phytoplankton

[jamal]

i want to attempt to culture phyto for my mandarin that i intend to get and i want to get a brief synopsis of what is required in case i missed something. i know i need a light a container of some sort airline tubing and an air pump. am i missing anything? can i use the 20 gal high tank to culture the phyto or would there be problems with this? also is there anyone with some phyto i can use to start my culture?

[Gatortailale]

Umm, others will have better advice than me, but I think you are thinking more along lines of culturing brine shrimp or rotifers or copepods rather than phyto. Phyto is more like a green liquid algae that filter feeds can feed on - clams & some corals. Pods and brine is what your mandarin will want to eat.

 

http://www.reed-mariculture.com/

 

or

 

http://www.dtplankton.com/mgw2/main.html

 

culture here:

 

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/

 

or that place in florida that sells roti culture (can't think of name right now)

[jamal]

sorry i meant that the phyto was for the copepods as i heard they reproduce faster with dosings of phyto in the tank.

[Jenny]

The most basic setup you need a few 2 liters (some people use 2.5gallon tanks or 5gallon tanks). Some airline hose and an airpump. And a culture starter - you can use Dt's but it doesn't do as well as if you use a culture from Florida Aqur Farms. The phyto will mature in 7-10days make sure you harvest it or it'll crash.

 

See link

 

HTH

[jamal]

so the 20 g would not work for the phyto?

[dzekunoi]

I would wait at least 6 month of tank running time to even start thinking about a Mandarin.

Even with a separate culture tank - technicaly a refugium.

[jamal]

not getting it right now i wanted to start the phyto dosing to breed more pods for the mandarin when i do get it

[Jenny]

Make the phyto in 2 liter bottles. You can use the 20 to breed copepods. You will more successful culturing copepods rather than just feeding phyto to your main tank b/c lots of invertebrates use the phyto. This way you can make sure your mandarin has a steady supply. I like the tigger pods myself (b/c they are visible to the human eye) they are about $20/bottle which is a ripoff but you get a clean culture that way.

 

see here

[jamal]

well i plan to keep clams and i dont mind the other animals getting it to so either way i need to start it but i see your point Jenny thank you. i planned to keep clams and the like but i will have to think of another method. i may just get several bottles and put it in the 20 g as you suggested