The first in a series of video episodes is now complete.
in this show i walk you though my setup and show you how i do my phyto culturing and splitting. i did this on a total whim, so if i left out any important info, please feel free to let me know and i will provide the info

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Nice job Rob. Looks to be fairly easy. The 2-Liter bottle looks like something people might drink for St Patricks day! LOL

vidcast are looking great rob!! now we can match voice with face hehe. one thing about using mirical grow for you cultures. being that it is for plants and plants love phosphates, feeding too much phyto culture that uses mirical grow can eventually raise phosphate levels so watch out for that. as for the other stuff, i forgot what it was called, micro algae grow?? dont know if that stuff is high in phosphates. can you clear that up rob.

thanks.... looking forward to the rotifer culture vidcast.

latez

also, how much phyto do you guys feed your tanks??
tank size, amount dosed and when you usually dose is great info..

well of course i guess what you have in your tank matters also..but whatever

Great Work Rob !!!!
I normaly watch the podcas on the go !! ( driving ) ..

I am glad I got this on at home !!

Rob..great job on this vidcast. Man those things look like anti-freeze. So are these like DT's?

That was actually a very good vidcast. The quality was great and screen size was perfect when it came up in iTunes. Bravo!
I was also curious about the phosphates and if it would pose a problem after some time. Would you have to use some phosphate remover?
I really look forward to seeing more vidcasts soon (along with the podcast of course!).

Bravo! I think Rob should with the Oscar! Thanks for the videocast. I have got to be honest, I am obviously still learning about the basics so this is way over my head right now.:rolleyes: However, it was cool to see and get a better understand of what the process is like. Thanks Rob!

Wow Rob!! wow wow wow!! That was excellent. I'm still crackin up about "icky stuff" lmao!!

Can't wait to see more!!

That was an awesome vid cast. The quality was perfect and your explanations were easy to follow, as always! Thanks a LOT. Can't wait to see more. :)

That was totally unbelievable- I'm still in awe!! Rob is the best!!

Rob,

That was an awesome video cast .. very very helpful. I have a setup and have tried growing Phyto with limited results. Gonna try again since watching your vid. Can you please please run a show about the rotifers. That is what I really want to grow to support my new Coral tank.

I do have some questions ... how long do you usually grow the phyto after you split it? I assume it is about 7-10 days.

Some of the source I have read say to use regular tap water for the growing medium. The logic being that the extra phosphate and nutrients actually help grow the phyto ... can you give the pros and cons for this?

Can you talk a little about how you feed your tank the phyto? How much do you use? Are you dripping it? It seems to me that you will produce much more than you can use putting it into your tank on a regular basis ...

Again, very helpful show .. keep up the good work and please follow up with the rotifers!! :D

Thanks,

John

Nice job Rob, that is exactly what I was looking for to start culturing my own. I do have a few questions though.

1. How much do you feed your tank?
2. How long is the shelf live on the phyto you have refrigerated?
3. What type of light is sufficient for culturing?

Rob.,.,. You said that you would talk about the DATES, but you never did. I know they are there for shelf life etc. Please elaborate.

Rob.,.,. You said that you would talk about the DATES, but you never did. I know they are there for shelf life etc. Please elaborate.

I think we should make that schmuck do it over!! :mrgreen:

LOL gwen. ur mean

ok, first off thank you all for the kind words..
i was not comfortable releasing it, but i see i was just being stupid..
ok, so lets see if i can close up these loops...

Phosphates - i dont have any PO4 issues in my tank, but i will test the culture and see what it reads at. i have not any any issues in the more than 12 months i have been doing this.

how much do i feed - i feed 1 cup every few days to my 100 gallon tank

like DTs? - [/B][/B]well kind of, it is a live phyto culture, but not anywhere near as dense as DT's. so while you might feed 1 TSP of DT's you might need 1/2 cup to get the same amount of food in there...

Icky stuff - yes gwen.. this is a technical term... thought you knew that....lmao... ;)

how long between splits - well its usually ready within 4 - 6 days (new cultures take up to 7-9 days). but i have let cultures sit for as long as 2-3 weeks before splitting. but i caution this, they still need to be checked, as many people cant do this.. some people will have a culture that will crash if not split on the x day.

Tap water - all the trusted sources i have read indicate that tap water is a NO-NO. i will see if i can get details later for you

Shelf live in fridge - i have not tested this to the limits but i have kept cultures for about 45 days in the fridge as long as they are stirred daily.

lighting - standard $10 shop lights are fine. mine literally cost $15 including bulbs from the hardware store, its got 2 bulbs and is 48" long..

dates on the bottles - this is simply so you know when the last split was... you can see if you last split it on the 20th and today is the 25th, you can easily see how long its been.. i recommend this over a "due" date, because they can vary too much. the day you split it is the best to put on the bottle.

doing it over again - no way.. lol... no seriously.. i might redo the video, becuase i really want a all encompassing video that leves littel unanswered.. so will i redo it? maybe..

i will add info as needed to this..
thanks everyone..

Rob,

I suggest you hone your skills by doing a video about rotifers. ;)

Thanks,

John

ok, first off thank you all for the kind words..
i was not comfortable releasing it, but i see i was just being stupid..
ok, so lets see if i can close up these loops...




Let me be the first to say that you have nothing to worry about! I will just speak on behalf of the reef chicks of America, Sweden, Canada and anywhere- Your Reef Chick Fan Club is gonna be HUGE!! I am so glad you did release this- keep doing more- you are helping out so many people and you are adorable :mrgreen: I don't mind watching over and over.

And Kevin- I wasn't being mean- I was just saying that I'd love to have more videos of Rob!! I was saying that in a good way ;)

Rob,

I suggest you hone your skills by doing a video about rotifers.

