9-watt BR30 full spectrum LED grow light bulb features full spectrum light that mimics the natural sunlight and produces considerably less heat that retains moisture in plants while preventing lamp burn. Its full spectrum light nurtures plants during all stages of the plant's...

www.homedepot.com

The bulb is pointed at the phyto vessel that sits in our refugium about 12” away. Its low energy & highly effective.

 

[Ronnell]

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[Shadows Reef]

Yesterday was Day one, got the nanno phyto from Mercer of Montana, added 500ml phyto to 2.5 liters of TM 1.020 SG AND dosed 2 mL of fritz F2 part a and 2 mL of part B

 

[Saltyreef]

Yesterday was Day one, got the nanno phyto from Mercer of Montana, added 500ml phyto to 2.5 liters of TM 1.020 SG AND dosed 2 mL of fritz F2 part a and 2 mL of part B

I like your jar. Im thinking of adding fittings to mine. Is there another push fitting inside thats threaded to the one on the outside to hold the rigid tube in place?

 

[R.Weller]

Here's day 8 of our culture using a glass vessel, air line & the blub referenced above. This was started with 20oz of phyto & 40oz of water (different ratio then what I mentioned above as I gave some away). I'll let this grow for 2 more days but it can give you a color target if you don't already have one. By keeping the vessel in our refugium, the temp remains constant at 79 degF. It isn't necessary, but based on what I've read & our experimentation, it will grow more consistently with a constant warmer temperature.