Phytoplankton dosing questionaire...

Engloid · Apr 3, 2011

What factors would make you start dosing phytoplankton? Price, availability, etc?
Why are you not dosing phytoplankton already?
Do you trust the freshness of phytoplankton bought in stores to be alive and fresh?
Is price is part of the reason that you aren't currently dosing phytoplankton?
What would you think a reasonable price for a 16oz bottle of phytoplankton should be (provided it was fresh)?

Thanks for any replies. It is more than just curiosity that causes me to ask.

CJO · Apr 4, 2011

The reason I'm not dosing phytoplankton is simply that I'm too lazy to do so on a consistent basis!

CJ

H@rry · Apr 4, 2011

I'm not convinced that it is necessary or very beneficial; but then I try to keep my tanks as simple as possible (in spite of that, I'm building a DIY controller)! :look_down:

copper · Apr 4, 2011

When I first started I tried a bottle, only thing different I saw was a cyano breakout, probably over dosed. Don't see anyreason to bother trying it again.

Engloid · Apr 5, 2011

copper said:
When I first started I tried a bottle, only thing different I saw was a cyano breakout, probably over dosed. Don't see anyreason to bother trying it again.

I don't think you'd see any benefit at all from just one doseage. I think many people don't continue useage of it long enough to see the benefits...due to the cost of continuing to dose before seeing results. It's discouraging to spend $16 a week on the stuff when you don't see any gains.

From what I have read, you have to slowly increase doseage. The goal is to provide a "colony" of plankton that corals, clams and other animals will eat...without adding so much it dies and creates problems.

I have been dosing 8oz twice a week for a few weeks now, and just went up to 16oz twice a week. I haven't seen any problems at all. It seems like the little feather dusters and small things growing on the rocks are happy...and a couple of my zoanthids that don't eat well by manual feeding are picking up a little bit.

The reason I'm asking these questions is because I have started cultivating it myself. I have the system all setup and working well. I have a surplus of it and am going to try working out a deal with local stores so they can get a FRESH source of phytoplankton, maintain their profit margins, AND sell cheaper to people in the area. That is my hope, but I can't tell them what to sell for.

copper · Apr 5, 2011

I used it for a couple of months, not just one dose. Had a 16 oz bottle and a 34g tank. Paid $16 for 2 bottles shipped. I don't remember the exact recommended dose but 1 bottle lasted +/- 2 months.

Viva'sReef · Apr 5, 2011

I used to dose the stuff religously back in the early 2000's. Never saw any real benefit of using it, if compared to my tank today that does not get dosed.

If anything I would say it eventually led to u wanted algae outbreaks and having to clean the glass more often.

Engloid · Apr 5, 2011

copper said:
I used it for a couple of months, not just one dose. Had a 16 oz bottle and a 34g tank. Paid $16 for 2 bottles shipped. I don't remember the exact recommended dose but 1 bottle lasted +/- 2 months.

I'm a bit nervous about keeping it that long. I know they say it will keep a while when refridgerated, but they also say to shake it daily... and I doubt many people actually do that.

Viva'sReef · Apr 5, 2011

At one point I even remember dosing some super concentrate phyto serum that was in a little vial and eye dropper

PR_Reefers · Apr 5, 2011

I just dose about 5-10ml every other day or when target feeding!

Engloid · Apr 5, 2011

Viva'sReef said:
At one point I even remember dosing some super concentrate phyto serum that was in a little vial and eye dropper

I have seen that, but I'm as skeptical of that stuff as I am buying "live" sand in a bag at the stores. There's only so long that stuff can live without oxygen. Also, by concentrating it too much, it may be taking out some of the nutrients that it needs to live.

I'm just more comfortable using something that I know is fresh. I can't bring myself to pay $16 for a bottle of brownish green liquid that is no telling how old. For all I know, it's all dead and will only pollute my water. By growing it, I know it's often never even been refridgerated before putting it into the tank. If refridgerated, I know it's not been long.