Thanks,

John

thanks.. the video is already done.. just have to do final production
there is also a video on DIY kalk dosing.. that too is waiting final production

thanks.. the video is already done.. just have to do final production
there is also a video on DIY kalk dosing.. that too is waiting final production

sweet cant wait

And Kevin- I wasn't being mean- I was just saying that I'd love to have more videos of Rob!! I was saying that in a good way ;)
Everytime somebody says "Kevin" I am like what??? Huh?? Me?? ;)


And Rob, I hope you don't get any "reefing stalkers" LOL

i really want to get them out.. but im tryign to gauge bandwidth usage becuase these videos are HUGE...lol

so i will get them out as soon as i can.. ;)

Everytime somebody says "Kevin" I am like what??? Huh?? Me?? ;)


And Rob, I hope you don't get any "reefing stalkers" LOL
i know there are like 4 kevins, 2 or 3 johns.. a couple daves...
at least there only one "host"... :)

i really want to get them out.. but im tryign to gauge bandwidth usage becuase these videos are HUGE...lol

so i will get them out as soon as i can.. ;)


Take your time with them, Quality is better than Quanity

And Rob, I hope you don't get any "reefing stalkers" LOL

he he he funny u say that...

lol... yeah... its a little late for that...

And Rob, I hope you don't get any "reefing stalkers" LOL

Too late! He already does.

lmao!!! too funny!! :mrgreen:

Everytime somebody says "Kevin" I am like what??? Huh?? Me?? ;)


And Rob, I hope you don't get any "reefing stalkers" LOL

Rob - Thanks for the followup. That was an awesome vid Cast and a lot of useful information.

Gwen - I know you weren't being mean, you can't be mean :)

Kevin issues!!!!!
When I was swimming in college, there were 3 Kevin's on the team. PRetty hard with a team of only 20 people, but it is true. You can just call me KJif that makes life any easer.

I was thinking of dumb blonde, but KJ is easier to type... DOH!

Do you wanna retract ur statement about me being mean??? :mrgreen:

I'm only kidding of course!!

The DUMB BLONDE retracts his comment about Giggles being mean

Ahem.... one of the DAVES is gonna speak up..........

Great vid-cast! I too really appreciated it. I'm glad to help with the "voice only" projects... I'm so not "ready for prime time TV".

In any case, Rob...yer discounting yourself again (in re: Nervous about release). You are a wealth of information, and a passionate contributor to the hobby. Nobody cares that you had that booger on your chin :) J/K I guess what I'm getting at is that SOMEONE has to have the intestinal fortitude to do what you are doing. Nerves are one thing, but you HAVE to know what you are doing is nothing less than incredible.

Keep up the good work! I'm glad to be a TR family member...

Now... going to check my cultures....

Dave

Oh oh oh oh... last minute input from the "geek" over here... YES, Phosphates are high in a fresh culture and you should really refrain from dumping fresh cultures into your systems. However, the various strains of phyto that we hobbyists use are engineering marvels (even on a unicellular level) and it doesn't take very long for the culture to USE that free resource. Often, the lack of 'fertilizer' is reason for 'crash' of cultures. If you have a healthy and seasoned culture, you will find that phosphats (and nitrates etc. for that matter) are spent and therefore your adding the culture to your system (in reasonable amounts) is of no concern. Of course, if you over do it, and turn your reef into a greenwater display, you will have a world of trouble in itself...

D

Any reason why I can not hear the audio. I can play all the other episodes but this one has has no audio. From what it looks like I am the only one. Bummer

that one i dont know..
there is audio...

what are you using to play the video?

itunes.... It was really weird after I tried to play it I went to your website and got a message that the bandwidth was met for the day. I'll try to download again.

ok.. well let me know if you have the issue again..

Dito, I'm with Kevin keep up the great work Rob. Good things take time, bad thing s just happen.

Well it must be some setting on Itunes that has got out of wack because non of my videos are working. I can however listen to them on my Ipod. Weird! Great work with the vid-cast Rob! Can't wait to see more.

Rob, what an awesome vid! :p

I have to say it will come in handy some day in the far off future when I get a larger tank...and would actually need to do something like this. but it was great information to get!


I think we all know who the first "stalker" will be....or should I say "is"....LOL

I'll have to try this one. A lot cheaper than DT.

Is there a certain temperature? I have an unheated basement.

room temp is acceptable.. 65-75.. the cooler the slower the culture will be

Rob!!!! Finally got a free moment today to watch the vidcast!

Wow! Super! Fantastic! Very informative! Two thumbs up!

*****

Great vidcast Rob. But I can get my swimming pool that color without much work at all. :-)

This was a great episode. Thanks for all your hard work. I wish I knew enough to ask an intelligent question. I am learning so much more since finding TalkingReef.

Great job.......

JIM

Welcome to TR Hardtwist ;)

Great vid. How long do you allow the culture to grow before you divide the batch? Keep up the good work as I personaly am learning a lot!

Great vid. How long do you allow the culture to grow before you divide the batch? Keep up the good work as I personaly am learning a lot!
Thanks for the great comments.
check back on the first page of posts, as i have a long post there answering MANY questions that i forgot to address in the video. (yours is in there)

Wow Rob! Looks like to got lots of new people with this vidcast! Way to go!

Wecome bband, leitefrog, hardtwist and dasssystem1!!! Good to have you hear! :-)

Rob - just curious - how do your tank inhabitants react when you feed them the phyto? Do all the coral polyps open up? Can you see a reaction?

Also, is there a dose rule somewhere? (amount of phytoculture/gallons of tank)?

not really that i know of.
you want to start small, so your tank can adjust to the additional food. but then you can ramp up as needed.

as a basline, i feed about 1 cup every 3 days or so.

Leitefrog... welcome to TR from one Mass victim er... resident..to another!

Dave

BTW... My basement is unheated...and it allows me to keep cultures going REAL slow down there. If I go away, on business or vacation, I take all my cultures from upstairs and put them in the basement. I also have 5 gallon buckets with rots and phyto cultures down there 'in hibernation' all the time.

If you are ever going to get into breeding, whether it be Rob's clownfish or my Seahorses, you will need access to rotifers, greenwater, brine shrimp etc. on a constant basis. Rob's set up is A LOT like mine. Actually, I ditched the 2L bottles after talking with Rob and I now use larger opening containers.

Great vidcast...

Off to a weekend..and to listen about anemone!

Dave

I hope it is ok. I thought I would include a link to the site you referred to in this pod-cast.

Florida Aqua Farms Inc (https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure/agora.cgi?cart_id=7528645.6876*6O5fx37528645.6876)

I have the books "PLANKTON CULTURE MANUAL and CONDITIONING, SPAWNING & REARING FISH WITH EMPHASIS ON MARINE CLOWNFISH" from them. Lots of very good information.

