My phyto cultures are only getting from a super light green to a slightly darker shade of light green, but never to the dark green which they had when I bought them. I have tried various things, tested pH, etc., but nothing seems to change the issue, despite getting twice a new culture starter from different LFSs. Clearly, I am doing something wrong.
I do the bubbler without stone, process everything as clean as possible (bleach everything beforehand and rinse), use 1 ml of Guillard's F/2 Formula for one litre of culture when I set it up, salinity 26 ppt. I have as lights: (1) Oksoar Grow Light Full Spectrum & Red Blue Spectrum 10 Dimmable Levels with 3 Modes Timing Function left and right of 1.5 litre bottles and (2) on top a Chihiros WRGB45 LED Series 2 at full power. Both are about 14 hours/day on.
My pH is different in different bottles, some bottles have 8.5 and some go up to 10. It doesn't look like there are different outcomes for different ph bottles. I also took one bottle and placed it a bit away from the light to check if there was too much light.
I also asked ChatGPT4o and got:
When cultivating phytoplankton for your marine tank, if the color remains light green indicating low density, several factors could be contributing to this issue:
1. **Nutrient Levels**: Ensure that the culture medium contains all the necessary nutrients, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and trace elements. A lack of these can limit phytoplankton growth.
2. **Light Intensity and Duration**: Phytoplankton require adequate light for photosynthesis. Ensure that your light source is sufficiently bright and that the photoperiod (duration of light exposure) is appropriate. Too much or too little light can hinder growth.
3. **Carbon Dioxide**: Phytoplankton need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Ensure there is enough CO2 in the culture environment, which can sometimes be a limiting factor.
4. **Temperature**: The temperature of the culture should be within the optimal range for the specific type of phytoplankton you are cultivating. Temperatures that are too high or too low can inhibit growth.
5. **pH Levels**: The pH of the culture medium should be monitored and kept within the optimal range. Extreme pH levels can negatively affect phytoplankton growth.
6. **Contamination**: Ensure that the culture is not contaminated with other microorganisms, such as bacteria or unwanted algae, which can compete with the phytoplankton for nutrients and light.
7. **Aeration and Mixing**: Proper aeration and gentle mixing can help distribute nutrients and gases evenly throughout the culture, promoting uniform growth.
8. **Culture Density**: If the initial inoculum (starting concentration of phytoplankton) is too low, it can take longer to reach a high density. Consider increasing the initial inoculum concentration.
By addressing these factors, you can optimize the conditions for phytoplankton growth and achieve a darker green, higher-density culture.
Any ideas on what else I can do to get to a dark green (high density) would be great. I will try and report back. Thanks!
I do the bubbler without stone, process everything as clean as possible (bleach everything beforehand and rinse), use 1 ml of Guillard's F/2 Formula for one litre of culture when I set it up, salinity 26 ppt. I have as lights: (1) Oksoar Grow Light Full Spectrum & Red Blue Spectrum 10 Dimmable Levels with 3 Modes Timing Function left and right of 1.5 litre bottles and (2) on top a Chihiros WRGB45 LED Series 2 at full power. Both are about 14 hours/day on.
My pH is different in different bottles, some bottles have 8.5 and some go up to 10. It doesn't look like there are different outcomes for different ph bottles. I also took one bottle and placed it a bit away from the light to check if there was too much light.
I also asked ChatGPT4o and got:
When cultivating phytoplankton for your marine tank, if the color remains light green indicating low density, several factors could be contributing to this issue:
1. **Nutrient Levels**: Ensure that the culture medium contains all the necessary nutrients, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and trace elements. A lack of these can limit phytoplankton growth.
2. **Light Intensity and Duration**: Phytoplankton require adequate light for photosynthesis. Ensure that your light source is sufficiently bright and that the photoperiod (duration of light exposure) is appropriate. Too much or too little light can hinder growth.
3. **Carbon Dioxide**: Phytoplankton need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Ensure there is enough CO2 in the culture environment, which can sometimes be a limiting factor.
4. **Temperature**: The temperature of the culture should be within the optimal range for the specific type of phytoplankton you are cultivating. Temperatures that are too high or too low can inhibit growth.
5. **pH Levels**: The pH of the culture medium should be monitored and kept within the optimal range. Extreme pH levels can negatively affect phytoplankton growth.
6. **Contamination**: Ensure that the culture is not contaminated with other microorganisms, such as bacteria or unwanted algae, which can compete with the phytoplankton for nutrients and light.
7. **Aeration and Mixing**: Proper aeration and gentle mixing can help distribute nutrients and gases evenly throughout the culture, promoting uniform growth.
8. **Culture Density**: If the initial inoculum (starting concentration of phytoplankton) is too low, it can take longer to reach a high density. Consider increasing the initial inoculum concentration.
By addressing these factors, you can optimize the conditions for phytoplankton growth and achieve a darker green, higher-density culture.
Any ideas on what else I can do to get to a dark green (high density) would be great. I will try and report back. Thanks!
