DIY Phyto, Brine & Rotifer

[Gatortailale]

Lots of pics and step by step process.

 

Flame Angels Reef

 

Hope it helps

 

[nana]  [nana]

 

[beer2]

[michaelg]

there is a pretty good series of articles both in back issues of Reefkeeping Magazine, and Advanced Aquarist.  The RKM article has a nice stand for positioning bottles on the outside, with the lights in the middle.  Takes up less room.  Personally, I find keeping 2-3 bottles going is more than sufficient of phytoplankton.

[xeon]

I've read a few articles and write ups on culturing phyto and rotifers, but the lighting is something they just kind of blaze by.  I read one recently on a culturing site and they just suggested to keep a light on the culture for x hours.    

 

For instance after reading the one above and by the look of the tubes.. they look like regular NO fluorescents from HD.  I'm putting together a setup like the one on the site above, ie. 2 liters on shelves w/ air pumps.  I was thinking about using some 55W/65W PC's, but if NO's will do the trick... yipeee!

[michaelg]

I have 3x 24 Watt NO on my setup and it is more than enough light for the cultures.  I picked up a shop light type thing from home depot (2 bulb) and have 1 other single bulb fixture.

I use the plant and aquarium bulbs (about $6 at home depot).

[Guest HVF21221]

I agree, live phyto is easily cultured with a shop light from HD, I do use a 6500k bulb they sell from GE. It is called "daylight" something. 2 48" are like $6. Do not light your rotifers, I did it in the beginning like the books say to do, but nasty bacteria and algae will bloom. I just keep them on the bottom shelf and they get ambient light from a window across the room. They don't need to be lit. FWIW, I am raising rotifers with and without a heater, no difference in densities. Unless the area is very cold room temp is fine.

[michaelg]

Your temperature observation is in line with what I have observed also for the phyto cultures.  Brine shrimp hatching was totally another story- they absolutely required a heater to hatch.  My basement was around 65F during the winter- maybe closer to 60F.

[Lee Stearns]

Xeon, I brought your rotifers to the TRT social- gave some to Michael, and some to someone else- Will bring some to the April meeting for you- as well as some phyto for folks to use or culture-

I really enjoyed the tour of the back grow out tanks!

Lee

[xeon]

Lee,

I apologize, I meant the Spring meeting in the other thread.  My wife had me doing "other things".  LOL

[michaelg]

Lee-

Thanks for the rotifers.  They seem to be taking off in the tridacnareef.com reactor I am growing them in.  Fed some to the tank last night:D