JIM

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…..

Thank you AlgaGen (http://www.algagen.com/home.htm) for the information.


For more information check this site out. Manual on the Production and Use of Live Food for Aquaculture (http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/003/W3732E/w3732e00.htm#Contents)

I know you guys addressed temperature earlier, but I have to ask...

I live in Southeast Texas, where the temperature swings are quick and extreme. I would like to house my culture in my garage, but the temperature in there can go from 40 F in the dead of winter (winter lasts about 45 minutes here) to 90 F in the summer (summer lasts about 11.99 months). I can live with the change in growth rate of the culture, but I don't want to lose the culture altogether. What are your experiences here? Can the phyto and rotifers handle these temperature extremes without crashing?

i dont think they will be able to handle the extremes.
but since i have never tested, i cant say much more than that

I would be worried about swings in temp. A constant environment is usually best. Regarding temperature, many hatcheries use colder temps to give the algae an edge over bacterial growth (or so I have been told). I know at higher temps many microalgae become inefficient in one or another cellular process and leak organics into the surrounding water which can become food for bacteria. There are not too many species (except thermophilic species) of microalgae that prefer 90F (32-33C) in many cases that is approaching lethal.

Regarding rotifers, temperature varies with strain and influences reproductive rate. Each strain has its optimum (S strain 28-35C, L types 18-25C; in general temps should be between 20-30C (68-86F) Hoff and Snell 4th ed. Plankton Culture Manual.

If possible I would recommend renovating closet space into a plankton production area or some other place where temps can be controlled somewhat...just a thought.

My new phyto setup has been running for a week now and my first batch is almost ready to split. I started with 2 - 2 quart containers and I seeded them with a couple of tablespoons of DT's phytoplankton and they are well on their way to a dark emerald green. It is growing faster than I expected since the basement is cool. I will be starting my rotifers after my first phyto split.

Is it nesessary to aeriate and light the rotifers? I was thinking of keeping them in a closet upstairs where it is warmer.

I seeded them with a couple of tablespoons of DT's phytoplankton and they are well on their way to a dark emerald green.
please keep me up to date on this, i have yet to see anyone keep this going past a few cultures, i would be interested in your efforts.

also, i woudl get a few good culture splits under your belt before starting the rotifers, make sure you have a ready food supply for them


Is it nesessary to aeriate and light the rotifers? I was thinking of keeping them in a closet upstairs where it is warmer.
it is not "required", but i always have with no negative effect.

Erik (or I am assuming it is you)....

Great inputs. Thanks for your support! We really do hope you continue to chime in, and pass along your wealth of knowledge in those areas where we are deficient. I, for one, am one of those "Can't understand what you can't see with the naked eye" kind of guys. I'm sure you will help me to become a better, well rounded, hobbyist.

bband,

I have two rotifer cultures. One is in a clear, 5 gallon jug that receives ambient light from the basement window. The second is a 5 gallon bucket that gets little to no light. The only difference I've seen is that the dark container tends to need phyto boosts more often than the lit counterpart. I can tell you that the density of the cultures is not that far off from one to the next. I really think that the little light that the one culture gets helps to keep the phyto in a state of reproduction while the dark container is limited in activity. Both of my cultures are aerated using a length of rigid tubing, flexible tubing, a valve and small pump. I use a bubble rate of about 1 bubble per second. This helps to keep the sludge from forming at the bottom.

Rob,

I too have found that after 3 splits of my cultures (using DTs) that I have a major crash. I've even gone as far as premature splitting to see if I could "head off" whatever is causing the crash. From what I am hypothesizing (and it is truly just my guess) I can only assume that the different phyto species in commercial products, end up competing with each other (larger taking over smaller micron sized cells) and cause the crash. When I culture from fellow hobbyists cultures (typically single strained..more often nanno) I never have a crash that I didn't personally cause or figure in. Here is one of those areas where Erik may be able to chime in and provide some of his own theories.

Dave

I really think that the little light that the one culture gets helps to keep the phyto in a state of reproduction while the dark container is limited in activity. Dave, I agree.
you guys have seen my setup, my rotifers are well lit, and i find that i dont have to add the green water "as" aften as i would with a non-lit setup.
technically, the rotifers to not need light, but their food does. so with the culture vessel lit, the phyto can continue to reproduce in the rotifer vessel.

I too have found that after 3 splits of my cultures (using DTs) that I have a major crash. this is exactly what i hear from others that have tried using DT's, after 2-4 splits, it crashes..

Gotta giggle when I have to spell check and edit your posts before I can understand and/or reply to them :)

I know you said you don't mind my editing your posts... but ..tel em wonk fi uoy od! :)

Dave

lmao... sry guys..
i was in a hurry, and didn't spell check that one...

OK. So the phyto and rotifers wouldn't do well in my garage. Next question... How do I convince my wife to let me set up 4-6 bottles of this stuff in the house? ;-)

:confused: :confused: Promise to clean the bathrooms for a hundred years? Hide them in your closet?

Carmie

My culture stations are in the basement. During Winter, temperatures down there are in the 50's. During the Summer, it's in the 60's. I've had no problems culturing in the basement except that the cultures do take longer to mature at lower temps. This is not a real bad thing, especially given my schedule and travel and such, but could be a problem if I needed a lot of phtyo or rotifers and the supply couldn't keep up with demand.

Dave

Hello everyone:

My first post here. Hows everyone? Looks like some great minds at work here. I have a question. I just started my first phyto culture yesterday using some phyto that I ordered from ebay. Here is the auction where I got it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7756778033&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

My question is how much do I add of the existing culture that I bought from the ebayer? I added about 1/4 cup is that enough? Also I am using a normal light that came with my 55 gallon aquarium is this the right light? I used 5 ml miraclegrow plantfood and 2 ml essential elements in a 2 ltr bottle. The photo period is 16 hours on 8 off. I used instructions that I found on Melvsreef.com.

Thanks everyone

Jay

sounds like your on your way...
i would use more than a 1/4 cup, in fact i would use all of it.. ;) or that first culture could take a long time to get going...

besides that you should be fine.

