Looking for advice relating to pod culturing

[fryman]

How do you get the phyto to stay suspended with susch low/no flow?
Without flow I'd expect it to go to the bottom pretty fast.

Live phyto doesn't settle quickly, in my experience. I've left buckets of nanno, iso, and tetraselmis without agitation for a few days with minimal settling out at the bottom. Even nannochloropsis is like that, and that species isn't motile. I'm not sure why.

It will eventually settle but I think that's when it starts to die off. The air is important for phyto primarily I think to provide sufficient CO2 for photosynthesis. I expect when phyto runs out of CO2 it will die. Maybe when used as a feed for copepods the pods provide enough co2 to prevent settling, or just the movement of the copepods is enough to keep things suspended. Or they just eat the phyto that settles out. I'm not sure.

Synnechococcus is a type of cyanobacteria alot of people have in their phyto cultures (often not known to them). Some may consider it a type of phyto, and pods will eat it. Synnechococcus does settle out faster than others, especially when very dense. Synnechococcus can get VERY dense, I've seen cyano cultures that look almost black there's so much of it.

 

[kilnakorr]

Live phyto doesn't settle quickly, in my experience. I've left buckets of nanno, iso, and tetraselmis without agitation for a few days with minimal settling out at the bottom. Even nannochloropsis is like that, and that species isn't motile. I'm not sure why.

It will eventually settle but I think that's when it starts to die off. The air is important for phyto primarily I think to provide sufficient CO2 for photosynthesis. I expect when phyto runs out of CO2 it will die. Maybe when used as a feed for copepods the pods provide enough co2 to prevent settling, or just the movement of the copepods is enough to keep things suspended. Or they just eat the phyto that settles out. I'm not sure.

Synnechococcus is a type of cyanobacteria alot of people have in their phyto cultures (often not known to them). Some may consider it a type of phyto, and pods will eat it. Synnechococcus does settle out faster than others, especially when very dense. Synnechococcus can get VERY dense, I've seen cyano cultures that look almost black there's so much of it.

Thanks for that info.
It might be less than perfect cultures, I see settle quickly, as the culture may have been partially dead already.

 

[SigmaVX]

I am also a pod noob and this chat has been helpful. Quick q: would adding bacteria help or hurt the pod culture. Looking to avoid a crash and it seems dead stuff is the culprit but bacteria may compete with phyto in some way?

 

[fryman]

I am also a pod noob and this chat has been helpful. Quick q: would adding bacteria help or hurt the pod culture. Looking to avoid a crash and it seems dead stuff is the culprit but bacteria may compete with phyto in some way?

How are you planning to introduce bacteria, and what's the source? I expect impact from bacteria depends on the type of bacteria and whether you are feeding live phyto. Bacteria will compete with live phyto but if you are feeding preserved foods bacteria could help process ammonia, and reduce the risk of an over-feeding related crash. Also copepods will eat some types of bacteria. But I suspect it will not be as nutritious as phytoplankton.

I tried adding bioballs to my pods and the result was a much "dirtier" culture with all kinds of other critters. I got ciliates (euplotes sp.), many different wierd planktonic organisms, and bacteria I did not recognize. It basically more closely resembled a reef tank biome. The phyto cleared faster but my copepod yield was lower.

 

[SigmaVX]

Thanks for the tip on the bio balls. I had been thinking I would swap them into the tank on occasion to help transfer pods. I guess I’ll be yanking them. My thought was to keep up the live phyto until there are signs of a stall and then maybe add some Microbacter 7 to compensate for the accumulation of dead stuff. Plan to do 25% to 50% water changes every other week.

another question: what is a good alternative to live phytoplankton? I saw reef roids mentioned.

 

[fryman]

another question: what is a good alternative to live phytoplankton? I saw reef roids mentioned.

A good alternative for feeding copepods is preserved phyto. Something like reef nutrition phyto-feast, rotigrow plus from reed mariculture, or SA's podnip copepod food. I actually think there's really good reasons to use preserved phyto. You have to feed small amounts at a time but culturing live phyto is not easy. Also for best nutrition feeding multiple types is best, and the good preserved options do this for you in one easy step. Culturing multiple types of live phyto is a real pita.

