phyto/ rotifer culture

fatboyjoe · 05-22-2006, 08:30 PM

I'm putting a phyto/ rotifer culturing station together and I have a couple of questions. first, I've seen rotifers cultured in plastic bottles and in a small tank. Whats the difference? second, Where do you get ridgid air line tubbing?

fat walrus · 05-22-2006, 09:23 PM

ridgid air line is usually called 3/16th thin wall plastic pipe or tube. Lee's is the most common brand.

**CarmieJo** · 05-22-2006, 10:01 PM

Most lfs will carry the rigid tubing, especially if they also carry freshwater stuff. It is often used for undergravel and box filters.

***Rob*** · 05-23-2006, 03:45 AM

well i think they covered the tubing..

as for the different methods, they are bulk and batch culturing.
bulk simply means you setup a 5 or 10 gallon tank in place of the individual bottles.

then get it going.. and as you need rotifers you siphon water out, filtering the rotifers out of the water, then replace that water with fresh phyto.

batch is the way i do it, and the way i showed in my video

fat walrus · 05-23-2006, 03:52 AM

way to go Rob, didn't even see that other question you just answer. you're still the man.

miketeel · 05-30-2006, 11:59 PM

Where does one obtain the 53 micron collection filter mentioned in the Rotiefer Culturing video?

gwen_o_lyn · 05-31-2006, 12:05 AM

Welcome to TR Miketeel!
Sorry, but I can't answer your question, but glad to have you join us!

EDIT: maybe here? http://www.algagen.com/

**CarmieJo** · 05-31-2006, 12:43 AM

Hi Miketeel! We are glad that you came to see us at TR!

pham411 · 05-31-2006, 01:29 AM

just make sure your cultures are in a cool area. i just had a crash because my house was too hot.

pham411 · 05-31-2006, 01:29 AM

oh and about crashed rotiefers, can i really just scoop the crud on the bottem of the bottle and use that to restart my cultures?

fat walrus · 05-31-2006, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pham411

oh and about crashed rotiefers, can i really just scoop the crud on the bottem of the bottle and use that to restart my cultures?

i think better to start fresh all over. it is a controlled environment and you can only control if you have command at the start

miketeel · 05-31-2006, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwen_o_lyn

Welcome to TR Miketeel!
Sorry, but I can't answer your question, but glad to have you join us!

EDIT: maybe here? http://www.algagen.com/

Thanks, I found a link to a Rotifer sleeve http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/.../5933/cid/1681

***Rob*** · 05-31-2006, 03:20 AM

those will work...

here is where i got mine

HERE

***Rob*** · 05-31-2006, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pham411

oh and about crashed rotiefers, can i really just scoop the crud on the bottem of the bottle and use that to restart my cultures?

yep sure can...

rotifers normally reproduce but cloning themselves in a culture, however when they become stressed they will reproduce sexually but dropping cysts. when the culture crashes you collect the stuff at the bottom (the cycts) and you can start a new culture.

m8298 · 06-04-2006, 11:00 AM

Why is it that the phyto needs 16 hours light, and 8 hours dark? Does it need a photo period for sexual reproduction? Can it be in light 24 hours, or would that cause it to crash?

I was thinking about making a small culture rack to go in my stand above the fuge, where I have NO florescents on all the time. Maybe a clear acrylic rack to sit above the lights, so that the light are between the phtyo and the fuge.

m8298 · 06-04-2006, 01:53 PM

Another idea I read about: has anyone tried using skimate to feed a rotifer culture? Read this article on Seahorse.org: http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/scc.shtml

***Rob*** · 06-19-2006, 12:12 PM

cant comment on the skim mate thing, but interesting article...

for the lighting, its mainly to give the photo synthesis break that is commonly needed my most algae to reach peak reproductions rates.