Welcome to TR Jay... sounds like you are off to a good start there! Marc (Melev) has a TON of good information out there too. Between his notes, Rob's vidcasts, and other information here, you should be okay.

D

Welcome to TR Jay!

How do I convince my wife to let me set up 4-6 bottles of this stuff in the house? ;-)

Tell her it's Green Tea! :)

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.
Very interesting that you actually bring this up. I'm actually working with DHA/EPA and its effects in the brain and cognition. So, I'm very excited about finding food for my tank rich in these essential fatty acids. Do you happen to know AlgaGen whether most saltwater fish are able to utilize EPA as a precursor for DHA?

I did my first split last friday. As I continue to split can I put the phyto into the same container in the fridge for does each split need a separate container?

yep, just continue to replenish the refrigerated bottle.
thats how i do it.. :)

Keep your fingers crossed Rob. Hopefully I will have better luck than others starting with DT"S

My inputs...

I USED to just keep topping off the bottle in the fridge until all of a sudden it went sour. I did a little experiment. For one month, I continued to top off a single bottle and at the same time, create new bottled phyto from clean containers. The clean bottled cultures, if agitated (Shaken) from time to time, but kept sealed, lasted longer than the bottle I was topping off.

I would have to assume that there is SOME die off in the older bottle and by adding new phyto to it, I just contaminated the new stuff I topped off with.

In any case, I now keep new bottles handy for storage and use each until it is gone. At that point, I sterilize them for use later. I don't continue to use the same bottle at all.

Dave

yes, and i shoudl clarify on how i do this.
i have one bottle that i use, adn a second that is stored also.
starting with a full 2 liter, i use that.
as cultures continue to grow, i add them to the second 2 liter.
then when the first is gone, i trasnfer from the second bottle to the first, adn use that.
continue fillign the second bottle.

so here is how my phtyo flow works
starts in culture container.
then to bottle 2
then to bottle 1

this way i dont really have anything older than what i used to fill the second bottle.
that its all new again..

hope that makes sense.

I have another question... I just started culturing nanno and tetra. The nanno, I combine with 35 ppm salt water. The tetra, I use 50 ppm salt water.

Can I premix a couple of gallons each and keep them sealed and stored and just use a little from the jugs when I do my splits instead of mixing a fresh back of each salinity every time I split?

well first off, i hope you mean 35 ppt not ppm (parts per trillion)

second, i am not familiar with tetra, but i have found that nano does best at a slightly lower salinity.. i keep mine at a SG of 1.019-1.020

and on the other comment, that's exactly what i do, and showed in the video. i have 4 gallons premixed with the "food" in it and ready to go as i need it

Oops... that's what I meant, ppt. At work, I'm always thinking in ppm.

Good idea about the food in it.

Oops... that's what I meant, ppt. At work, I'm always thinking in ppm.

Good idea about the food in it.
yep.. if you watch the video, you will see exactly what and how i do mine :D

nice vidio

Just made my second split of my phyto culture. This batch was much darker green but there was a small amout of brown residue in the bottom of the container - what was it?

the residue is normal, over time you will see this continue

my question is a little different.. where can i order the hard tubing?

it should be available at your LFS. almost all of them sell it.

Rob I have made 4 splits so far of my phyto started with DT's. Do I hold the record?

how dark are they getting?

beats my record :(

beats the people i know that have tried it...

would love to see an image of how dark it is..
with the lighting behind it and on...

I compared side by side the split with the new batch after I refilled with RO water and it is quite darker. I have a digital camera on order and it should be here at the end of the week. I will post a picture of the comparison of the next split - #5. I will also finally be able to post some tank pictures!!

I compared side by side the split with the new batch after I refilled with RO water and it is quite darker. I have a digital camera on order and it should be here at the end of the week. I will post a picture of the comparison of the next split - #5. I will also finally be able to post some tank pictures!!
awesome..
yes, i would love to see how its doing.. :)

I posted a picture of the 5th split of my phyto started with DT's in the photo gallery (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/browseimages.php?c=2&userid=352).

Congratulations bband!! Can't wait to hear what the others say! How is your tank liking the doses?

awesome.. it does look like its doing good... :)

I just ordered my starter culture of Nannochloropsis oculata from www.seahorsesource.com (http://www.seahorsesource.com), I will keep you all posted on how it goes.

Rob, where did you get the strainer you used in the video???

I just ordered my starter culture of Nannochloropsis oculata from www.seahorsesource.com (http://www.seahorsesource.com), I will keep you all posted on how it goes.
Rob, where did you get the strainer you used in the video???

awesome, glad to see you went to them.
did you use the talkingreef coupon code to see if there is a discount?

the strainer i have is from here (https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure/agora.cgi?cart_id=689789.5357*ma2n61&product=COLLECTORS)
the one i have is the 4" sieve with the collector

man Wildeone - I can't keep up with you! You're doing one new thing after another and it all looks great!

Thanks for thelink Rob, i couldn't find it!

I didn't use a coupon code, didn't know about it. No big deal though.

One question I have is, the nice guy from www.seahorsesource.com (http://www.seahorsesource.com) who called me to verify my online order, was very nice and helpful. He asked me what size bottles I was using and I told him 2QT. He said whoa, this may an overkill amount of culture. He said they use the 250 ml culture to start like three 10 gallon hex tanks. In the end I figured I would use what I need and see if anyone local needed some.

How much did you use to start?

Do you know how long I can keep it? (may be a ? for algagen)

What size jars did you use? The don't look 1 gallon in the video.



REEFBABY: I am on a roll; I am a driven kind of guy. I always have to be tinkering...its in my blood! Thanks for the compliment!

yes, hes right, 2 QT is WAY to much.. ;)
the smaller one is what you need.

im not sure now long the culture will stay fresh before use, i woudl post to the Algagen forum and ask

i use 1/2 gallon jars (2 QT)

yes, hes right, 2 QT is WAY to much.. ;)
the smaller one is what you need.


I don't think I did a good job of explaining that.

He said the 250ml culture was used to start 3 three 10 gallon hext tanks. he thought it was overkill for my 2 qt jars.

do they offer anything smaller?

