help with phyto culture

[tableforglasses]

I left the culture running until I could get some new culture. It it possible that the culture is returning? The first picture was after day one and it was more white the next day. The second is today with nothing done but letting it run.

 

[DmitryB]

Yeah as others have pointed out, the mix between of different strains is probably why it's crashing. Doesn't everyone culture single strains and then mix them after there done?

Following ReefBySteele's instructions, sterilizing the saltwater with bleach I think is a very important step. I just did my first batch using Kent's instructions with sterilizing the water, and the Nanno came out the most beautiful emerald green I've ever seen!I feel like water sterilization was absolutely key. That included briefly sterilizing F/2 as well before neutralizing everything with vitamin C powder. I felt so good about the outcome that now I want to try a different strand of Phyto.

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

Sterilization is definitely a key. Not just the water, but the vessels, and anything that touches the culture including the fertilizer. Most hobbyists cannot afford an autoclave, so other methods need to be used. Even if you have a brand new bottle and use a new pipette each time your chances of cross contamination or introducing a stray Phyto cell or bacteria is bound to be introduced at some point.

 

[EnterName]

No autoclave needed. A pressure cooker that manages to get to 15psi gets the job done, and there are quite a few cheap ones that still have the required safety features. I got a 6.5gal one on eBay for like $100 and have been using it ever since. My process is described here. For most cultures, bleach disinfection should be fine as well, but it obviously offers a few more contamination vectors. Most starter cultures aren't sterile in the first place, so the success of a culture will always depend on the source you're getting the starter from.