Rob,
Nice!
In mention of using Miracle Gro or any land plant based fertilizer….A media called f-media was developed by a scientist named Guillard and was a general formula for culturing marine
phytoplankton. Terrestrial ferts such as micracle gro have a similar ratio(Redfield) of N:P as the f/2, f-media but an area of concern for me would be the levels of trace metals in the terrestrial v. the marine media. Trace metals are critical for healthy growth of both land and aquatic plants/algae but there are many corals that are sensitive to them.
There are off-the-shelf f/2 formulas available but they vary in quality so we make our own from food grade macro-nutrients and reduced metals. When not available we use Fritz’s and have had great success even with finicky species of microalgae.
Species…many people use nannochloropsis that is very rich in a fatty acid called
EPA. However, many organisms need another fatty acid called
DHA, found in T.iso, pavlova, rhodomonas (amongst others). In our discussions with professional breeders they claim that they have a greater egg production and overall health when fed rotifers that have been fed on T.iso.
DHA and the proper ratio of
DHA:EPA is responsible for the proper melanization, eye development, and reduced deformities in fish. Actually
DHA is being added to human infant formula because of studies illustrating better brain development in infants when supplemented with
DHA. Some species of marine organisms are known to synthesize
EPA from
DHA but not the other way around. These more nutritious species are usually more finicky to culture….a warning or challenge.
Finally, not all algae plates or discs are clean. Ciliates can live and grow on these plates. Some ciliates can take an entire culture down within hours. There are sources for very clean liquid cultures that can expedite the entire process. In my opinion it is worth obtaining clean culture as this will increase the chances of success and longevity. Eventhough success can be obtained from using a ready made mix of
phytoplankton it is best to buy a culture with one species in it, that is fresh and specifically for that purpose.
We (AlgaGen) offer starter cultures, and media…so does Aquafarms, CCMP, UTEX, Aquatic Eco-Systems..in addition to others.
Sorry for the ramble…..