No I asked. It's no big deal, it was only like $25, but I just wondered how you handled it (since you like a God around here :)), but it sounds like maybe your cultures were different.

yes, mine were different, as i started them a long time before i knew of algagen

and im no god around anywhere, just a hobbyist like you.. :)

What would happen if the culture was in the light 24 hours? I would like to try growing some next to, or above my fuge. Or if I did that, would I be better off to time my lights 16 hours for the fuge?

i dont knwo the technically reason, but all documentation i have read stated to give them a 16 hours photo cycle..
im sure it has to do them them need a break from photosynthesis in some way

Do you think it's a dumb idea to change the lighting on my refugium to 16 hours to try that? I've alway left it on 24 hours. I use normal output florescents on the refugium.

refugiums are usually best lit on a reverse cycle from your tank.
have the lights in the fuge on when your tank lights are off. this helps add stability to your system and PH. however, light is only required if you have macroalgae (or other photosynthetics organisms) in there.

Macro algae discussion moved here:
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1141

I used to do the reverse light cycle between the refugium and tank. Someone once told me it was better to leave the refugium lights on 24 hours. I don't remember why though. I currently grow Chaetomorpha and Caulerpa in there, mostly Chaeto. I pull the Caulerpa out and put it in the main tank for the fish and Sea Hare to pick at.

Maybe I'll go back to 8 hours of tank light and 16 hours of refugium lights.

Hey,

I have a comment on light cycle and MICROalgae. There have been a number of studies looking at light cycle and effect on nutritional properties of common aquaculture strains of microalgae. In addition to looking at it from a nutritional perpsective there is an economical one as well...the electric bill. In a hatchery where you have hundreds of light this is an issue. As i recall, and anyone who knows better can call me on my BS, light cycles at and under 14 on were not as good nutritionally as well as from a biomass production standpoint. The studies justified, in my mind, an 18-24 hr light cycle. Dark time is important but it turns out is only necessary on the level of seconds for the photosynthetic apparatus to regenerate (or so I recall). Therefore a thick culture will have cells shading each other, which counts as dark time. So with microalgae anyway 24 hours light is probably good. We also have Chaeto growing under lights 24/7 and had gone from a fragile loose filamentous mat(when we first got it) to a tight brillo pad mat with greater elasticity(probably due to lite addtionals of nutrient). I think it is cool stuff.

Well, I just fed my first batch of phyto to my aquarium last night. When I came home from work for lunch today, there were little white bugs all over the glass! I am guessing they are copepods because they are microscopic! This is awesome!

sounds like it...
copepods are VERY small, that is likely what you are seeing..

Rob, I know you have the 4" Plankton collector, do you know how many microns the mesh is?

yep, its a 53 micron mesh

Just curious, would the results be any different through a 25 micron mesh? I was looking at the the collectors on the Florida Aqua Farms site, and I remember you saying you got yours for rotifers.

i think it might be too small, but i cant say for sure. i have always used the 53μ

you could post in AlgaGens forum (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=62) as they are the real Algae experts.. :)

Scott, you can do the phyto thing now, just do it on a much smaller scale. I have scaled back from using 3 2 qt containers to just using 1/3 of the 3 containers. I always has fresh phyto to put into the tank. and it just takes me less than 10 minutes to split and feed.

I would assume with at 26 Gallon you could find 1 qt jacrs and just fill them 1/3 full. It is real simple and I don't have the proof, but I fell as though I am doing a great thing for my tank!

i have my phyto lab set up. now i have a 10 gallon 50/50 light laying around and was thinking about using it for the lighting. does anyone think that would work. or do i need to go in a route of a normal light?

i have my phyto lab set up. now i have a 10 gallon 50/50 light laying around and was thinking about using it for the lighting. does anyone think that would work. or do i need to go in a route of a normal light?
it should work just fine, as long as its long enough for all the containers.

ok thanks alot.

i have one more question. does anyone know what type of miracle grow to use? or does it matter and also how much MG should you use for 2qt split?

I started mine using 5ml of miracle grow per 2qts of saltwater and it's been working good.

now is that just any brand of miracle grow?

ok a few last questions, how do you know the culture is finished, and in the video when rob does the split of existing phyto he didnt mention putting micro algae grow into the split. do you need to use algae grow when you split or just when you start the culture?

the micro algae grow is in the culture medium..
that is, its premixed in the saltwater that i had in the water jug i used to refill the phyto bottles..

i use 1 tsp of micro algae grow per gallon of water (when premixing my culture medium)

I've been using Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose Plant Food. Mine is in a yellow, one-quart bottle and cost me about $5-$6. I found it at either Target or Wal-mart. For my split, I make the medium the night before by mixing salt into RO water to 1.019 SG and adding 5ml of the Miracle-Gro to each two-quarts of medium prior to splitting.

ok i bought the same miracle grow today. cool well i will start on thursday night so everyone wish me luck lol

what is in that miracle gro? mostly iron?

Yeah, I don't use Miricle grow. Algagen warned against using it for Phytoplankton as there may be trace metals in it. Erik at algagen COD'd me some F/2 free of charge ( I paid for the shipping) it is what he uses to feed cultures. Since then I was told by Dan at Seahorsesource.com that he now sells the F/2 product.

If you go to all the trouble to use RODI water, why put trace metals back in in the form of phyto?

.... Since then I was told by Dan at Seahorsesource.com that he now sells the F/2 product.

thanks for the info, i am due to get some more, my micro algae grow is about gone..
will check them out...
thanks

Is there enough Iron to make a difference? I've been having pretty good success with Miracle-Gro, plus it's easier to run out and buy.

I am not sure how much is in Miricale grow, but for the cost of the F/2 I wouldn't risk it. It is $5.99 for the F/2 from seahorse source for about 250ml. I use 1ml of F/2 per liter of culture. I also add 1/2ml per liter on the 3rd day and harvest on the 4th. So that $5.99 feeds 166 liters of culture is my math is right. And since I am only doing 1 liter a week that is a lot of phyto!

i dont know if this will help or not, but some of the culture you gave me duane i kept seperate and i just finished a batch of Miracle Grow culture. i am going to try and go to the university tomorrow and see if a buddy of mine will let me use the digital microscope. if i can in fact do that i will post the pictures and maybe that will tell us how they are compared..

