phyto - it's working

[Europhyllia]

My phyto culture is doing well!
:D
http://www.dominopads.com/phytofunnel.jpg

and today:
http://www.dominopads.com/phytofunnel2.jpg

I am growing Nannochloropsis. If anybody wants some starter I can spare a little. :) (for now until it crashes anyway ;) )

Pretty pleased with how well this is going so far!

[Big_Pun]

wow pretty cool where did you get the equipment

[hobogato]

looks great karin. i have four tubes that i am about to spit into eight in my classroom as they are so dark green i can barely see the bubles now. amazing how fun the little stuff can be huh?

[Europhyllia]

Chris I got the funnel and the fertilizer from Florida AquaFarms. :)
Yes it is very fun. I am really hoping I can just harvest with the little spigot and add new sea water to the same funnel rather than starting new funnels since I am doing this on the counter in the guest bathroom and I only have so much space. :D
Plus I just want enough to dose 1/2 cup of it to the tank every day - not for rotifers.
It would be nice to have it hanging on the wall instead of on the counter...

[hobogato]

you should be able to harvest a little and replace the water - just be sure you are adding some fertilizer too (you probably already knew that)

at what specific gravity are you keeping your cultures?

[nubz]

wow thats really cool.

[Europhyllia]

salt content in the culture is very low (20 as opposed to the 35 in my tank). I read the nanno we use could even grow in freshwater and to be careful when dumping it anywhere)

[hobogato]

sounds like you are using the same one i am. mine also came from florida aquafarms. i keep my sg at 1.019 (that is the upper limit of optimal conditions for that strain of nano)

[Mr Cob]

Awesome. I love the look of that setup too!

[cavipower1]

thats so cool id love to do this but i can barely even keep my tank topped off with how busy i am so i dont think this would go too well haha

[allan]

So this is like those bottles of DTs right? Can you refrigerate bottles of the stuff or do you have to maintain that set up indefinitely?

[Europhyllia]

Nannochloropsis is actually one of the strains that is in DT's! Nanno has pretty stable cell walls and would be fine to refrigerate for quite some time.
I've been buying the big bottles of DT's but it will be fun to dose more and pay less. :)

cavi, evaporation isn't that bad since it has a lid on it too.

[lrg]

Sorry to be dumb but what is that and what do you do with it?!!

[Europhyllia]

It's phytoplankton
I grow it
Then I pour into my tank (return pump off) so my soft corals and filter feeders (clams, coco worms, sponges, etc.) get something to eat.
You can also buy live Phytoplankton such as DT's.
Some people culture phytoplankton to feed their rotifers which they raise to feed their fish larvae with.

[kkiel02]

This is definately a project when I get a fish room. Until then I dont think I could swing it with the girlfriend. lol

[moe]

OMG you have to teach me Master.

[versach000]

if my clown make egg i'll try that.
cooool
how much pay for that?

[Europhyllia]

I forgot how much I paid for the funnel. I think the fertilizer was about $7 and will last a long long time. Maybe 10 bucks for the air pump?