Phytoplankton culture crashed ?

[SahnCH]

Hey folks!

I started my first phytoplankton culture exactly one week ago, but it seems it's getting a yellow tint.
I think it's crashed, would you be able to assess and give me your opinion with the bellow video ?

Thanks for your help.

-> https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pvqk5D9HWc0

 

[Yates273]

Does it smell? If not add more fertilizer and see what happens. May be no more food for them to consume.

 

[SahnCH]

Yes it smells a bit weird, not sure how phytoplankton should smell though

 

[Yates273]

It will have a really foul smell. If not, it smells like, algae Hard to explain. Try adding some F2 fertilizer and see if you can get color back. They may have consumed everything.

 

[Derrick0580]

I use 4ml per 3 liters of culture. When I split mine I try and use close to 1 liter of live phyto and 2 liters of 1.020 rodi saltwater. I try and harvest on the 7th day as the longer you wait the more likely a crash can happen.

 

[SahnCH]

Thanks both, I've added 15 ml of Grotech Phytofood, which is rated for 1.5L of new culture.

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I Keep you updated.

I think the foul smell started, though my brain refuse to process the signal xD

 

[Kmst80]

Thanks both, I've added 15 ml of Grotech Phytofood, which is rated for 1.5L of new culture.

​

I Keep you updated.

I think the foul smell started, though my brain refuse to process the signal xD

Did you sterilize all equipment? I use 5 mg miracle grow on 1.5 lt and leave the culture 2 weeks, gets really dark green.
Have been doing this for half a year reusing half of the culture.

 

[Kmst80]

Btw. my very first culture crashed too, i didn't sterilize and i used way to much fertilizer

 

[SahnCH]

No I did not sterilize... I originally though the sterilization was only needed when you change culture - big mistake obviously According to my GF the culture doesn't stink, just slightly smell like algae - let's see!
Thanks again for your tips!

 

[Derrick0580]

No I did not sterilize... I originally though the sterilization was only needed when you change culture - big mistake obviously According to my GF the culture doesn't stink, just slightly smell like algae - let's see!
Thanks again for your tips!

Yeah major sterilization is an absolute must! Every time I harvest and split I wipe down the countertop, harvesting buckets, my hands, basically anything that may come into contact with the phyto with 70% alcohol, do not use 90% as it doesn’t work as well due to the fact it will burn the outside of the bacteria before actually killing it.

 

[Derrick0580]

Hydro Algal Fertilizer, Guillard f/2 Formula, 32 oz Bottle https://a.co/d/8ExN6rS

This is the f2 fertilizer I use, directions say 1ml per liter of culture, however I have been using 4ml per a 3 liter culture and haven’t lost a culture in months.

 

[SahnCH]

I took a video with a microscope : The (I assume it's the nanno round stuff) plankton doesn't seems to move at all, also what at the weird straight line ? I've never seen that in plankton microscopic images :/

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

I took a video with a microscope : The (I assume it's the nanno round stuff) plankton doesn't seems to move at all, also what at the weird straight line ? I've never seen that in plankton microscopic images :/

You likely have a contamination issue. It’s not likely lacking fertilizer if you added some at the beginning unless it was a very small amount. I use 1.5ML F2 for 3L total and at 7 days it’s ready.

Here’s a tip for denser cultures. At day 7 add .5ML more fertilizer and harvest on day 9. All my experimenting and I find I get the densest cultures this way.

As mentioned above I find contamination to be your biggest enemy for clean successful harvests.

The round spots in the microscope appear to be nannochloropsis which will not be mobile, they sit suspended in the water column, unlike isochrysis and tetraselmis which have a flagella and do move. The hair like strands I don’t know but should not be there. You should only see the green cells.

Microscope slides I took:
Nannochloropsis

Isochrysis

Tetraselmis

If you’re on Instagram I have a lot of videos and info that may be helpful concerning culturing phytoplankton. @doubleadeejay

Otherwise feel free to reach out here.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I took a video with a microscope : The (I assume it's the nanno round stuff) plankton doesn't seems to move at all, also what at the weird straight line ? I've never seen that in plankton microscopic images :/

Is the top of your phyto vessel covered ? Maybe those are dust from floating I. The air and it contaminated your culture

 

[Derrick0580]

You likely have a contamination issue. It’s not likely lacking fertilizer if you added some at the beginning unless it was a very small amount. I use 1.5ML F2 for 3L total and at 7 days it’s ready.

Here’s a tip for denser cultures. At day 7 add .5ML more fertilizer and harvest on day 9. All my experimenting and I find I get the densest cultures this way.

As mentioned above I find contamination to be your biggest enemy for clean successful harvests.

The round spots in the microscope appear to be nannochloropsis which will not be mobile, they sit suspended in the water column, unlike isochrysis and tetraselmis which have a flagella and do move. The hair like strands I don’t know but should not be there. You should only see the green cells.

Microscope slides I took:
Nannochloropsis

Isochrysis

Tetraselmis

If you’re on Instagram I have a lot of videos and info that may be helpful concerning culturing phytoplankton. @doubleadeejay

Otherwise feel free to reach out here.

Listen to what Anthony tells you, he is my phyto guru I always message when I have questions! Good dude and very knowledgeable!

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

Listen to what Anthony tells you, he is my phyto guru I always message when I have questions! Good dude and very knowledgeable!

Thank you for the kind words Derrick. I’m glad to be helpful!

 

[SahnCH]

Hi both,

Yes the phyto vessel is covered.
Though..... I went back from Ikea, didn't even cleaned the vessel and started the culture straight...
Sometime being impatient and excited makes you stupid

I will start again with a new batch this week end, this time I will clean everything meticulously and sanitize the vessel with bleach before starting. I will keep you updated ! Thanks both !

 

[SahnCH]

Also Anthony, may I ask which microscope you are using ?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Hi both,

Yes the phyto vessel is covered.
Though..... I went back from Ikea, didn't even cleaned the vessel and started the culture straight...
Sometime being impatient and excited makes you stupid

I will start again with a new batch this week end, this time I will clean everything meticulously and sanitize the vessel with bleach before starting. I will keep you updated ! Thanks both !

I’m not sure if bleach works for this but I do know 70% rubbing alcohol does…