Phytoculture is only getting light green...

[hunterallen40]

Sorry about the link!
5.5 Inch LCD Digital Microscope, 1000 X 10MP 1080P Photo/Video Zoom Microscope

Yeah, you should be able to see *some* stuff with that. The amount of magnification really depends on the size of the specific phyto you're culturing. Tetraselmis are actually pretty large (so far as phyto go), but the typical green phyto (Nannochloropsis) is quite a bit smaller. I guess there is only one way to know for sure! Pop some under the scope and see if you can see anybody swimming around!

If it's Nannochloropsis, though, they aren't really motile (so far as I have witnessed, at least). They are just tiny green spheres.

If you were curious, I grow the following: Tetraselmis chui, Rhodomonas salina, Nannochloropsis occulata, Chaetoceros sp., Dunaliella sp., T-Isochrysis lutea

 

[hsp]

Yeah, you should be able to see *some* stuff with that. The amount of magnification really depends on the size of the specific phyto you're culturing. Tetraselmis are actually pretty large (so far as phyto go), but the typical green phyto (Nannochloropsis) is quite a bit smaller. I guess there is only one way to know for sure! Pop some under the scope and see if you can see anybody swimming around!

If it's Nannochloropsis, though, they aren't really motile (so far as I have witnessed, at least). They are just tiny green spheres.

If you were curious, I grow the following: Tetraselmis chui, Rhodomonas salina, Nannochloropsis occulata, Chaetoceros sp., Dunaliella sp., T-Isochrysis lutea

Thanks for your advice! Really appreciate it. I will try. My last question is a NNTR! Are you shipping to Sydney, Australia?

 

[hunterallen40]

Thanks for your advice! Really appreciate it. I will try. My last question is a NNTR! Are you shipping to Sydney, Australia?

We do not ship internationally at the moment, but I don't think there's anything that would make shipping a bottle of f/2 problematic. I can look into it for sure!

 

[hsp]

We do not ship internationally at the moment, but I don't think there's anything that would make shipping a bottle of f/2 problematic. I can look into it for sure!

In Australia, you get a 500 ml bottle from The Coral Ranch for AU$60 (US$40) at Amazon (4ml per us gallon). You sell 500 ml for US$20, but it is twice as concentrated (2 ml per us gallon). So, if my math is correct, then a quarter of the price.

 

[Fishguru4u]

I am no expert on phyto culturing, but curious what amount of starter you are using compared to your medium (water)? I know it is recommended to start at 25-50% Culture to medium for the best results. Your initial's look very clear so may not have enough culture to get it going.

I use 64oz glass Ball canning containers (1.9 L) Sterilized them using boiling RODI water (We can/pickle stuff so its easier)
I then use that same water and mix it to somewhere between 1.20 and 1.24 salinity with my regular IO reef crystals. I then fill the glass containers to about 2/3's full, We will call it 40-45oz (1.3-1.5L approx.).
I add about 10-12oz of my split Phyto to color not quantity. I want it to be a nice thick light green, not greenish, not dirty water looking.
I add 3ml of a commercial F/2. Seal it up and add in my sterilized tubing etc and let it run.
16 Hours a day of 6500K LED's. Ideally I run for 7 days turn around but sometimes my work doesn't allow for that so I may pull it a day early or a day late, but 7-8 days is the sweet spot for me at least with my temp and lights.

Only time I have had a bad run is when I tried to skimp on starter. Its hard to do when starting out so I recommend getting twice what you want so that you can culture 1 full bottle, and feed with the other bottle for a few weeks until your culture is large enough to use half as the next starter. Once you are up and running you can scale back but do not go too small to start or you wont have enough product to culture and feed. I would rather have extra that I give away or dump then to short my next batch.

 

[hsp]

Thanks a lot! This makes sense. I have since learned from various inputs, replies, and watching YouTube that I have to start strongly to ensure that Phyto wins the battle. I am doing this now, and it seems to work. Thanks a ton for the idea of boiling the RODI and adding salt into this--less risk of contamination.

 

[Fishguru4u]

No problem, it just makes it easy and less wasteful. Still have some waste water but not nearly what I did before using tap to sterilize and then RODI. Plus this gives that added sterilization to the water.

 

[SumpinFishy]

Great thread, thanks for all the input. I'm looking for clarification/validation. I have been getting phyto from LFS. They had an HVAC issue and wrecked their system, of course when I was down to only a couple ounces left. Owner has been great and I trust his advice. Said a week to get his next batch up.. I would be OK for a week. Or I can try driving out a ways to another reputable LFS and see if they have any... so I turned to the internet. I got a gallon jar and pump. Added about 3/4 gallon RODI with 1.019 salt. I used the 2 ounces I had left and started. After a week there was only the smallest amount of growth. Considering I basically was 2% culture to water, I guess I can't be to surprised. After a week LFS had some ready so I boughtt and added another 6 or 7 ounces. I added more F2. So this is day 11 and still not a lot of action, there seems to be more growing and I shake it everyday to help stir it up. So should I expect this to take a month to get really green? From there I could split and start more viable? I think it's working but thought I would ask for input

 

[Fishguru4u]

You dont have enough base to create anything. To even get a good starter, I would say a minimum of 20%. I get my best yield at around 40% culture to water.

 

[Drowned in Salt]

The green phyto purchased is nanno. Best be cultured in 1.026 or 35 ppt. Naturally you do want to add it to a Aquarium and stay viable till consumed. Nanno can tolerate 1-2 mls F2 however best to add the latter in around 3 days mixed with some rodi to minimise shocking cells it comes in contact with. Temperature should never exceed 30deg C for nanno and there is absolutely no reason why the lights need to be off at all. Get your first batch to a decent green by inoculating at a 1:4 ratio or 1:1 if you have enough starter. You can't go big from nothing, I've done 1:1 splits and 1:20 splits with similar results however the more optimistic splits are a recipe for disaster. Fancy lights are not key having 5000k is key. Aerate the f out of it, keep it away from other cultures. That's my take on culturing phyto. Current cultures are nanno aculta, nanno australis, pavlova and Tetraselmis. I don't see great results if a setup is high risk to cross contamination. Colour could be on point with another strain that's moved in. There are filters for the airline to remove this risk.