Nitrate and Phosphorus Control via Phytoplankton Additions?

[Samina]

Forgive me because I admittedly have not read the entire thread. I just want to say it is pretty cool what you are doing and have wanted to do the same on my setups for sometime now. Another member on here @sixty_reefer dis a similar experiment and it was very interesting to follow. It also opened the door to another experiment which is pretty interesting also.

Continuous phytoplankton|rotifers reactor 24h food supply

Hi guys this is a little project I’ve been working on for a few months and now looking for your views on this subject. It all started with me getting a few non photosynthetic corals (gorgonians) and got me thinking in a way we’re I could give them a constant supply of food. The project started...

www.reef2reef.com

Proving the advantages of phytoplankton and Microbes

Been playing around With phytoplankton for over two years and I believe that am getting really close to prove that phytoplankton can be used as a method for carbon dosing, vitamins and amino acid in perfect doses. this thread is a follow up from my previous thread...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[VR28man]

I saw the same thing when running the skimmer continuously - the bottom of the skimmer cup was coated with phyto, hence I don't run the skimmer during the day.

Yeah, I did not read it during the day. Only at night. I guess maybe that means I Was dosing too much phyto.

I haven’t been dosing phyto since the tank pressure the past two weeks. Only nitrobacter. I’m thinking of if and when I’ll start dosing phyto again

 

[sixty_reefer]

Forgive me because I admittedly have not read the entire thread. I just want to say it is pretty cool what you are doing and have wanted to do the same on my setups for sometime now. Another member on here @sixty_reefer dis a similar experiment and it was very interesting to follow. It also opened the door to another experiment which is pretty interesting also.

Continuous phytoplankton|rotifers reactor 24h food supply

Hi guys this is a little project I’ve been working on for a few months and now looking for your views on this subject. It all started with me getting a few non photosynthetic corals (gorgonians) and got me thinking in a way we’re I could give them a constant supply of food. The project started...

www.reef2reef.com

Proving the advantages of phytoplankton and Microbes

Been playing around With phytoplankton for over two years and I believe that am getting really close to prove that phytoplankton can be used as a method for carbon dosing, vitamins and amino acid in perfect doses. this thread is a follow up from my previous thread...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you for the mention Samina, my experience were only Donne at hobby level nothing compared to this one, unfortunately not every one finds the subject as interesting as you do. In fact I was removed from another forum for trying to discuss some of the ideas behind the experiments, since then I refrain myself to post such sacrilege, I really like to be on here so would want the same to happen.
I am confident that Dana will show us some really good data and am looking forward to read it to as it’s a quite interesting subject to me.

 

[salty joe]

Sixty, are you still continually dosing phyto?

 

[sixty_reefer]

Sixty, are you still continually dosing phyto?

I am still dosing phytoplankton just in a different form, my first experience was inconclusive but had some good outcome, I’ve attached a picture of a montipora digitata, you may notice the size of the polyps on the coral. There is something in phytoplankton that is beneficial to corals and I really would like for someone more experienced than me to find out what is it as we all could take advantage of it.

 

[Samina]

Thank you for the mention Samina, my experience were only Donne at hobby level nothing compared to this one, unfortunately not every one finds the subject as interesting as you do. In fact I was removed from another forum for trying to discuss some of the ideas behind the experiments, since then I refrain myself to post such sacrilege, I really like to be on here so would want the same to happen.
I am confident that Dana will show us some really good data and am looking forward to read it to as it’s a quite interesting subject to me.

@sixty_reefer, well it was a loss for that other forum then as far as I’m concerned. R2R is definitely a different culture and seems to foster this type of mindset and drive to seek knowledge. So your in a good place!

Also, albeit hobbyist level, the work you did and insight you provided is definitely worth recognition. It’s a cumulative effort, from hobbyist AND expert level that will drive this hobby forward and open the doors to new dialogue and pursuit of information. That will only foster the development of new findings. We are scratching the surface and no effort should be undermined. I am super impressed with the information here also and am thankful that we have @Dana Riddle and others driving this hobby forward with this mindset. I’ve said it before, we all have much to learn from each other! So please don’t discredit yourself!! Cheers!

 

[Dana Riddle]

I am minimizing phyto additions as of today. Phosphorus (as P) has reached the detection limit of the Hach DR890 (0.001) - I am concerned about this becoming limiting.

 

[sde1500]

That is wild. I really need to fire up my cultures again.

 

[taricha]

I am minimizing phyto additions as of today. Phosphorus (as P) has reached the detection limit of the Hach DR890 (0.001) - I am concerned about this becoming limiting.

As others will be interested to try to reproduce your results, these are your culture details, correct?
Media: guillard's f/2
Phyto type: nannochloropsis (probably)
Dosing: 1x or 2x per day, enough to tint display green (volume of phyto dose per volume of display?)
Skimmer: timed to only run at night
Culture split details: how much do you use to inoculate new culture? how long do you let it run before splitting? Do you dose from the in-progress cultures, or from bottles in your fridge?

