Culturing and feeding Phytoplankton to Coral, Pods and Fish

[Brad Miller]

Culture was very light yellow to white and was amazed to see it a bit greener each day !
Now it is doing really well again and looking great.
I wish I would have known this with some of my other cultures...if they turned yellow I threw them out, thinking it was dead.

 

[Brad Miller]

Culture is still on track and ready to split.
Pics with light on and off to show density;



Trying something new since I have gotten a lot of feedback and information on how to sterilize equipment....
While the culture is still cooking, I am filling up my 2nd culture jar, dosing storage bottles, the pitcher I use to strain the culture into, and the 53 micron strainer in warm water with a little laundry bleach, taking care to swish around and get all surfaces, letting sit for about 1 hour, then letting completely air dry before using them;

 

[Brad Miller]

Split went well.
We’ll see how my new sterilization technique works....
Am cuturing a full jar this time (using 64oz., lucky leaf Raspberry iced tea bottles to store in the refrigerator)

 

[Brad Miller]

10 days later....
Lights on 24/7 to keep temp of culture stable.
Just harvested a full 64 oz bottle.
Since this culture is so dark, I’m using 1/3rd of what I just cultured, then adding 2/3rd fresh made 1.019 saltwater with 3 ml of F2 for this next culture (I was doing 1/2 old culture with 1/2 saltwater previously)
When I harvested the last batch, I weak bleached everything needed to harvest and start next culture, let it air dry, then put it all in a cupboard above my culture station, so it was really easy to do this time.
This culture was rich and very dark compared to last one and it even got off to a rocky start ;Happy

Again, I’m weak bleaching everything for my next harvest and sitting it in a cupboard awhile.
When I first started dosing my cultured phyto, my coral and filter feeders perked up on the 2nd day.
Pods are multiplying rapidly on the glass and am having to clean the glass a bit more often.
Overall....VERY HAPPY with the process and end results so far !

I just got a male McCoskers Flasher Wrasse from Live Aquaria and he’s in my frag tank for observation....he ate all my pods crawling around the frag racks in 3 days...he’s so cool !

 

[Ironworm]

Brad thank you for all the updates, had a few questions.

But Congrats on getting such a large culture

1) Where did you buy your inline filter from?
2) What did you wrap over the LEDs?
3) I see you removed the jar lid, what is that black thing you used to cover the culture?
4) After you bleach everything and it air dries, do you use the equipment as is?

 

[BeejReef]

1) Culturing a mix will result in one variety taking control over time. I cultured multiple varieties but they were in separate systems.

2) No real hard data on this. Most was for pod tanks but I definitely saw an increase in microfauna in the DT when I added some there. My dosing wasn’t consistent though. I wouldn’t dose one week, I’d consistently dose small amounts the next week, and the week after that I’d dump a half gallon in at one time which I always regretted lol.

3) Never measured but I don’t think so. You’re adding life and food to the tank.

4) it isn’t hard. Get a light source, a air pump, rigid tube, 2L bottle and a starter culture. Don’t need food but it’s helpful, get some guliards from Florida aqua farms. Follow directions on starting the culture. Then, once a week remove half the culture and add NSW to it. Use the other half for dosing the tank. Won’t hurt. Keep an eye on nutrient levels if you’re concerned/interested to see results. Don’t add it all at once it just makes your tank cloudy for days.

Picture of my now shut down set up below. I got too busy to devote time to splitting weekly, dosing 3 pod tanks. Harvesting pods and dosing the DT. Plus it was in my sitting room and it’s ugly. I have plans for a hidden version that I may get around to setting up this year.

might be "living room ugly," but that's a pretty clean and sharp looking setup! Next time, go with the expensive schedule 80 colored pipe.. lol.

 

[Brad Miller]

Hi Dusty,
1. My 1/4” od air line fits snugly inside the fittings on these filters.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07149NMRM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2.cut this sheet to wrap around
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CJFQ6F9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
3. 4” fernco cap....plumbing item, drilled holes in it for my bulkhead fittings.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQSCTO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
4. Yes, after bleaching, everything sits in a cupboard, inside my plastic pitcher I use to capture my culture harvest after being strained....then just get it out later when I’m ready.


I made 2 culture jars so I can have one sterilized and ready for the next batch
Here’s the lights, I can just cut to length
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FFZWWNC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Led strip connectors
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XJJMKKH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Led power supply
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01461MOGQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Ironworm]

Hi Dusty,
1. My 1/4” od air line fits snugly inside the fittings on these filters.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07149NMRM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2.cut this sheet to wrap around
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CJFQ6F9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
3. 4” fernco cap....plumbing item, drilled holes in it for my bulkhead fittings.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQSCTO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
4. Yes, after bleaching, everything sits in a cupboard, inside my plastic pitcher I use to capture my culture harvest after being strained....then just get it out later when I’m ready.


I made 2 culture jars so I can have one sterilized and ready for the next batch
Here’s the lights, I can just cut to length
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FFZWWNC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Led strip connectors
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XJJMKKH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Led power supply
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01461MOGQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you, do you have the link for the glass jar from Walmart. I took a quick peak and there is 1000+ results to filter through.

