How to remove nuisance epilates on macro surfaces.

[Subsea]

Question
Asked 6 years ago


How can I sterilize the surface (bacteria-free) of marine seagrass without degradation of tissue?
I'm interestered in bacteria colonization but I want to start with bacteria-free tissue.

Marine Ecology
Marine Biology
Aquatic Ecosystems
Seagrass

https://www.researchgate.net/post/H...marine_seagrass_without_degradation_of_tissue

This is the question asked on an academia blog 6 yrs ago. I am going to include some responses and links to see if there is a “best practice”

Here are some responses:

All Answers (14)




Sodium metabisulfite? It is used in wine making to sterilize bottles and fermentation equipment. It breaks down into harmless components. Might be worth a try.

Hi Valentina, I am looking at a similar sterilization issue but with seagrass seeds instead of leaves. Have you though about using UV-light?.

Yes, but I think that UV-light can damage surface cells, so maybe a chemical cleaning with sodium hypochlorite could be better. But I am still looking for the best method. Other ideas?

Hi all. What kind of surface sterilisation do You know? I've heard about 70% alcohol and Sodium hypochlorite. Is there anything else?

Following are some commonly used plant surface-sterilizing chemicals:
1) Sodium hypochlorite (upto 0.5 - 1.0%);
2) 70% ethanol;
3) Calcium hypochlorite (upto 3.5%);
4) Hydrogen peroxide (upto 30-35%);
5) Plant Preservative Mixture (PPM) (its a biocide, 0.5–2.0 mL/ L of medium)
No. 3, 4 and 5 are comparatively less injurious to plant tissues. Rest all are phytotoxic and a balance between concentration and time must be determined for the type of tissue you are going to expose.


The simplest and best method would be saline washing! Save remove a bit of water it does not harm your chemical constituents. You can dip for about 30 mins at Room temp.
Hypochlorite, permanganate, UV are dangerous for your phyto chemicals! Pl do not use.

70% ethanol would extract some phytochemicals - do not try.

Wash with sterile saline water! And then with sterile distilled water
good luck

There are a couple of efective ways not mentioned above that will not damage the tissue:

1. Super-oxidized water (the way hospitals wash and sterlize equipment)
2. X-ray


Musings from the Lazy Boy

The above link & blog has more degrees than a thermometer . I have not used any or those things except sodium hypochlorite (bleach). My favorite treatment to eliminate undesirables is hydrogen peroxide.

I hope this thread can bring forth even more valuable info than Research Gate.
@Scrubber_steve
@Dana Riddle
@AlgaeBarn
@DanP

 

[Dana Riddle]

Do you really want to sterilize, or is disinfection acceptable?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I have two responses to give. The first is 2nd rate from a non scientist. The second response is excellent.

1. As I understand it, you want to remove all existing bacteria from the surface of marine macro-algae. The suggestions in the OP look pretty harsh & could negatively harm the algae also.
So the bacteria are saltwater species. What effect would bathing the algae in plain RODI (fresh) water have on salt water bacteria?

2. Ask @Randy Holmes-Farley (or Dana, which you already have )

 

[Subsea]

I have two responses to give. The first is 2nd rate from a non scientist. The second response is excellent.

1. As I understand it, you want to remove all existing bacteria from the surface of marine macro-algae. The suggestions in the OP look pretty harsh & could negatively harm the algae also.
So the bacteria are saltwater species. What effect would bathing the algae in plain RODI (fresh) water have on salt water bacteria?

2. Ask @Randy Holmes-Farley (or Dana, which you already have )

Do you really want to sterilize, or is disinfection acceptable?

I think disinfection. The academia blog focused on bacteria on seaweed so they advocated sterilization. I am interested in removing algae.

@Dana Riddle
In one of your previous projects, you sponsored kids in aquaculture on the Big Island. The details are vague but I recall that you used algae filtration to operate a coral farm.

While I do not want to compete with coral farmers. It cost too much to maintain temperature in 10K gallon greenhouse aquaculture for coral in Austin, Texas. If I adjust the lifeform from delicate to hardy, then water temperature can fluctuate with no harm to system inhabitants. Instead of aquaculture, I will be designated a mariculture facility. I just finished talking with AgriLife Extension Service to begin permitting process for a zero discharge grower of seaweed and live food (amphipods, copepods, mud from salt water marsh, sheepshead minnows, green mollies, grass shrimp and peppermint shrimp). At present outside production is ongoing in a pilot test using three 150G Rubbermade tanks buried in the ground for geothermal temperature dampening.

Epilate cleaning is desirable for ornamental macro sold to LFS. My goal is too provide SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to produce clean ornamental macro without introducing the uglies. Previously I attempted to remove gha as epilates from Halymenia dilatata using hydrogen peroxide. I use peroxide as an indiscrimate oxidizer to clean coral of undesirable of all micro inverts and algae. Only the slime coat on the coral stops damage to coral biomass. I attempted adjusting concentration and soak time. The closest that I got to successful was 30 seconds at 5% concentration. I lost my inventory because gha was more of a survivor than Dragons Tongue.

What did you do to prevent cross contaimination of undesirable algaes? Inquiring minds want to know?

Randy at BRS TV should chew on this one. I suspect AlgaeBarn already has.

 

[Subsea]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5155025/


This study has used the photophysiological response of five macroalgae to identify suitable chemical treatments. A wide range of conditions were examined—17 chemicals each at up to five exposure concentrations, over three exposure times (1, 5, 10 or 10, 30, 60 min) in


@Scrubber_steve
I may require academic credentials above my pay grade. Can you look at this link?

