Phytoplankton culture

blueray

Reefing newb
Hi
I am new to this hobby. I just start my tank about 6 months ago. I try to set up the phytoplankton culture for my coral. Does any one here in Chattanooga has culture that I can use as starter. I would be appreciate.

Thank you

Mak
 
You know you can go to bermuda and I believe pet care warehouse has it as well there are different varieties of live phytoplankton foods I would do it that way just get you a bottle fill it with saltwater with a specific gravity of 1.019 dump it in there use lighting instructions and go that route. Shake it daily so it doesnt settle after a month half it up and do it again put half in a bottle for feeding and use the other half as reproductive cells.
 
Ive got several of the florida aqua farms algae discs, swabs, and rotifer screen. I plan on someday culturing my own but havent had the time yet. the algae discs are pretty old so I dont know how long they are good. I dont have any of the growing solution though. I wander if you can just use DTs as the starter batch?
 
Nope, people use to do that, but now they mix three strains of algea into the bottles which prevents you from starting a successful culture.

Just what I've read, don't know for sure.
Brandon
 
Thank for the answers guys. What do you feed you coral? Right now, I use frozen food and seafood ( I chop it up and mix it together) . I feed it every 2-3 days.

Mak
 
I'm feeding two cubes hikari rotifers, 1 cube hikari brine, 1 cube hikari mysis every other night and nori algea on clips on the other days.

What type of corals/fish do you have in your system.

Brandon
 
I feed mostly frozen mysis shrimp, but vary it with home made food (seafood, algae, vitamins, all kinds of good stuff ) accasionally I feed different ocean nutrition flakes (maybe once or twice a week). I feed at least once a day. tank is mostly LPS and fish so I believe in a good feeding.
 
1 Cinnamon Clownfish
1 Sebae Clownfish
1 Pink Tip Haitian Anemone
1 Condy Anemone
2 Toadstool (3.5 inches tall)
3 Kenya tree (4 inches tall , 2 inches tall , 1 inches tall)
4 small Pom Pom Xenia ( 1.5 inches tall)
1 small orage coral sun (1.5 inches wide)
2 small star polyp (1 inch wide)
2 Large mushroom
2 small mushroom
20 Lb. live rock
10 Lb. base rock
 
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I've actually got some good cultures going right now of rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) and Nannochloropsis oculata. I'm looking into bottling and selling locally as well so there's an alternative to DT's around here. Odds are I'll start cultivating a mix in a few weeks to make a blend more similar to what's out there.

If you want, I can send a small starter culture of the Nanno for the cost of shipping/supplies. Should do just fine via Priority mail (it can handle temp extremes, but I've got some 40-hour heat packs). Shouldn't run more than $9-10 delivered. Shoot me a PM or email. If the whole club is interested, you guys can split costs and divide the culture as needed. I've started whole bottle of the stuff with a 1 mL inoculant...normally takes 6-8 days to get a good thick culture going with proper care, see progression below.

culture_startup.jpg

culture_day1.jpg

culture_week1.jpg


LOL, I know it's not a professional setup yet, but if I can drum up enough interest, I plan on investing in some larger 4 feet-tall x 10-12" diameter reactors...

BTW, I may need a "southern region" salesperson in a few months! :mrgreen:
 
hey fred, long time no see! great to see you posting again. Dont be a stranger wed love to have you back on the boards.

Ive been contemplating doing a reactor to grow my own stuff to, glad to know your already doing it, now I can pick your brain! :mrgreen:
 
As I woke up to another inch of snow this morning...I'd rather BE back in TN, not just on the boards!

Any help I can offer I'm glad to. Like I said, if you want a start culture I'd be happy to ship one down there for the cost of shipping.
 
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