 

[Ironworm]

Thank you, do you have the link for the glass jar from Walmart. I took a quick peak and there is 1000+ results to filter through.

Nvm found it here if anyone else is curious

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Circleware-Mini-Yorkshire-Disp-W-stan/709023741

 

[sde1500]

might be "living room ugly," but that's a pretty clean and sharp looking setup! Next time, go with the expensive schedule 80 colored pipe.. lol.

Thanks! Version 2.0 planning is underway, hopefully I have some free time this summer to implement it. Should be more "living room pretty" lol

 

[sde1500]

10 days later....
Lights on 24/7 to keep temp of culture stable.
Just harvested a full 64 oz bottle.
Since this culture is so dark, I’m using 1/3rd of what I just cultured, then adding 2/3rd fresh made 1.019 saltwater with 3 ml of F2 for this next culture (I was doing 1/2 old culture with 1/2 saltwater previously)
When I harvested the last batch, I weak bleached everything needed to harvest and start next culture, let it air dry, then put it all in a cupboard above my culture station, so it was really easy to do this time.
This culture was rich and very dark compared to last one and it even got off to a rocky start ;Happy

Again, I’m weak bleaching everything for my next harvest and sitting it in a cupboard awhile.
When I first started dosing my cultured phyto, my coral and filter feeders perked up on the 2nd day.
Pods are multiplying rapidly on the glass and am having to clean the glass a bit more often.
Overall....VERY HAPPY with the process and end results so far !

I just got a male McCoskers Flasher Wrasse from Live Aquaria and he’s in my frag tank for observation....he ate all my pods crawling around the frag racks in 3 days...he’s so cool !

Very good looking culture. Glad to see you're starting to get a good process ironed out.

 

[Brad Miller]

Thanks,
It’s been frustrating at times, almost gave up twice, but am doing good now.
Since I’m developing a “system” its making it a lot faster, easier and fun to do.

NOTES:

• I started out dosing 15 ml of Phyto every night in the display tank, at the same time I fed my livestock, for a week.
• Then 25, now doing 40 ml every night, since I’m harvesting more.
• I figured I would use something like the dosing schedule that AlgaeBarn publishes so my tank would slowly get used to it.
• I’m not using the bags inside the culture jar, since I found that to be a pain. If I filled the bag up to start the culture, harvesting it was too difficult, since I couldn’t get the bag out without making a mess.
• I use the drain spout on the jar now to get most out into my strainer and pitcher, then just dump what is left into the strainer to empty the jar.
• I also keep my return pump and skimmer off (Apex feed cycle B) (only run my in-tank power heads for circulation) for 30 minutes while doing this so my filter feeders can benefit as much as possible, otherwise the skimmer would just take out the Phyto. When my return pump starts, the Phyto makes it into the refugium and the skimmer will start 15 minutes later.

I hope documenting all this as others have done here, will help who wish to try this for their tanks.

 

[Brad Miller]

Harvested another dark culture last night.
My system Seems to be working so far so I’ll just keep repeating it now.
Am dosing 100 ml per nightly feeding now.

 

[FlyPenFly]

Wish someone would make a slick setup that's a plug and play system. I would put it downstream of the skimmer and dose it right before the return.

 

[Brad Miller]

Good idea but the Phyto prob would be taken out by the skimmer so quick....
Maybe plug and play but with scheduling the skimmer off for 15 min or so with every dosing pump dose.

 

[fastgoby]

Nice setup. Are you dosing to grow your pods in the tank, or is there another reason?

 

[Brad Miller]

Pods, sea fans and rods, coral and overall health of everything in the display tank

 

[Brad Miller]

I received my microscope yesterday and got to play with it a bit to look at my phyto culture that has been split several times now.
After taking great pains to find which one would be the best for what I want to see in my little saltwater world without breaking the bank, this is the one I went with;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0094JTZOU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here are some pics of the culture that was done on 5/15/19 (just used the last of that batch from the fridge)
All pics were taken with my iPhone looking through one of the stereo eyepieces.
The 2000X one was viewed with immersion oil;

EDITED 6/11/2019
(I had pics of my culture that I labeled Nanno here but the culture of Nanno I bought really turned out to be tetraselmis, thanks to my microscope and a positive I’d from @neilp2006 a post or two down further.
BELOW ARE THE CORRECT PICS OF MY TETRASELMIS CULTURE...SAME PICS, JUST LABLED PROPERLY NOW, THANKS TO @neilp2006

 

[Auto-pilot]

Cool! I grow nano as well, Was wondering if you saw any changes after dosing into your tank???? When I started dosing my sponges started growing a lot but that's about it. Maybe I had other changes with my sps but I tend to be careful because my imagination can get ahead of me. I grow my nano in a 1 gallon jug that's in a bucket! not a very fancy system

 

[Brad Miller]

My acans and Zoa’s perked up a lot after a couple days and all my LPS and SPS seem to be much better....overall I’ve seen a difference for the better concerning everything in the tank, things look bigger, more open and healthier. Pods are multiplying faster too.

I would think that with the fatty acids and being the basis of all life forms, everything in the tank would benefit even though we never notice it.