 

[Samina]

I am minimizing phyto additions as of today. Phosphorus (as P) has reached the detection limit of the Hach DR890 (0.001) - I am concerned about this becoming limiting.

Have you noticed any effect on Nitrate levels?

 

[CindyKz]

following

 

[Dennis Cartier]

As others will be interested to try to reproduce your results, these are your culture details, correct?
Media: guillard's f/2
Phyto type: nannochloropsis (probably)
Dosing: 1x or 2x per day, enough to tint display green (volume of phyto dose per volume of display?)
Skimmer: timed to only run at night
Culture split details: how much do you use to inoculate new culture? how long do you let it run before splitting? Do you dose from the in-progress cultures, or from bottles in your fridge?

Earlier in the thread, Dana indicated that he was dosing 250 ml into a 120 G, so 0.005% of the tank volume. He also mentioned that the phyto had 24.2 ppm of NO3, so it sounds like he is dosing from in-progress, but that is just a guess on my part.

Another point to consider, is that Dana may have specific microbial life as part of the food web introduced with his live rock from the keys and other tanks with different food webs may not be able to utilize the phyto additions in the same manner. I sincerely hope that this is more transferable to a broad range of tanks as it would be cool to be able to feed the bottom of the food chain.

Dennis

 

[Dana Riddle]

As others will be interested to try to reproduce your results, these are your culture details, correct?
Media: guillard's f/2
Phyto type: nannochloropsis (probably)
Dosing: 1x or 2x per day, enough to tint display green (volume of phyto dose per volume of display?)
Skimmer: timed to only run at night
Culture split details: how much do you use to inoculate new culture? how long do you let it run before splitting? Do you dose from the in-progress cultures, or from bottles in your fridge?

I have about 50 gallons of phyto under culture at present. I haven't used my hemacytometer/microscope to get a cell count, but the greenwater is very 'green' and produces a light green tint to the 120-gallon aquarium immediately after dosing. Dosing was 2 to 3 times daily (as much as 600 ml). I was doing this to promote growth of two Goniopora specimens but began to see nutrient reduction. I begin a new culture (using water from exchanges) with perhaps a liter or so, fertilized with that recommended by the manufacturer (Fritz.) I increased skimmer run time, with the off period to coincide with alternation of two return pumps.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

Double post.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Have you noticed any effect on Nitrate levels?

Yes, nitrate (as NO3-N) fell from 0.9 mg/l to 0.4 last week.

 

[Samina]

Yes, nitrate (as NO3-N) fell from 0.9 mg/l to 0.4 last week.

I am curious on why you are wanting to cutback on your dosage in comparison to dialing back the skimmer even more or further shortening its time? I know you said your only running it at night, but do you think that maybe your at a point now where your dosing of live phyto is working to feed different consumers and also at the same time serving as a natural filter/reducer, which can possibly replace a mechanical filter at this point- or if not replace, then dramatically further decrease it’s need?

On a side note- This kind of makes me think about ULNS. While NO3 and PO4 are very low in these systems, many (if done correctly) are offsetting starving their coral by supplementing aminos and other additives. So those systems are not unhealthy. The nutrient levels are managed in low ranges and through dosing those supplements, livestock is not starving either. I wonder if dosing Phyto would produce similar results in that regard. Meaning, since your nutrient levels are dropping, I wonder if continuing the dosage of phyto like you have been would in theory turn your system into a ULNS all the while maintaining livestock (corals, filter feeders) vitality as it is currently.

Oh and I finally had the chance to read the whole thread and I am so glad I did! Lots of valuable info. Thanks for sharing this!

 

[erk]

I had to stop phyto dosing for a time because my cultures kept crashing. Temperature and salinity were too high. Cultures are back up and growing well again, so I will be dosing once again. Will be happy to dose again as the tank was doing well during dosing.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

A while back I was considering buying a centrifugal separator. Why, to separate the the water that had fertilizer in it and then feed the algae to the tank. With a separator if you remove too much algae from your culture, you can always add it back to it, whatever you don't use. Only problem is if you have a small culture batch then you're only separating a little bit that little bit maybe a lot still.
The fertilizer in the culture is high in NO3 & PO4

Algae Centrifuges

 

[salty joe]

What volume of green water does that thing spin? And what is the RPM?

 

[Dennis Cartier]

What volume of green water does that thing spin? And what is the RPM?

It spins at 6000 rpm and is rated for a flow of 12-25 gph. They do mention it can be used to separate algae, but they are referring to algae for biofuel (I think). I am not sure if it is or can be made tank safe (E.g. non-contaminating/leeching). @Dr. Dendrostein may have already looked into the leeching aspects.

Dennis