Phytoplankton

[eben]

There are alot of opinions out there with regards to the dosing of live phytoplankton. I would like to know if you dose live phytoplankton and the benefits, or if you are against it and the reason please?

 

[Omgitsjoe]

Following

 

[andrewey]

I spot feed phyto when I have organisms that directly need it. I no longer broadcast feed phyto. When I did so, I had some issues with nutrients creeping up, however my sponge population was extremely happy

 

[AcroNem]

I feed phytoplankton and coral foods daily. Opinions between hobbyists is one thing, but there is a lot of research and many papers on herbivory in corals, showing just how much phytoplankton is consumed by corals on reefs. There is a measurable drop in numbers of phytoplankton as water passes over reefs, in the wild many corals utilize it. In a closed reef system it will benefit pretty much everything, as it feeds microfauna as well as corals. Of course you can see increased nutrient levels, but that is true with any type of feeding and is worth it.

 

[canadianeh]

when you guys feed, do you turn off your skimmer, water pump, and roller filter? For how long?

 

[Dilan Patel]

I culture and feed live phytoplankton. I feed this everyday to my reef and noticed a few things. One thing si increased growth/basing out on my corals and more pods. Another is PE is looking really good compared to before. And No3 and PO4 seem to drop and or keep steady. I think this is because the live phyto is using the no3 and po4 as a food source along with light until it is consumed by another organisim. You will not see this benefit if you feed dead phyto.

 

[AcroNem]

when you guys feed, do you turn off your skimmer, water pump, and roller filter? For how long?

I turn off mechanical filtration but keep all flow on, many corals will feed better with it. I kick filtration back on after half an hour or so.

 

[canadianeh]

I turn off mechanical filtration but keep all flow on, many corals will feed better with it. I kick filtration back on after half an hour or so.

mechanical filtration = ?

 

[andrewey]

@AcroNem - how much phyto do you feed per day? Are you broadcast feeding or spotfeeding?

 

[AcroNem]

mechanical filtration = ?

Things like your roller filter, skimmer, socks.

 

[najer]

My big tank is 550 litres water volume and I have an Evo 13.5 G , I feed a litre a week of live phyto from my lfs, base of the food chain sort of thing.
I just pour some in with nothing turned off, no idea what my nitrates and phos are.

 

[canadianeh]

I culture and feed live phytoplankton. I feed this everyday to my reef and noticed a few things. One thing si increased growth/basing out on my corals and more pods. Another is PE is looking really good compared to before. And No3 and PO4 seem to drop and or keep steady. I think this is because the live phyto is using the no3 and po4 as a food source along with light until it is consumed by another organisim. You will not see this benefit if you feed dead phyto.

is this claim scientifically proven? I would like to read up more about it if you have the reference

 

[eben]

Forgot to mentio in the initial post, I am specifically refering to LIVE phytoplankton. I know that the "dead" bottles onces may casue nutiant issues. I have updated the post

 

[GabeM]

is this claim scientifically proven? I would like to read up more about it if you have the reference

Phytoplankton is micro-algae and since they are plants they will need to take up N and P in order to live and grow.

What are phytoplankton?

Phytoplankton are microscopic marine algae.

oceanservice.noaa.gov

I only dose the dead stuff and that works well for my system.

 

[Joedubyk]

I culture and feed live phytoplankton. I feed this everyday to my reef and noticed a few things. One thing si increased growth/basing out on my corals and more pods. Another is PE is looking really good compared to before. And No3 and PO4 seem to drop and or keep steady. I think this is because the live phyto is using the no3 and po4 as a food source along with light until it is consumed by another organisim. You will not see this benefit if you feed dead phyto.

This. I know science says a lot of different things, but I dose 20ml a day in a 100g tank and my acros show much more PE. Are they eating it? not sure. but they seem happier.

 

[andrewey]

Phytoplankton is micro-algae and since they are plants they will need to take up N and P in order to live and grow.

What are phytoplankton?

Phytoplankton are microscopic marine algae.

oceanservice.noaa.gov

I only dose the dead stuff and that works well for my system.

Just to be clear, unless the phytoplankton or the organisms that consume the phytoplankton are removed from the system, the total nitrate or phosphate levels in an aquarium will not go down with the addition of phytoplankton. Only the free nitrate or phosphate in the water column will be changed. This can also be applied to the cases of carbon dosing or growing macroalgaes.

 

[canadianeh]

Phytoplankton is micro-algae and since they are plants they will need to take up N and P in order to live and grow.

What are phytoplankton?

Phytoplankton are microscopic marine algae.

oceanservice.noaa.gov

I only dose the dead stuff and that works well for my system.

It says "two main classes of phytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms ". Aren't those two things are some of many things that reefer come here and ask for help to get rid of them from their tank? And yet some of us are dosing them into their tank??

 

[PHXReefguy]

Here is a cool website if someone is looking for a live culture, all in one setup.

Poseidon Reef Systems

poseidonreefsystems.com

 

[AcroNem]

@AcroNem - how much phyto do you feed per day? Are you broadcast feeding or spotfeeding?

is this claim scientifically proven? I would like to read up more about it if you have the reference

It says "two main classes of phytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms ". Aren't those two things are some of many things that reefer come here and ask for help to get rid of them from their tank? And yet some of us are dosing them into their tank??

There are free living Diatoms. Diatoms and Dinoflagellates are just another group of "algae" of which there are many. Many diatom species have been the reason many breakthroughs in invertebrate culture have been made. If you look at several species of phytoplankton in mixed pastes that are sold, and look into them they are Diatoms. All depends on the species.

 

[andrewey]

It says "two main classes of phytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms ". Aren't those two things are some of many things that reefer come here and ask for help to get rid of them from their tank? And yet some of us are dosing them into their tank??

If you thought that was confusing, wait to you learn that the zooxanthellae in the coral and anemones we put in our tank are dinoflagellates