Phyto breeding containers?

[Dave-T]

Can anyone suggest a container I can use for breeding phyto? I'm picturing a clear plastic container, with a spigot at the bottom, and a lid on the top that I could feed an air hose into. You'd think it would be easy to find, but I can't. I've seen pictures of people who set things up like I'm describing, but they don't say where they got the containers. I'm looking to buy something online, it doesn't need to be the deal of the century.

Thanks!

 

[Rtaylor]

I suggest avoiding jars with spigots. You have to clean after harvesting anyway, and it’s much faster to just pour into the storage container than wait for a spigot.
I prefer glass as it can be washed in the dishwasher.

Clear Wide-Mouth Glass Jars - 1 Gallon, 4

Crystal clear storage for dry or liquid products. Jars withstand extreme temperatures of 0 to 850 F. Wide mouth for easy pouring and filling. Plastic caps for general purpose use. FDA compliant. Caps included. ULINE offers over 42,000 boxes, plastic poly bags, mailing tubes, warehouse supplies...

www.uline.com

 

[EakTheFreak]

I bought 3 of these off Amazon!! Just rinse with vinegar and alcohol through the spicket

CreativeWare 1.5-Gallon Bark Beverage Dispenser https://a.co/d/d6SSImG

 

[Pvtgloss]

I bought 3 of these off Amazon!! Just rinse with vinegar and alcohol through the spicket

CreativeWare 1.5-Gallon Bark Beverage Dispenser https://a.co/d/d6SSImG

Is there any risk of using a metal spigot? I'm also looking for a container and have been hesitant on metal spigot because of rust.

 

[Dave-T]

I bought 3 of these off Amazon!! Just rinse with vinegar and alcohol through the spicket

CreativeWare 1.5-Gallon Bark Beverage Dispenser https://a.co/d/d6SSImG

Thanks. I’d also be concerned about the metal spigot.

 

[Dave-T]

I suggest avoiding jars with spigots. You have to clean after harvesting anyway, and it’s much faster to just pour into the storage container than wait for a spigot.
I prefer glass as it can be washed in the dishwasher.

Clear Wide-Mouth Glass Jars - 1 Gallon, 4

Crystal clear storage for dry or liquid products. Jars withstand extreme temperatures of 0 to 850 F. Wide mouth for easy pouring and filling. Plastic caps for general purpose use. FDA compliant. Caps included. ULINE offers over 42,000 boxes, plastic poly bags, mailing tubes, warehouse supplies...

www.uline.com

Thanks. Having never done this, I'm not clear on the process. It seems like it would be messy to try to take the top off the jar, lift it up, and try to pour it into another container. Hence the spigot.

 

[EakTheFreak]

Thanks. I’d also be concerned about the metal spigot.

I haven’t been doing it long enough to be fair.

I clean them out with vinegar and rubbing alcohol running through spigot after each use. Been about 3-1/2 months with 0.0 signs of rust.

The spigot is made to pour out liquid anyhow so why do you assume it will rust!?

 

[Gp!]

I bought 3 of these off Amazon!! Just rinse with vinegar and alcohol through the spicket

CreativeWare 1.5-Gallon Bark Beverage Dispenser https://a.co/d/d6SSImG

One of the commenters on the Amazon page say the spigot is plastic. Can you confirm if the spigot is plastic or metal?

 

[Gtinnel]

I use either 2 liter soda bottles or bottles that I get Starbucks iced coffee in from the grocery store. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, any kind of clear bottle that you can drill a hole to run an airline into will work.
I have considered switching to glass because eventually my plastic bottles stain and I have to replace them.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I use a 1 litre plastic pop bottle, its from a DIY video I saw on youtube years ago.

You can culture them in a bucket, a glass, a milk container, anything at all. I just run an airline over the top, nothing fancy is needed to culture these things. its as easy as rice, just put them in a container with water and leave them.

 

[nothing_fancy]

Ya a glass jar is easier to work with for cleaning. Plastic lid with a hole drilled in it. You can fit a push connect lug if you want to get high tech with the air line...You can use a funnel to get it into a storage container for your fridge.

 

[Rtaylor]

Ya a glass jar is easier to work with for cleaning. Plastic lid with a hole drilled in it. You can fit a push connect lug if you want to get high tech with the air line...You can use a funnel to get it into a storage container for your fridge.

Agree 100%. Most plastic containers warp in the dishwasher and I’m all about using the dishwasher to clean.