Cool, I don't know if that will tell us anything or not, but it will be cool to see it! I don't think the iron or trace metals will hurt the culture, but I think over time it may effect the other specimins further up the chain.....I think it is time to ring Eriks bell at Algagen and ask him. I will wake him up!

i agree. i am just wondering how "healthy" they are compared. if thats even possible. i hope i get the chance to use it.

Thanks for the wake-up. I am falling asleep in many different positons these days most recently on my feet. The scientist who developed the f-media did so specifically for use with microalgae..phytoplankton. Aquatic "plants" have different needs from terrestrial plants. Both miracle gro and F-media have iron, trace metals, phosphates, nitrates...The f-media has vitamins that are critical for the growth of some microalgae, not sure that Miracle-gro does. I am just going to provide an opinion, if your cultures are growing well then it seems to be working. I just worry that there are trace metals in the miracle grow that could cause problems to/with ones' corals , if not right away then at some other point due to build-up. Microalgae are notorious for absorbing trace metals. It would be a shame to invest all the time, energy and money into a system and have a crash later. There are people in the hobby circuit who spend a great deal of time and energy talking about the importance of reducing trace metals such as copper from nutrient formulas. I am not sure that terrestrial systems are as sensitive.

Regardless, it is great that you are doing this. In our culture room we have reds, blue-greens, dark geens, yellow greens, golden browns, red-browns, brown-browns, pinks, oranges..it is alot of fun.

Kick me I know, I cant seem to download this video direct from the forum or from Itunes, it just times out, ROB what place do you recommend getting cultures from? I was going to order tonight but its late and I will look forward to the answer when I wake up if anyone knows.

A link would be greatly appreciated, Im sure its here but not sure what one to go with.

you can buy them here
http://www.seahorsesource.com/cgi-bin/shop/search.cgi?&category=Foods-Algaes

these are Algagen products, so if you have ANY questions about whats you need or how to use them you can get personal advice from Algagen here, in there forum
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=62

LOL OK that was way to fast, thanks, order on its way.

Its the PhycoPure right? Not the medical grade stuff I assume. Looks like mostly rodifiers

nope its the test tube stuff called Nannochloropsis

Hey Rob - question on the phyto culturing. Can I use a metal coffee filter like the one I bought for hatching brine shrimp instead of the tool you had in the podcast? Or is the coffee filter mesh just a bit too fine?

i have heard of people using multiple paper coffee filters, however, this would likely not make a good tool as it would need to be replaced after each use.

the problem is the screen that is supposed to be used is VERY fine, about 53 microns. a coffee filters is a not that fine

Wow, I can't imagine anything much more fine than that gold metal coffee filter. Water barely moves through it. How much does that screen for phyto cost? Do you remember?

yes, these screens are much finer than those

here is a link to mine
https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure/agora.cgi?cart_id=1653239.27388*WU8xn2&product=COLLECTORS

the diameter is up to you, but you want to go for the μ53 filter

I have never filtered mine yet. When I spoke to Dan at Seahorse Source, he said he has never filtered it either. He does obviously filter Rotifers, but not Phyto. No I did have a crash, but I think it was due to not cleaning stuff enough. But I did use some refrigerated cultre to innoc again and I am back up and running.

I to had my first crash this week. except for i beleive it had to do with the temp of where is was being stored. when i came home and found the crashed phyto the temp was 91.5 degrees.

Are either of you using Miracle-Gro? I was gonna ask if a culture could be re-started with some from the fridge. I haven't crashed yet, but I do get a bit of settling. I've been filtering it out though a paint filter bag that I doubled-up and made a filter similar to the one Rob uses. I'll probably break down and buy the one he posted the link for, not sure. The one I made does seem to be working.

yea im using MG. everything is good untill the temp gets to high then it all settles to the bottom. i had some in the fridge as well and restarted it in a diferent location a cooler location lol and everything is working perfect again. actually it seems like the colder it gets the healthier it looks but im not sure about that yet. :)

Mine as been going really well, growing quick, getting dark, it just seems like there is a fair amount settling also. Is yours like that when it is going good too?

I think that setteling may have something to do with the MG because I have very little. I mean almost negligable setteling, thats why I see no need to strain it.

i have settling in mine. if you remember the vidcast of robs container thats what mine looks like. but i thinking about cutting the MG down alittle and see what happens. it could possibly crash but oh well...

i took a filter bag and made my own like the one rob had. $1 for the bag and i cut the bottom out of a plastic cup and glued it to that cup and then cut another cut and slid that over the first cup sealed up perfectly and it works really well also..

I was at a saltwater meeting today and a question was asked about culturing phyto. The speaker indicated that you should always filter it because whether you are using Miracle Grow or something designed for aquariums it should not go into your tank. This is due to the metals and the nutrients in it. It made sense to me.

the filters that are in question here are the 53 micron plankton filters, these will not filter you the metals or other elements, so thats almost besides the point.

i recommend filtering, as i get mush stronger cultures when filtering on each split.

do you have to? no..

but you just be cause you can drive a car with your feet, does that mean its the best way.. ;)
sorry, thought it was funny, so i threw it in there...

I started my cultures using tap water, previously being sterilized in the microwave. In some cultures I had problems with settling and not in others. I guess this was because of the bulid up of too much nutrients (F/2, salt mix and tap water).

Now I´m using RO/DI water and I dont have any more settling (clumping). I read that settling occurs when there´s excess of Calcium, Magnesium or Phosphorus.

I guess this means that adding too much nutrients can inhibit the phitoplankton growth.

I bought a better air pump than the old one I was using, turned up the bubble rate and my settling was greatly reduced.

That point with Calcium, Magnesium, or Phosphorus is kinda interesting, I hadn't heard that. I am using Reef Crystals, which means there is probably a surplus of Calcium and Magnesium. It's what I use on my tank, maybe I should buy some regualr Instant Ocean for my culture.

I have made three cultures from phycopure and done a split, so far so good.

That is great! In testing the PhycoPure we were able to obtain a bloom even after 7 months in the refrigerator. The thing is, we did not design PhycoPure to be used as a starter. And have found with many cultures that the longer it sits in a container in the refrig the more tricky it is to use as a starter...it has to be nursed back into shape which can be time consuming with not always 100% success. In my opinion it would be much better to buy starter, a mono-culture, and use it specifically for culturing purposes.

