First Time Culturing Phytoplankton

Blakjax · Nov 16, 2020

Do you filter or screen any of it before pouring it back in the new bag?

Shadows Reef · Nov 17, 2020

Blakjax said:
Do you filter or screen any of it before pouring it back in the new bag?

I do not, should I? I haven’t seen anyone say anything about filtering between cultures love to see some input on that.

I did buy the copepod sieve to filter out the pods when it’s time for harvesting

Shadows Reef · Nov 18, 2020

This culture at day 5 is already darker then my first culture was at day 8, wondering if I should turn the brightness down now?

HockeyRooster · Nov 18, 2020

I didn’t read every reply but thanks to a tip from r2r I picked up a magnetic stirrer for my phyto. Works great. Cleaning with rubbing alcohol between batches has been a must for me as well including cleaning the hard tube.

Michael Gray · Apr 7, 2021

Darkshadow1500 said:
This culture at day 5 is already darker then my first culture was at day 8, wondering if I should turn the brightness down now?

Any update on this??

Shadows Reef · Apr 15, 2021

Michael Gray said:
Any update on this??

I had the cultures going for a while but then I had so much phyto I started giving some to my LFS but not I don’t have them running I just start a culture once every month and a half to just keep a live culture going

Mark Gray · Apr 15, 2021

Following along I have a 10 gallon tank I use for my phyto have been like this for a year. I throw a coffee cup of this thick green stuff in a couple times a week. Why do you need it sterile? I also fertilize

Shadows Reef · Apr 15, 2021

Mark Gray said:
Following along I have a 10 gallon tank I use for my phyto have been like this for a year. I throw a coffee cup of this thick green stuff in a couple times a week. Why do you need it sterile? I also fertilize

I just keep it sterile so less chance of contamination and crashing the culture.

luckily I’m yet to have a culture crash on me. Well other then the very first.....But that’s cause I tried using live phytofeast...Mistake lol

Mark Gray · Apr 15, 2021

Darkshadow1500 said:
I just keep it sterile so less chance of contamination and crashing the culture.

luckily I’m yet to have a culture crash on me. Well other then the very first.....But that’s cause I tried using live phytofeast...Mistake lol

Interesting I put some water from a water change in a 10 gallon tank and put a grow light on it added Ocean Magic, and some Marves fertilizer and 2 air stones. And it took off. I have a Maxima clam that was maybe at best 2 inches when I got him he is over 4 now

Shadows Reef · Apr 16, 2021

Mark Gray said:
Interesting I put some water from a water change in a 10 gallon tank and put a grow light on it added Ocean Magic, and some Marves fertilizer and 2 air stones. And it took off. I have a Maxima clam that was maybe at best 2 inches when I got him he is over 4 now

Water change water from your tank or new water change water???

I originally started culturing phyto to feed rotifers and to make green water for breeding for my LFS but I stopped using the phyto I make once I found out about Reed Maricultures rotigreen omega and RG complete

now all I use is what I dose to the tank which is pretty minimal compared to how much I make
so I always just give it to my LFS cause I know they will put it to good use.