 

[SigmaVX]

Thank you. I noticed when I added Ocean Magic that a lot settled to the bottom in a bright green mound so I am assuming most of that “live” phyto from Algea Barn is not really doing well - so looking for a more stable alternative is great.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

Its likely they did not do well from the water being left so long. I change water and harvest weekly. I only feed phyto once at the very beginning too.

i use a 3L glass jar. About 2.5L is fresh saltwater mixed to 1.020 and .5L is phyto. I also include something like filter floss for the pods to hide and breed in. I use rigid airline with an air pump to provide some turnover. Also, the tube should go to about the bottom of your container. This keeps the water from getting stagnent. The air is controlled with a valve to reduce the flow. About 5 bubbles per second. I also use a light on a dimmer. Remember your not trying to culture phyto so the light doesnt need to be full power. I set the light on a timer for 16hrs.

Every 7 days i harvest and split the pods. I have had this going for about 3-4 months and always yield large amounts.

I would not add any of the crashed culture to your tank. It crashed for a reason. You may be adding something you dont want to your display.

If you have instagram i have posted about my phyto and pod journey there. @doubleadeejay

What do you feed your cultures? Just phyto? If so what kind?

 

[emmysnewtank]

Thank you. I noticed when I added Ocean Magic that a lot settled to the bottom in a bright green mound so I am assuming most of that “live” phyto from Algea Barn is not really doing well - so looking for a more stable alternative is great.

i am having same issue w a culture we just started w OMagik. Pods are doing great, but just ordered a bottle of pure nano phytoplankton from @Eldredge and going to see how it does.

I read somewhere that the mixed phyto blends don’t do as well for cultures. Not sure that’s true…but going w single strain next batch attempt.

I rigged up an ikea rolling shelf w pod and phyto culture setups. Once I get phyto going again I’ll add pics if it’s working.

check out Blue Reef Tank on YouTube. Beautiful culture videos for pods and phyto. I’m trying his methods.

 

[kilnakorr]

i am having same issue w a culture we just started w OMagik. Pods are doing great, but just ordered a bottle of pure nano phytoplankton from @Eldredge and going to see how it does.

I read somewhere that the mixed phyto blends don’t do as well for cultures. Not sure that’s true…but going w single strain next batch attempt.

I rigged up an ikea rolling shelf w pod and phyto culture setups. Once I get phyto going again I’ll add pics if it’s working.

I would think, that in any mixed culture, one culture will take over eventually.
I just ordered 3 different strains, just to feed a variety to the pods. Have no idea if this has any benefits.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

i am having same issue w a culture we just started w OMagik. Pods are doing great, but just ordered a bottle of pure nano phytoplankton from @Eldredge and going to see how it does.

I read somewhere that the mixed phyto blends don’t do as well for cultures. Not sure that’s true…but going w single strain next batch attempt.

I rigged up an ikea rolling shelf w pod and phyto culture setups. Once I get phyto going again I’ll add pics if it’s working.

check out Blue Reef Tank on YouTube. Beautiful culture videos for pods and phyto. I’m trying his methods.

I followed his too, I love his channel. Do you know if he uses nanno or tetra? He doesn't go into detail in the videos. But I basically just copied him.

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

What do you feed your cultures? Just phyto? If so what kind?

I feed two species of live phyto that I culture. Tetraselmis and isochrysis. These live phytos will give you the best results for copepod cultures.

Nannochloropsis will work but the outer shell of nanno is harder than the other two which makes it harder for the copepods to eat and digest.

Live phyto is also best because you’re likely to have less water quality problems as well.

If you’re on Instagram I am there much more than here. @doubleadeejay

 

[BuddyBonButt]

I feed two species of live phyto that I culture. Tetraselmis and isochrysis. These live phytos will give you the best results for copepod cultures.

Nannochloropsis will work but the outer shell of nanno is harder than the other two which makes it harder for the copepods to eat and digest.

Live phyto is also best because you’re likely to have less water quality problems as well.

If you’re on Instagram I am there much more than here. @doubleadeejay

I don't have insta unfortunately. I've been growing my tetra and selling. Doing pretty well at it too but I guess I can look into isochrysis. Just doubt I'll find a grower anywhere.