My go at Culturing Phytoplankton...

[moe]

If that is nanochloropsis it doesn't look good to me. Do you have airation going into the bottles? You shouldn't have any visible clumps in a healthy culture when you start to see clumps it is crashing.I don't know how you started your culture but in large production we bleach the seawater (with VERY little bleach) and then dechlorinate. Contamination will cause a culture to crash fast. Then wait a day, add algae + f/2 (nutrients). Within 4-5 days you should have a water column that is uniform in color and dark green. Keep us updated on the progress.

I have the good airation in the tube. I stop them cause I figure it wasn't going to what I read. In addition I don't have the algae paste to feed them. Any more advice before I give up.

[Mr Cob]

I have the good airation in the tube. I stop them cause I figure it wasn't going to what I read. In addition I don't have the algae paste to feed them. Any more advice before I give up.

The algae paste is to feed rotifers not phytoplankton. With the paste you can skip the phytoplankton step if your goal is to raise rotifers.

[Mr Cob]

thank cob, I figure they had crash. do u stop ur culture? How did u know the tubes were from ace? lol My friend say it look like a setup for a bomb lol.

Because I bought some too, and I know his work. I also recognize the little air control valves.

[reddrum]

Moe, did you add any nutrients to start the culture? If not you need too. This is what a lot of people use: http://www.fritzpet.com/algae-food/

Like Mr. Cob said if you plan on raising marine fish larvae I would go with the nano paste to feed rotifers because algae culture is unpredictable and unreliable most of the time.

[moe]

Moe, did you add any nutrients to start the culture? If not you need too. This is what a lot of people use: http://www.fritzpet.com/algae-food/

Like Mr. Cob said if you plan on raising marine fish larvae I would go with the nano paste to feed rotifers because algae culture is unpredictable and unreliable most of the time.

I didn't add any nutrients that are in the market to my culture. If you look at the tubes, the one on the right has some chemicals that I added to experiment with.

I notice it gave me more of thicker, green substance than the control tube. I done with experimenting and would like to culture phyto to feed my tank.

[reddrum]

Moe if you are serious about growing phyto then I would buy some f/2 (F over 2) nutrients. Algae need nutrients like iron in higher doses than you would find in a "normal tank" to grow in dense levels. Your set-up looks good but I think that is what you are missing.

[Jarob]

Really glad this thread has so much attention, this is such an important aspect when people try to raise fry that most do not know of! I def. will be using this information when I get my own place in May and try to do the very same. Thanks for the great info everyone!

[moe]

Really glad this thread has so much attention, this is such an important aspect when people try to raise fry that most do not know of! I def. will be using this information when I get my own place in May and try to do the very same. Thanks for the great info everyone!

make sure u kept us posted. Love to hear what you will be culturing and the progress.

[nubz]

i need to buy some phyto for my copepods, should i add it strait to the fuge'??

[Mr Cob]

i need to buy some phyto for my copepods, should i add it strait to the fuge'??

Yes. Turn your return pumps off for a couple of hours if you have powerheads in the main display to keep water circulating. Turning the fuge off will allow the phyto to sit and for the pods to feed for a bit.