Phytoplankton culturing

[fancy_fish101]

I got live phytoplankton from my LFS yesterday. I’m wanting to culture it. It’s a 6 oz bottle of phytoplankton. Imma be using a 12 oz Gatorade bottle to culture it. I got my saltwater mixed to 35 PPT. My question is how much saltwater I should be in their bottle? I’m only wanting to use half the 6oz bottle of phytoplankton I got, to see if I can start the culture my self. For the fertilizer I’ll be using my plant fertilizer. Also, not sure how much to add if that. Any advice or help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Koh23]

Best is, as far i know, to mix sw to 1.019-1.020....

Probably is good to start with 1:1 ratio, but it all depends how dense starting culture is.

If it's dark green, almost black, then all u need is very small amount. If its paler green, add more.

No right or wrong, if you start with very diluted culture, it will take more time to harvest, and vice versa.

As for fertiliser, start with few ml, again, depending of total volume, 3-5ml is enough.

 

[fancy_fish101]

Best is, as far i know, to mix sw to 1.019-1.020....

Probably is good to start with 1:1 ratio, but it all depends how dense starting culture is.

If it's dark green, almost black, then all u need is very small amount. If its paler green, add more.

No right or wrong, if you start with very diluted culture, it will take more time to harvest, and vice versa.

As for fertiliser, start with few ml, again, depending of total volume, 3-5ml is enough.

 

[fancy_fish101]

Yeh, it’s basically black. So could i add 6oz saltwater and 3 oz phytoplankton?
And I will fix the saltwater salinity then.

 

[fancy_fish101]

Also, how will I know it ready to be harvest and how often should I add fertilizer?

 

[Koh23]

Sorry, not great at converting, so....

I usualy add 200ml of phyto to 2000ml (2l) of sw. So, 1:10 ratio.

5 ml of fertilizet for start, then, after few days, 3ml, then day or two before harvest bit more, 1-2ml

Its ready whenever u want... Usualy aim is to get dense culture, color is good indicator, when dark green, its ready. Of course maybe there is better way to tell, but, when i no longer see light penetrating trough jar - its ready....

 

[fancy_fish101]

Sorry, not great at converting, so....

I usualy add 200ml of phyto to 2000ml (2l) of sw. So, 1:10 ratio.

5 ml of fertilizet for start, then, after few days, 3ml, then day or two before harvest bit more, 1-2ml

Its ready whenever u want... Usualy aim is to get dense culture, color is good indicator, when dark green, it’s ready. Of course maybe there is better way to tell, but, when i no longer see light penetrating trough jar - it’s ready....

Ok thank you. How long do you live light on for? And this is the light I’ll be using.

 

[paintman]

Yeh, it’s basically black. So could i add 6oz saltwater and 3 oz phytoplankton?
And I will fix the saltwater salinity then.

Isn't this dead phyto? How are you going to grow it?

 

[fancy_fish101]

Isn't this dead phyto? How are you going to grow it?

It alive. It grows by the light and fertilizer you put in whatever bottle.

 

[paintman]

It alive. It grows by the light and fertilizer you put in whatever bottle.

How do you know it's alive? If its been sitting in the LFS for any period of time without shaking it is most likely dead.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

agree that salinity should be about 1.019 for culturing phyto, but that kind of phyto doesnt really work for culturing, I've tried it a few times.

Try to find some homemade phyto to culture, its way easier (we never know what the companies put in it, I think companies prefer we buy their product rather than try to reproduce it for free), there are some folks who culture and sell on this website, but I dont know them.

 

[Koh23]

Ok, i really dont know of this type, but, autor states that this is live phyto.

If so, then culturing at home is very easy. For sure, u can try...

It took me whole month with grotech phyto to get first harvest, but, it worked, and grotech is nothing like this, its clear water, no color, nothing similar to phyto....

Nothing to loose, try....

 

[fancy_fish101]

How do you know it's alive? If its been sitting in the LFS for any period of time without shaking it is most likely dead.

It’s alive. Cuz it’s green still.

 

[Kasrift]

The problem with Ocean Magic is that it isn't just one type of phyto, and one strain will out compete the rest for food. Which means the others will die and foul the water of your culture. For a successful culture, you need a clean vessel, airstone, F2 fertilizer, and a light source and one strain of phyto.

 

[TokenReefer]

What a timely (and informative) speech

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

What a timely (and informative) speech

So that's a great video I definitely recommend watching this, thanks for the link!