 

[Beazy]

I bought these. Like everyone else said, I’ve cultured them in a small algae barn copepod container that I ran through the dishwasher and had no crashes. The link I just posted is my new setup that’s currently awaiting copepods, nanno and iso. Also I agree with everyone else, definitely go glass. I run all my gear in the dishwasher including test tubes

Glass Drink Dispenser for Parties - Set of 2-1 Gallon Glass Jar Beverage Dispensers with Stand, Glass Water Dispenser Countertop for Weddings, Sun Tea Jar, Lemonade & Laundry Detergent Dispenser https://a.co/d/dARRXlj

Here’s how they look so far. Also I was concerned about the spigot and the link from above is all plastic minus the lid

 

[Dave-T]

I haven’t been doing it long enough to be fair.

I clean them out with vinegar and rubbing alcohol running through spigot after each use. Been about 3-1/2 months with 0.0 signs of rust.

The spigot is made to pour out liquid anyhow so why do you assume it will rust!?

I wouldn't assume it would rust, but I'd want to be sure it wouldn't. Wouldn't want to poison the fishies and corals! People don't normally run salt water through these things, so salt might corrode the spigots. If it was designed to be used with drinking water, I wouldn't assume that it couldn't corrode. That said, maybe it would be fine, I'd just want to be sure.

 

[Dave-T]

I bought these. Like everyone else said, I’ve cultured them in a small algae barn copepod container that I ran through the dishwasher and had no crashes. The link I just posted is my new setup that’s currently awaiting copepods, nanno and iso. Also I agree with everyone else, definitely go glass. I run all my gear in the dishwasher including test tubes

Glass Drink Dispenser for Parties - Set of 2-1 Gallon Glass Jar Beverage Dispensers with Stand, Glass Water Dispenser Countertop for Weddings, Sun Tea Jar, Lemonade & Laundry Detergent Dispenser https://a.co/d/dARRXlj

Here’s how they look so far. Also I was concerned about the spigot and the link from above is all plastic minus the lid

Those look great! I can't tell how you did the light in the picture. So you have some kind of light behind the jar?

Two concerns with those though:
* If you light it from above, would the opaque lids be a problem?

* The spigot doesn't look to be at the bottom. Since you wouldn't be drawing the liquid from the bottom, you couldn't drain it all the way, and might not things settle on the bottom? Maybe not, if you're constantly aerating it...

 

[pandaparties]

Best way is to buy a gallon mason jar and poly bags. You can wrap the jar in LEDs or just use an overhead grow light. When you are ready to harvest just pull out the plastic bag, add the phyto to jars. Toss the bag and then reseed the new colony. No cleaning and so little maintenance..like 30$ to start minus the initial phyto. Changing the bags prevents crashes by removing cleaning products and dead material in jar

 

[TokenReefer]

Have you seen @sixty_reefer 's setup? I quite like it

How to automate a phytoplankton culture

How to automate a phytoplankton culture In this article I will illustrate how to automate a phytoplankton culture, automation has been the key to successfully achieving stability in our hobby and with phytoplankton I feel that is no different. There is many reasons on how this could be...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Beazy]

Those look great! I can't tell how you did the light in the picture. So you have some kind of light behind the jar?

Two concerns with those though:
* If you light it from above, would the opaque lids be a problem?

* The spigot doesn't look to be at the bottom. Since you wouldn't be drawing the liquid from the bottom, you couldn't drain it all the way, and might not things settle on the bottom? Maybe not, if you're constantly aerating it...

So far nothing is settling. The aeration is enough to keep it moving. As for the spigot, you’re definitely right on that. I wanted to play around with seeing if I can keep a single culture going for many months. One of the reasons I opted for a 3 Phyto and 3 copepod setup. Also because it comes in sets of 2 so I would have had an empty jar leftover if I didn’t lol.

I have an old 12w refugium light that’s pointed at the jar. I do wish the lids were opaque, would have preferred to have it point down. Not mad about how it looks, I think the behind the jar look makes the glow look so cool. Complete accident and so happy at the outcome

 

[Beazy]

Have you seen @sixty_reefer 's setup? I quite like it

How to automate a phytoplankton culture

How to automate a phytoplankton culture In this article I will illustrate how to automate a phytoplankton culture, automation has been the key to successfully achieving stability in our hobby and with phytoplankton I feel that is no different. There is many reasons on how this could be...

www.reef2reef.com

This is a nice setup! I originally wanted to create my own after seeing that post. That setup seemed quite hard for me to mimic with my current tank. That’s why I opted to try the spigot route. Hoping I can harvest, add water, drop some f/2 in and then not touch it for a week

 

[Dave-T]

Have you seen @sixty_reefer 's setup? I quite like it

How to automate a phytoplankton culture

How to automate a phytoplankton culture In this article I will illustrate how to automate a phytoplankton culture, automation has been the key to successfully achieving stability in our hobby and with phytoplankton I feel that is no different. There is many reasons on how this could be...

www.reef2reef.com

That looks sweet, but shouldn’t you be concerned with dosing the phyto fertilizer into your tank? My reefing guru maintence guy says that’s a big no-no.