PS. I made it through and the big surprise was that detergent as in soap was best all around disinfectant

 

[Scrubber_steve]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5155025/


This study has used the photophysiological response of five macroalgae to identify suitable chemical treatments. A wide range of conditions were examined—17 chemicals each at up to five exposure concentrations, over three exposure times (1, 5, 10 or 10, 30, 60 min) in


@Scrubber_steve
I may require academic credentials above my pay grade. Can you look at this link?

PS. I made it through and the big surprise was that detergent as in soap was best all around disinfectant

Sorry Subs, I stopped at the abstract after ulva lactuca was described as "commercially valuable" while Ulva intestinalis was described as an epiphyte, & a contaminant.

 

[Subsea]

Sorry Subs, I stopped at the abstract after ulva lactuca was described as "commercially valuable" while Ulva intestinalis was described as an epiphyte, & a contaminant.

I saw that. I did read it through and found it valuable, especially about using detergent.

I use Ulva intestinalis as a feeding algae. I sell a kilo for $50. Last week, I traded two kilos of zooplankton seaweed for ten clowns. No taxes to pay when fair barter is involved.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I use Ulva intestinalis as a feeding algae. I sell a kilo for $50.

Interesting. People using it to feed marine fish specifically? What method? & how do you package it? How long do you think it would last in transportation

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I like the osmotic pressure angle of the freshwater bath. Unicellular stuff would probably explode fairly quickly, but I’m not sure what the tolerances of the macros would be.

 

[Subsea]

Interesting. People using it to feed marine fish specifically? What method? & how do you package it? How long do you think it would last in transportation

At present, I go to one LFS because it’s a social outing. Everybody knows my name, it’s like my Cheers corner bar.

It does not last long in transportation. When algae is deprived of light, it consumes oxygen and the pods die quick.

The store uses it to feed their fish. I average $500 a month. It pays for electricity and it is fun.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

At present, I go to one LFS because it’s a social outing. Everybody knows my name, it’s like my Cheers corner bar.

It does not last long in transportation. When algae is deprived of light, it consumes oxygen and the pods die quick.

The store uses it to feed their fish. I average $500 a month. It pays for electricity and it is fun.

What happens if you transport it ‘dry’?

 

[Subsea]

What happens if you transport it ‘dry’?

It is live macro and pods. How can that be dry?

 

[Subsea]

I like the osmotic pressure angle of the freshwater bath. Unicellular stuff would probably explode fairly quickly, but I’m not sure what the tolerances of the macros would be.

each macro has a differrent tolerance. There will be no one SOP. I failed with gha & Halymenia using peroxide. It’s easy enough to try detergent and fresh water is abundent. Sounds like soapy fresh water is the magic snake oil.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

It is live macro and pods. How can that be dry?

I meant, transported out of water

 

[Subsea]

I meant, transported out of water

Ziplock bag if short duration. Open 5G bucket last long time.

I had small shipping jars. If illuminated, the photosynthesis created oxygen.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

It does not last long in transportation. When algae is deprived of light, it consumes oxygen and the pods die quick.

I've done quite a bit of experimentation & have found that I can take a bit of ulva, put it damp into a ziplock, leave it in complete darkness for 7 days (it might have been longer, can't remember off hand) & can still seed a scrubber screen with it.

 

[Subsea]

I've done quite a bit of experimentation & have found that I can take a bit of ulva, put it damp into a ziplock, leave it in complete darkness for 7 days (it might have been longer, can't remember off hand) & can still seed a scrubber screen with it.

For certain, the algae is fine, but the zooplankton is dead. Zooplankton is the reason for the steady price.

 

[Subsea]

@Scrubber_steve
What do you think of detergent? If fresh water causes osmotic pressure change to rupture micro algae membranes, does soap as a surfactant that reduces surface tension contribute to eradication of micro and not macro algae.

Maybe we just need to take a soapy bath with our favorite seaweed.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

@Scrubber_steve
What do you think of detergent? If fresh water causes osmotic pressure change to rupture micro algae membranes, does soap as a surfactant that reduces surface tension contribute to eradication of micro and not macro algae.

Do some experiments Subs

 

[Subsea]

Do some experiments Subs

I can’t justify this extra time on utility macro. No profit margin. I can justify extra labor on ornamentals that Halymenia and Bortacladia. I have too much Bortacladia that got away from me with differrent epilates in several tanks. It will have to wait till Monday.

Tomorrow, I am eating a “mountain man” breakfast with 20 kids & 20 mentors in a program to grow confidence in “youth at risk” by teaching hunting & fishing skills that replace “street savvy”. The goal is to develope leadership & integrity of character. I am excited to join. It is a fun vocation. Five years ago, I did volunteer prison ministry & half way house ministry. That’s tough stuff. The kids are fun. Coincidently, the lead pastor has allowed me to set up a 20G high reef tank in our CUB
( Community Utility Building). I had already seen Kids Outdoor Zone in action as each month they have a half day function and the August function was at a members private 50 yd shooting range. There are female kids as well as female mentors. Two demure Texas ladies that I worked with in the “kitchen diva angels” arrived at range looking like Annie Oakley. That outshoot me with every gun but AK47. These Texans like their guns.

My vision for a reef tank in the CUB is to develope interest in aquatic science to show how athmosphere, ocean and limestone sediment are in Dynamic Equilibrium moving carbon & nitrogen Back and forth.