Plankton Lighting

[starypotter]

Hi everyone,
I’m playing around with the idea of culturing some plankton. I see all of these fancy setups with giant jugs and crazy lights...
But in the wild, we know they stay near the surface of the water because... well of the sun, so if I were to put my reactor in a sunny area shouldn’t that be enough? I imagine that algae would be a potential issue since they say to keep fish tanks out of the sun for the same reason. But then we go and put super high powered lights on a tank and make sure we grow the ‘right’ algae instead. So could the same concept be applied to a plankton setup? Am I missing something here?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yep. It works fine. Use I detect light though.
If you do it in the garage all you really need is two cheap fluro tubes.
One cool white one warm white.

Some folks just like complicated rigs.

 

[starypotter]

Yep. It works fine. Use I detect light though.
If you do it in the garage all you really need is two cheap fluro tubes.
One cool white one warm white.

Some folks just like complicated rigs.

The more complications the better right and sorry, I just re-read my original post and am not sure what you're agreeing to. I'm reading it as saying that plankton in a sunny area would be okay?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The more complications the better right and sorry, I just re-read my original post and am not sure what you're agreeing to. I'm reading it as saying that plankton in a sunny area would be okay?

Yes. A sunny spot. However , I think you’ll do better with indirect light. You don’t need much.

 

[starypotter]

Yes. A sunny spot. However , I think you’ll do better with indirect light. You don’t need much.

Oh that's even better thanks @saltyfilmfolks you're always answering my questions lately!!

 

[ZoWhat]

This is what I use to light my tank....all of them

My PAR meter melted

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You’re welcome!

A good article from a friend of ours.
Fwiw, I don’t prefer the miracle grow.
http://www.melevsreef.com/articles/culture-your-own-phytoplankton

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

This is what I use to light my tank....all of them

Pretty much how I Light my sump.
I have big lights for the DT.

 

[starypotter]

This is what I use to light my tank....all of them

My PAR meter melted

Think you might need more, might get some shadows. Add a mirror maybe?

 

[ZoWhat]

Pretty much how I Light my sump.
I have big lights for the DT.

Yeah but how big are your cooling fans?




.

 

[starypotter]

You’re welcome!

A good article from a friend of ours.
Fwiw, I don’t prefer the miracle grow.
http://www.melevsreef.com/articles/culture-your-own-phytoplankton

Good to know! I've read that before but it's always good for a refresher when you get closer! My parents are going to love this one

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Good to know! I've read that before but it's always good for a refresher when you get closer! My parents are going to love this one

There are some culturing kits available. It’s been a while though. Comes with some milder stuff.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yeah but how big are your cooling fans?




.

Ya got me there.

Pretty small.

 

[starypotter]

There are some culturing kits available. It’s been a while though. Comes with some milder stuff.

Culturing kits, ha! I got a bag of plankton off Amazon, I'll dig through the recycles for a soda bottle and I've got some spare tubing, I figure I'll just try it out very small scale first.