Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

twentyleagues

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
6,275
Reaction score
7,181
Location
Flint
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
PNS bacteria most likely, I want to try that also. And I am also using carboys.
What do you think the shelf life on yours is if refrigerated? He says a week and I have not noticed any issues with it. I was going through a half gallon in about 10 days dosing it daily. I dont have a microscope so no idea if it was dead at that point. Didnt smell bad or anything.
 

Miami Reef

Reef Chem Enthusiast
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
17,255
Reaction score
29,618
Location
Miami
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks. I’ve recently been dosing Reef Nutrition phyto feast. It is far darker and more rapidly clouds the tank than what I’ve gotten from other commercial or local diy sources.
That’s what I use. I never believed live phyto was any superior to feeding corals. It needs to be shaken multiple times day to prevent the cells from settling and smothering.

My corals love Phyto Feast. I think I saw an increase in spaghetti worms with it. The corals definitely like it.

The whole “dose live phyto only” is a waste of money and marketing ploy from Big Phyto.
 
OP
OP
Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
89,261
Reaction score
92,299
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That’s what I use. I never believed live phyto was any superior to feeding corals. It needs to be shaken multiple times day to prevent the cells from settling and smothering.

The whole “dose live phyto only” is a marketing ploy from Big Phyto.

My corals love Phyto Feast. I think I saw an increase in spaghetti worms with it. The corals definitely like it.

I have a stirrer that mixes it up just before dosing, but I could stir multiple times a day easily.
 

Miami Reef

Reef Chem Enthusiast
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
17,255
Reaction score
29,618
Location
Miami
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a stirrer that mixes it up just before dosing, but I could stir multiple times a day easily.
It still needs to be refrigerated. I ain’t going through all that when the preserved product is just as good and cheaper.

Copepods are the bottom of the food chain. Someone cultured a crap ton with just a banana peel. These things don’t care if it’s live or dead.
 
OP
OP
Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
89,261
Reaction score
92,299
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It still needs to be refrigerated. I ain’t going through all that.

Copepods are the bottom of the food chain. Someone cultured a crap ton with just a banana peel. These things don’t care if it’s live or dead.

Yes, mine stays in the fridge 24/7.
 

Reefer1978

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
4,136
Reaction score
3,641
Location
New Jersey
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
PNS bacteria most likely, I want to try that also. And I am also using carboys.
What do you think the shelf life on yours is if refrigerated? He says a week and I have not noticed any issues with it. I was going through a half gallon in about 10 days dosing it daily. I dont have a microscope so no idea if it was dead at that point. Didnt smell bad or anything.
In all my reading, 6-8 weeks. I checked under the microscope a month later and plenty of life. A good test without a microscope is smell. As cells start to die (which starts right away), it will develop rotten egg smell. When the smell is too much to handle, most likely lots of dead cells in there.
 

Miami Reef

Reef Chem Enthusiast
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
17,255
Reaction score
29,618
Location
Miami
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes, mine stays in the fridge 24/7.
Cool. Then why not stick with the live version? If I had the choice between preserved or live, I’d choose the latter, but the effort is not worth it for me.

It is more expensive and has a much shorter shelf life, but I think it’s better for filter feeders — it’s more natural like what they’re used to in the wild.

My favorite phyto is isochrysis galbana.
 

Reefer1978

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
4,136
Reaction score
3,641
Location
New Jersey
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
Thanks. I’ve recently been dosing Reef Nutrition phyto feast. It is far darker and more rapidly clouds the tank than what I’ve gotten from other commercial or local diy sources.
That’s what I use. I never believed live phyto was any superior to feeding corals. It needs to be shaken multiple times day to prevent the cells from settling and smothering.

My corals love Phyto Feast. I think I saw an increase in spaghetti worms with it. The corals definitely like it.

The whole “dose live phyto only” is a waste of money and marketing ploy from Big Phyto.
Stirring every few days is fine. There’s no need to do it multiple times per day.
 

jonelder68

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2023
Messages
1,700
Reaction score
2,388
Location
Olathe
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It still needs to be refrigerated. I ain’t going through all that when the preserved product is just as good and cheaper.