Truly anything in a bag or bottle that has some level of shelf life is a product designed for convenience...just my opinion. If you (hobbyists in general) want the best results I suggest buying clean starter, not PhycoPure, not DT's, not PhytoFeast.... IN the past we experimented with large scale cultures of mixed microalgae(Phytoplankton) and got growth but did not get the same performance achieved by using a fresh monoculture, and inevitably one or two of the species took over the entire culture.

We are very proud of PhycoPure, alot of work goes into the product but once again I feel for culturing purposes one should purchase starter specifically for that purpose.

Regarding nutrient..I believe one can over do it as well and create limitations on growth or kill the culture. I think of it like over fertilizing a plant. Once again I worry about using MG in algal culture. I worry (not scientifically substantiated) about excess heavy metal in the trace component and its final affect on the corals. We have access to starters as well as lab grade f/2 media. If you can't find any contact us.

Awesome Erik..
i appreciate the reply and honesty about the products and what there designed for.. :)

My choice was purely out of convenience. I could not obtain a starter locally and did not want to pay the shipping. I had tried a starter from FAF several months ago but it crashed likely due to something I did wrong.

Time will tell if this works out, Ideally I would love to have many different strains going or together. Miracle grow most likey has some things in it. I used the food I had purhased from FAF.

I understand and agree that what ever results I have will not give me the quality or biodiversity Alagens products provides to the hobby.

And have found with many cultures that the longer it sits in a container in the refrig the more tricky it is to use as a starter...it has to be nursed back into shape which can be time consuming with not always 100% success.

I suspected this Erik, thanks for confirming it. I had one crash since I started and I was able to innoc again with some I had in the fridge. Since then, I have been been more consistant in marking my storage dates and rotating the jugs so I always have the freshest to start again if I have to.

I do have a question though, can I get your lab grade F2 from Seahorse Source, or do I need to go to you? And does f/2 need refrigerated?

i do know that seahorsesource has the stuff i use (micro algae grow)
i do not refrigerate it

Rob how much Micro Algae Grow do you use per 2qt culture?

Nevermind, Rob. I found where you said 1 tsp per gallon of medium.

So where can you buy F/2?

This thread has made me paranoid about my Miracle-Gro use. I kinda had the mindset that if it was good enough for Melev, and his tanks are awesome, then it's good enough for me. But when someone says there may be long-term effects from the metals in it...

here is the stuff i use
http://www.seahorsesource.com/cgi-bin/shop/detail.cgi?id=201150

and from a seller i know and trust, have had very good experience with them

Wildeone, SHS has the f/2. I refrigerate because the vitamins are an organic (B12, thiamin). Super concentrated solutions such as Fritz are not refrigerated. Dan at SHS said he does not refrig his and it has been fine. Perhaps out of habit I do it.

Truly anything in a bag or bottle that has some level of shelf life is a product designed for convenience...just my opinion. If you (hobbyists in general) want the best results I suggest buying clean starter, not PhycoPure, not DT's, not PhytoFeast.... IN the past we experimented with large scale cultures of mixed microalgae(Phytoplankton) and got growth but did not get the same performance achieved by using a fresh monoculture, and inevitably one or two of the species took over the entire culture.


im looking to start my own culture of phytoplankton. mainly to feed my current tank, probably will start some rotifers in the future, and then shrimp or something else. starting with a monoculture of Nanochloropsus. would it be possible to also grow a culture of another algae or more, keeping them all seperate. then mixing them together as one to make a feeding culture? if so what would be a good mix?

im looking to get the MINI CULTURE KIT from Florida Farms. they also sell Nannochloris, Tetraselmis and Isocrysis culture disk. should look else where for some cultures? any advice will be helpfull!

Last podcast reffered to Isocrysis as the one to have.. Mixing in tank would be fine. See episode #73

man i love this place!! thanks for the info

Welcome Paintbug! Yeah... I kinda like this place too ;)

Dave

We can supply clean liquid starters if you are interested.

In most cases starting a culture from a plate is the way to go. The idea behind using a plate is to pick single colonies to obtain as clean a culture as possible. Also storing algae plates/discs is easier. The down side of starting from a plate is that it can take days for the culture to "come-up" and if you select for single colonies it can take 1week or more.

If you use clean (no contamination minimal amounts of bacteria) starter from a test tube or other source you will be in slime very quickly...Something to think about.

Thanks for the welcome Dave!!

We can supply clean liquid starters if you are interested.

In most cases starting a culture from a plate is the way to go. The idea behind using a plate is to pick single colonies to obtain as clean a culture as possible. Also storing algae plates/discs is easier. The down side of starting from a plate is that it can take days for the culture to "come-up" and if you select for single colonies it can take 1week or more.

If you use clean (no contamination minimal amounts of bacteria) starter from a test tube or other source you will be in slime very quickly...Something to think about.

im not in a hurry :D. now when you say it takes days for the culture to "come up" are you meaning from the disk? i personally would like to start with a liquid culture, but i have read alot about how much cleaner the culture is using a disc. without having the access to any lab equipment, is there any way to tell?

im the kind of person that likes to research like crazy first, and get it right the first time. im still a few weeks away from starting minimal. one thing i liked about the kit from Florida Farms is it comes with a book on culturing several different things. so that will give me something to read while im waiting on the cultures :D. thanks again for the help!!

ok im just about to order my stuff! :D. i have another question. does anyone use airstones in their cultures? why or why not would that be a good idea? i have plenty of them, just wanted to know if they would cause any ill effects.

Personally not crazy about airstones. They harbor contamination and are hard to clean. The bubbles are finer than necessary in my opinion to grow algae. Rigid rod works well. If you work with rotifers or copepods I would stay away from them. The fine bubbles will get trapped under the carapace of those critters and they will die.

thats kind of what i was thinking. it would end up being like a protien skimmer, and end up killing things, or end up contaminating the culture. rigid rod it stays! thanks.

