Phytoplankton

[Doglips56]

Hi all. We have a mixed reef with a lot of variety in corals. We just added a small maxima clam. We also have a fairly large mandarin. We have 15 fish in total and most of them are still juvenile. Our DT is 125 g with 125 lbs of rockwork and a 45 gallon sump with refugium.

I have been told I need to dose phytoplankton a few times a week but I was wondering if anyone knows the best place to get it? Does it die if not refrigerated? What is the normal shelf life?

I searched the forum but couldn’t really find the info I was looking for

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Hi all. We have a mixed reef with a lot of variety in corals. We just added a small maxima clam. We also have a fairly large mandarin. We have 15 fish in total and most of them are still juvenile. Our DT is 125 g with 125 lbs of rockwork and a 45 gallon sump with refugium.

I have been told I need to dose phytoplankton a few times a week but I was wondering if anyone knows the best place to get it? Does it die if not refrigerated? What is the normal shelf life?

I searched the forum but couldn’t really find the info I was looking for

We have a great phytoplankton blend for clams and other filter-feeding inverts. Our Phyto-Feast is a highly concentrated blend of 6 species of algae. It must be kept refrigerated and has a 9 month "best by" date. You can find our phytoplankton products at local fish stores (https://reefnutrition.com/store-locator/), or, if you don't have a store that carries us, you can buy direct. Here is our product page link for more information: https://reefnutrition.com/product_phyto_feast.php

If you have any questions for us, please send a message.

Best,
Chad

 

[Doctorgori]

I get mine usually from Live Aquaria. I like either the Nano or Tahitian Blend or whatever its called (its brown) ...
I usually use the bottles to start my own cultures (VERY EASY!) ... when they crash or get contaminated I start another ... The original bottle usually last several weeks in the fridge. Could be longer but I usually use it up.
You can dose straight from the bottle but its so easy to multiply & increase I just use it as a “mother culture”

 

[Doglips56]

We have a great phytoplankton blend for clams and other filter-feeding inverts. Our Phyto-Feast is a highly concentrated blend of 6 species of algae. It must be kept refrigerated and has a 9 month "best by" date. You can find our phytoplankton products at local fish stores (https://reefnutrition.com/store-locator/), or, if you don't have a store that carries us, you can buy direct. Here is our product page link for more information: https://reefnutrition.com/product_phyto_feast.php

If you have any questions for us, please send a message.

Best,
Chad

Hi Chad. I have some of your products here and have used them but realized the lfs sold me long expired product. Maybe I’ll just buy direct from you. I currently have oyster, roti and phyto feast but expired

 

[Doglips56]

I get mine usually from Live Aquaria. I like either the Nano or Tahitian Blend or whatever its called (its brown) ...
I usually use the bottles to start my own cultures (VERY EASY!) ... when they crash or get contaminated I start another ... The original bottle usually last several weeks in the fridge. Could be longer but I usually use it up.
You can dose straight from the bottle but its so easy to multiply & increase I just use it as a “mother culture”

Thank you!

 

[BlennyTime]

Our LFS sells a live phyto they bottle with a local distributor, if you have one near you they may as well. That’s the best one we’ve tried.

 

[Doglips56]

I do know a guy who sells it fresh but the gas to drive to the other side of Atlanta makes it not that cost effective. Thanks!

 

[BlennyTime]

I do know a guy who sells it fresh but the gas to drive to the other side of Atlanta makes it not that cost effective. Thanks!

Where are you in Atlanta? The LFS that I use that has it is in Marietta, Premier Aquatics.

 

[minus9]

There's a better way to dose phyto, it's called EasyBooster from Easy Reefs. Hook it up to your favorite doser and be done. It's awesome stuff and you don't have to worry about keeping refrigerated or mixed up before dosing.
Btw, your clam needs light and lots of it, the myth of needing phyto is exactly that, a myth.

 

[Doglips56]

Where are you in Atlanta? The LFS that I use that has it is in Marietta, Premier Aquatics.

Near Dacula. Premier is just as far. Kevin Heisenberg sells pods and phyto but he’s over there too. May just have to suck it up and drive over there

 

[Doglips56]

There's a better way to dose phyto, it's called EasyBooster from Easy Reefs. Hook it up to your favorite doser and be done. It's awesome stuff and you don't have to worry about keeping refrigerated or mixed up before dosing.
Btw, your clam needs light and lots of it, the myth of needing phyto is exactly that, a myth.

I had it up on rock and it didn’t really seem happy, it actually got knocked down my an urchin or something and landed upright in the sandbed and seems happier, opening up more than I’ve seen but not gaping. I read a pinned article on this site written by a guy who used to wild harvest maxima clams and started a business mariculturing them and he said they need phyto. Maybe they do, maybe they don’t but probably won’t hurt if doses properly?