Copepods are the bottom of the food chain. Someone cultured a crap ton with just a banana peel. These things don’t care if it’s live or dead.
I’ve read up on the banana peel pod culturing. It’s too hot & cold here in the Midwest to do outdoors. Was wondering if it would work inside but seems mixed reviews on doing it indoors. I might try with a 10 gallon tank and see what happens. The Anthias would love the extra pods I’m sure.
 
OP
OP
Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
89,261
Reaction score
92,299
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cool. Then why not stick with the live version? If I had the choice between preserved or live, I’d choose the latter, but the effort is not worth it for me.

It is more expensive and has a much shorter shelf life, but I think it’s better for filter feeders — it’s more natural like what they’re used to in the wild.

My favorite phyto is isochrysis galbana.

I have only been using live phyto, whether from Dinkins, local buys, or Phyto feast live. :)
 

Miami Reef

Reef Chem Enthusiast
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
17,255
Reaction score
29,618
Location
Miami
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Stirring every few days is fine. There’s no need to do it multiple times per day.
I bought bottles from algae barn, stored it in the fridge, and despite shaking it every day, I still saw settling on the bottom.
 

Reefer1978

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
4,136
Reaction score
3,641
Location
New Jersey
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
Stirring every few days is fine. There’s no need to do it multiple times per day.
I bought bottles from algae barn, stored it in the fridge, and despite shaking it every day, I still saw settling on the bottom.
It starts to settle, but doesn’t mean they start to die right away.
 
OP
OP
Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
89,261
Reaction score
92,299
Location
Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve read up on the banana peel pod culturing. It’s too hot & cold here in the Midwest to do outdoors. Was wondering if it would work inside but seems mixed reviews on doing it indoors. I might try with a 10 gallon tank and see what happens. The Anthias would love the extra pods I’m sure.

Dang squirrels

image.jpg
 

Miami Reef

Reef Chem Enthusiast
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
17,255
Reaction score
29,618
Location
Miami
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have only been using live phyto, whether from Dinkins, local buys, or Phyto feast live. :)
Ohhh. I just use the regular phyto feast. I didn’t know they sold a live version.
 

jonelder68

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2023
Messages
1,700
Reaction score
2,388
Location
Olathe
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
@Randy Holmes-Farley you would probably know better than me. It’s 90s-100ish degrees here through summer. Wouldn’t that be too high of temperatures for pods? That’s why I was thinking of trying it inside with a grow light. But people claimed it wasn’t really working indoors. Why not? I would think indoors would be a more controlled environment.
 

twentyleagues

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
6,275
Reaction score
7,181
Location
Flint
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
In all my reading, 6-8 weeks. I checked under the microscope a month later and plenty of life. A good test without a microscope is smell. As cells start to die (which starts right away), it will develop rotten egg smell. When the smell is too much to handle, most likely lots of dead cells in there.
Wow really 6-8 weeks! I also only shake mine up a bit before I dose. Near day 8 there is some settling in the bottom of the jug but I would guess that is from the lower amount of fluid in the jug, not die off.
 

Miami Reef

Reef Chem Enthusiast
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
17,255
Reaction score
29,618
Location
Miami
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Banana setup, version 2.0:

IMG_3532.jpeg
Haha. That’s creative.

My grandfather is ticked because the squirrels knock down most of the mangos from his tree. He’s tried everything, even electrical wires, to no avail.

I started growing some vegetables, and I noticed CHUNKS of leaves gone in a span of days…it took me months of trying to find the culprit because people kept saying it was caterpillars…but I never saw no stinkin’ caterpillar.

I planted a butternut squash, put it under my outdoor camera, and after a week an iguana jumped and demolished it. Mystery solved!

I’m growing eggplants in little fences which is working wonders. The cactus behind it is a dragon fruit. Love the tree design I made.

IMG_1428.jpeg
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHAT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND SAND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OPTIMAL BIODIVERSITY/FILTRATION?

  • 100% live rock + bagged sand

    Votes: 37 27.4%
  • 100% dry rock + 100% live sand

    Votes: 46 34.1%
  • 50/50 live/dry rock, 50/50 live/bagged sand

    Votes: 30 22.2%
  • 75% live rock, 25% live sand

    Votes: 12 8.9%
  • 25% live rock, 75% live sand

    Votes: 10 7.4%
Back
Top