Great video. I went right out a bought the rubbermaid containers. They work great. I hated the two liters. Just a tip I learned, the hard way, do not try to sterilize them in the microwave. They melt!!!:D Oh, well I will be able to use the extra lids without holes in them I am sure. lol.
Question, do you really use bleach to clean with? Forgive me I am new to phydo growing. Then where can I find RO/DI water without buying a filter system?
Thanks so much, you already enhanced my aquarium experience.

Hi Preacher and :welcome: to TR. Yes you can really use bleach to clean, just make sure it is thoroughly rinsed. For an added measure of security you can use a dechlorinator in the rinse water. If you don't want to buy a unit you can usually buy RO/DI water at the LFS.

Thanks Carmijo for the welcome.
So, what's the deal with miracle grow? Is it safe or not. I have a reef tank 140 gal full of live rock and thriving. I would sure hate to crash it.

Thanks Carmijo for the welcome.
So, what's the deal with miracle grow? Is it safe or not. I have a reef tank 140 gal full of live rock and thriving. I would sure hate to crash it.
if you want to play it safe then steer clear of miracle grow.
while many people have used it, there is always concern about the long term affects

Thanks. When I do get it going, how much phydo. should I feed a 140 gal tank. I have about 14 corals and the tank is half full of live rock and half full of (Lace) Base Rock. I just took everything out of my 55 Gal and made it a fowlr tank, my wife wants triggers and puffers, and put my reef in the 140 gal.

i would start with about 1 cup of average density 2-3 times a week...
do this for a few weeks and adjust as you thing appropriate

It tells me that windows cannot open file because it is uknown, I went to search on web for the right software but this is all it says :/

you need to use the newest version of iTunes/Quicktime to view the videos
you can see more details here in the FAQ section
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/faq.php

Oh ok, I don't like downloading quicktime though because then it starts using it for all the video I have, could you make it so that windows can play it?

when installing quicktime, during the install it asked "what types of files do you want quicktime to open by default" if you want Windows Media Player to remain the main default player just uncheck all of the options/file types this way Windows Media Player will continue to play all the main formats that it can.

also see this FAQ for using iTunes to subscribe to the podcast feed
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/faq.php?faq=talkingreefsite_podcast#faq_talkingree fsite_podcast_subscribe

new instant video added to this thread
you can now view this video right here in the post live

see post #1 to view the video

Thank you Rob!! I just ordered my stater kit from Florida Aqua Farms and hope to get started next week!. Question.

I turn off my protein skimmer when I add the phyto but should I also turn off my UV?

Thanks

yes, UV can kill the live phyto, you may want to turn off the UV for a few hours after feeding phyto also

Thanks! We'll do!

Hey everybody, my first post here. First of all, great stuff here! I started my first batch of phyto 2 weeks ago and split last night. I did have a question, though. Rob, in the video you mentioned keeping the culture medium container sealed to prevent evaporation, which would cause a rise in salinity. I noticed when I went to split my cultures, I had some loss due to evaporation in the cultures themselves. My concern is that over time, by using a consistent SG in my culture medium, and a slowly rising SG in my cultures, eventually the cultures will crash due to high SG. Anybody have any experience with this, or ideas about the best way to prevent it? Can you get an accurate SG reading of phytoplankton with a refractometer? Thanks.

Hello oldschooldino and :welcome: to TR.

I don't culture phyto so I can't really answer your question. Perhaps a refractometer would work although with the algae in there I am not sure.

Hello to all!

Pardon my noobish question buit I need to clarify a few things to set on my 280 gal journey correctly.

What size pump do you require for culturing phyto? How long does a cycle take (after reading I'm guessing 4-6 days if I'm reading correctly?)

Lastly at what mixture does this get feed to the tank at, ie: straight or diluted. I read somewhere on the thread concentrated amount (made me a little confused) LOL

Can this be added through the return lines in an automated system? Valve opening and regulated amount being pulled into the tank by the return pump (ahead of the actual pump not to chop up all the food).

Let me know if possible!

Great site. Love the podcasts!

Big hello form the Great white north!

Thanks for lesson, Rob.
I've been culturing nanochlorpsis for about two months now, in the 1 gal Rubbermaid bottles usine FAF discs. I've use the Micro Algae Grow from, and I've also used Miracle Grow and Kent's Natural Elements in combination; 10 ml MG to 2 ml KNE per gallon. It works out fine and I get nic e dense cultures after about 7 days. I feed my 300 gal system every other day, with two cups of phyto, then one cup... etc. So far, SO GOOD!

Thanks for the vid cast. It was great lesson. :)

Rib & Fishie Nut,
:welcome: to TR!

Rib, size of pump and time all matter on size of cultures, how many, fertilizer and state... that obviously didnt clear much up he he.

You can usually run a few 2 liter bottles or what nots off a small pump, the idea is to lightly rotate the water so your not using a whole lot of air, just pressure to get the air down into the container. I use luft pumps on my cultures but then again I culture en masse.

As far as splits, the 4-5 day mark is typically a fluke unless your running CO2 which gets very tricky. If you follow the batch methods in the plankton culture manual (offered by florida aqua farms) they recommend an 8 day cycle. I split based on cell count and have found my nannochloropsis cultures typically near the end of their growth boom (logarythmic state) at around 24 million cells per ml. So I split at around 22 million cells per ml. This keeps the phyto in logarythmic state where it's not only the most nutritious due to nutrient uptake but also most apt to continue to grow faster in the new vessel. This tends to be around two weeks for the disc starter in a 16 ounce bottle, then around 10 days in a 1 litre, 10 days in a 3 litre after which I move to gallon vessels. The gallon vessels are split on average every 6-8 days some of which I reseed gallons, some I harvest, and some I use to seed 3 gallon carboys which run another 8-10 days.

I count and examine all my cultures (to make sure I'm on track and to make sure I'm culturing nannochloropsis still and not some contaminate) every so often under a microscope with a hemocytometer (which you will probably not need or want to do). I used to use a seechi stick (microalgae counting stick available from florida aqua farms) to ballpark every other day or so until I got used to examining color.

Depending on what you want to do my methods may be a little more anal though.

JRC: Thanks for the info. I just ordered a Seechi stick to monitor my cultures. I go a little over a week and get an nice dark green color, not as dark as DT but dark, and I now it's done. Then I add som A-1 -- ooopt, wrong thread. Then I split it.
So far so good.