Why does the phytoplankton culture sometimes clump together?

[Saltatrox]

The culture grows and thrives years, but sometimes the green water disappears—becoming clear and green clumps form instead.

What’s going wrong?
Overfeeding? Too little food?
Too much or too little light duration?

Thanks in advance from Sweden

 

[Kasrift]

The culture grows and thrives years, but sometimes the green water disappears—becoming clear and green clumps form instead.

What’s going wrong?
Overfeeding? Too little food?
Too much or too little light duration?

Thanks in advance from Sweden

I think you need more agitation (bubbles). I also read somewhere that higher calcium salt can cause phyto to fall out of suspension faster, one of the reasons I switched from reef crystals to standard Aquaforest for my phyto cultures.

 

[mcarroll]

I admit I'm guessing....

Do you have a microscope to look at those clumps? Wondering if they look pure or contaminated...maybe something generating mucus such as bacteria are growing in quantities they shouldn't be able to achieve normally?

 

[Saltatrox]

I think you need more agitation (bubbles). I also read somewhere that higher calcium salt can cause phyto to fall out of suspension faster, one of the reasons I switched from reef crystals to standard Aquaforest for

I think you need more agitation (bubbles). I also read somewhere that higher calcium salt can cause phyto to fall out of suspension faster, one of the reasons I switched from reef crystals to standard Aquaforest for my phyto cultures.

You might be right. I’m running 0.026, like in an aquarium. I’ll lower it to 0.022. Thanks for your input.

 

[Saltatrox]

I think you need more agitation (bubbles). I also read somewhere that higher calcium salt can cause phyto to fall out of suspension faster, one of the reasons I switched from reef crystals to standard Aquaforest for

You might be right. I’m running 0.026, like in an aquarium. I’ll lower it to 0.022. Thanks for your input.