AUFishGuy February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 Wondering if I can use DT's Phytoplankton to start my culture? What fertilizer do you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 Wondering if I can use DT's Phytoplankton to start my culture? What fertilizer do you recommend? Yah you can use it to start a culture but it will end up being Nanochloropsis which is not worth the effort to grow. Nutritionally it is not great. What you will want to shoot for is Isochrysis and Tetraselmis. These 2 have the most beneficial proteins/amino acids in them. For starting cultures, I recommend ordering from Carolina. Link. just a note is they have both fresh water and saltwater phytos on the site. As for a fertilizer for growing macro algae, use the Gullards F/2 recipe or if you don't feeling like doing the mixing you can guy it pre-mixed from Florida aqua farms. Fertilizer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUFishGuy February 8, 2016 Author Share February 8, 2016 (edited) Yah you can use it to start a culture but it will end up being Nanochloropsis which is not worth the effort to grow. Nutritionally it is not great. What you will want to shoot for is Isochrysis and Tetraselmis. These 2 have the most beneficial proteins/amino acids in them. For starting cultures, I recommend ordering from Carolina. Link. just a note is they have both fresh water and saltwater phytos on the site. As for a fertilizer for growing macro algae, use the Gullards F/2 recipe or if you don't feeling like doing the mixing you can guy it pre-mixed from Florida aqua farms. Fertilizer. Thanks for the reply. I will be using just to cultivate pods, that is my intention anyway. Is there anything to mixing the Gullards? I originally ordered from Aqua-Farms but they cancelled my order due to an email with some criticism of the site as i found it hard to use. Seems that they took it personal Edited February 8, 2016 by AUFishGuy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 I am not sure what the mixture is as I have never mixed it myself but I know the recipe should be public. Worst case you can buy it on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONCENTRATED-Guillards-F-2-Phytoplankton-Fertilizer-Nannochloropsis-Tetra-/151053177040 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 Also, here is the recipe for it: http://www.scribd.com/doc/157090926/Guillard-s-F-2-fertilizer#scribd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 OP, just curious what the end game is? I looked into this a few months ago for the sole purpose of feeding baby clams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 OP, just curious what the end game is? I looked into this a few months ago for the sole purpose of feeding baby clams. I will be using just to cultivate pods, that is my intention anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 I read "gud!" Thanks man. OP, keep us updated on your success, and any trials and tribulations. Depending on the effort involved, I might like to follow suite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 (edited) I read "gud!" Thanks man. HAHAHAHAHA I think I may have written a guide to growing phyto on the Colorado Fish club forums let me see if I can dig it up. Found it! http://www.marinecolorado.org/forum/reefkeeping/saltwater-plants-and-macro-algaes/38439-culturing-phytoplankton#post38439 Edited February 8, 2016 by sethsolomon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 I read "gud!" Thanks man. OP, keep us updated on your success, and any trials and tribulations. Depending on the effort involved, I might like to follow suite. I agree. I don't hear very often about people doing it long term, but it's something I'm interested in too. It's like marine homebrewing, but you shouldn't drink the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUFishGuy February 8, 2016 Author Share February 8, 2016 I will keep everyone updated. My intention is culture the phtyo to in turn culture copepods. From what i have gathered people usually will end up with extra phyto as the cultures grow so quickly you usually cannot use all of your stock. If/When this become the case id be more than happy to give extra to club members. For the Copepods I am going to start with 2 separate cultures in 10 gallon tanks. If this goes well I am wanting to increase it to 2 Rubbermaid tubs so that i will have some to sell and trade. I have cultured pods before but always used shelf phytoplankton which eventually caused problems and became too costly. I am hoping by culturing my own phyto i can avoid these problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 I will keep everyone updated. My intention is culture the phtyo to in turn culture copepods. From what i have gathered people usually will end up with extra phyto as the cultures grow so quickly you usually cannot use all of your stock. If/When this become the case id be more than happy to give extra to club members. For the Copepods I am going to start with 2 separate cultures in 10 gallon tanks. If this goes well I am wanting to increase it to 2 Rubbermaid tubs so that i will have some to sell and trade. I have cultured pods before but always used shelf phytoplankton which eventually caused problems and became too costly. I am hoping by culturing my own phyto i can avoid these problems Just a tip for the large containers, make sure they are white so they reflect as much light as possible back into the algae solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogurnda February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 +1 on using Guillard's F/2 as a fertilizer. I use it to supply N,P, and traces for macroalgae in a fishless system. Helps the macros grow, but there is also a perpetual bloom of phytoplankton. Undesirable for me, but indicates how effective it is for microalgae. Trying to reduce it with skimming and filter feeders. I can send you some pdfs for recipes, but do yourself a favor and buy it from FAF as SethSolomon suggests. Too much work to mix it up on a small scale, and I always feel good about supporting Frank Hoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUFishGuy February 8, 2016 Author Share February 8, 2016 (edited) Just a tip for the large containers, make sure they are white so they reflect as much light as possible back into the algae solution. Are you referring to culturing the phyto or copepods? For the Phyto i am using 4 2-liter bottles. I didn't use any light last time when culturing the pods +1 on using Guillard's F/2 as a fertilizer. I use it to supply N,P, and traces for macroalgae in a fishless system. Helps the macros grow, but there is also a perpetual bloom of phytoplankton. Undesirable for me, but indicates how effective it is for microalgae. Trying to reduce it with skimming and filter feeders. I can send you some pdfs for recipes, but do yourself a favor and buy it from FAF as SethSolomon suggests. Too much work to mix it up on a small scale, and I always feel good about supporting Frank Hoff. Thanks for the input, unfortunately FAF is not an option for me. I did however find these 2 products on Amazon. Do you think they would be sufficient? http://www.amazon.com/Guillards-concentrated-Nannochloropsis-Phytoplankton-Food/dp/B0150NH41O/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1454956691&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=gullards http://www.amazon.com/Guillards-Growth-Medium-14x-Silica/dp/B00QJ4IXB4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1454957026&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=gullards Edited February 8, 2016 by AUFishGuy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 I was meaning for phyto Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUFishGuy February 8, 2016 Author Share February 8, 2016 I was meaning for phyto Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk So could i just wrap them in paper or are there better containers to use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogurnda February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 Are you referring to culturing the phyto or copepods? For the Phyto i am using 4 2-liter bottles. I didn't use any light last time when culturing the pods Thanks for the input, unfortunately FAF is not an option for me. I did however find these 2 products on Amazon. Do you think they would be sufficient? http://www.amazon.com/Guillards-concentrated-Nannochloropsis-Phytoplankton-Food/dp/B0150NH41O/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1454956691&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=gullards http://www.amazon.com/Guillards-Growth-Medium-14x-Silica/dp/B00QJ4IXB4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1454957026&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=gullards Oops, I didn't read the part about your run-in with FAF. Use the version without silica unless you are culturing diatoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 AUFishGuy, what pods are you going to grow and where will you get the pod starters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 So could i just wrap them in paper or are there better containers to use? in 2 liter bottles dont worry about it. Thats only for doing phyto in large tubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUFishGuy February 8, 2016 Author Share February 8, 2016 AUFishGuy, what pods are you going to grow and where will you get the pod starters? Last time I did this I started with a pack of Poseidon's Feast from Algae Barn. Other than that I haven't thought about it much. My LFS does sell Tigger Pods so I guess that is also an option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 Last time I did this I started with a pack of Poseidon's Feast from Algae Barn. Other than that I haven't thought about it much. My LFS does sell Tigger Pods so I guess that is also an optionEvery mix algae you start with will end up with nanochloropsis because it is the most aggressive growth rate. They blend nano in so you can't start your own propogation. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUFishGuy February 8, 2016 Author Share February 8, 2016 Every mix algae you start with will end up with nanochloropsis because it is the most aggressive growth rate. They blend nano in so you can't start your own propogation. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Oh no, the Poseidons feast is a pack of pods. I am ordering Tetraselmis from Carolina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 Oh no, the Poseidons feast is a pack of pods. I am ordering Tetraselmis from CarolinaAhh gotcha. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RW09903 February 9, 2016 Share February 9, 2016 (edited) I have phytoplankton from Algaebarn if you want to start a culture. Edited February 9, 2016 by RW09903 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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