Phytoplankton culture has a blueish tint?

[Cra-z wolf]

Hi guys, i have been culturing phyto and rotifers for about 5 years.
Had a few near crashes in the past, always easy to solve. But now, i have a strange thing happenning.
My phyto has a slight blueish tint to it. Still definitly green, just doesn't look like it has for the previous 5 years. It also seems slightly thinner(more watery), i usually/used to culture very thick, dark pine tree green.
Anyone know what this is? A new strain mysteriously added itself to my culture? It has been going on for a few months now, with no adverse effects, not to coral or my rotifer cultures. It also is leaving a blue-green film on the sides of my rotifer cultures.
I know, very hard to tell in pics, but i had to try.

 

[Brad Miller]

I’ll wing it on this one and suspect an invading bacteria that’s causing the reflection of blue, or more possible, would be blue green algae.
Put some under a microscope to see what it is.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Hi guys, i have been culturing phyto and rotifers for about 5 years.
Had a few near crashes in the past, always easy to solve. But now, i have a strange thing happenning.
My phyto has a slight blueish tint to it. Still definitly green, just doesn't look like it has for the previous 5 years. It also seems slightly thinner(more watery), i usually/used to culture very thick, dark pine tree green.
Anyone know what this is? A new strain mysteriously added itself to my culture? It has been going on for a few months now, with no adverse effects, not to coral or my rotifer cultures. It also is leaving a blue-green film on the sides of my rotifer cultures.
I know, very hard to tell in pics, but i had to try.

You definitely have a contaminating bacteria in there. Most likely it's a Cyanobacteria (Cyanophyta). Synechococcus sp. or something similar. They can come in from the air lines. Bleach and start a new culture is what we would do.

Chad

 

[Brad Miller]

Great to see the experts chime in on this one !

 

[Cra-z wolf]

You definitely have a contaminating bacteria in there. Most likely it's a Cyanobacteria (Cyanophyta). Synechococcus sp. or something similar. They can come in from the air lines. Bleach and start a new culture is what we would do.

Chad

Thank you. One more question. Do you think i will have to restart the rotifer cultures also, or will they eat it and eradicate it?

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Thank you. One more question. Do you think i will have to restart the rotifer cultures also, or will they eat it and eradicate it?

You won't need to restart your rotifer cultures. Rotifers will consume bacteria in addition to phytoplankton. Good question.

Chad