Live or dead phytoplankton?

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Hello all! I am planning on dosing phytoplankton to my 10 gallon NPS tank at night so that my corals can filter feed overnight while I sleep. The question is...would live or dead phytoplankton be better for that purpose? Thanks 🙂

[OPtasia]

Live is always better. For example, the company that makes the phytoplankton coral food I use produces a live blended phytoplankton version (phyto feast LIVE) with a short shelf life and a preserved semi-alive phytoplankton coral food with a longer shelf life (original phyto feast). Using either one to feed your planktivores will provide them a nutritious blend of different single celled algaes. It's great for feeding SPS corals, larval fish and gut loading other foods like rotifers and copepods. If you can afford to feed live or culture your own phyto, that's awesome for your corals and fun to do. If you're wanting less work overall (like me), you go the preserved route. 

[Cannedfish]

Are you turning off your filters?

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

1 minute ago, Cannedfish said:

Are you turning off your filters?

You have to turn off your filters? My filters have no media...they are for flow only. Nutrient export is via water changes and macroalgae.

[seabass]

14 minutes ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

You have to turn off your filters? My filters have no media...they are for flow only.

Then you should be fine if you are just broadcast dosing.

 

14 hours ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

The question is...would live or dead phytoplankton be better for that purpose?

Even with live phyto, the nutritional value continues to go down when refrigerated.  While bottled live, or even dead, phyto might be sufficient, I encourage you to try to culture your own.  In the end, it will save you money, and you'll have an endless supply of fresh phyto.  Check out my article on culturing it.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

I would try to culture phyto, but I don't have the space or time and mom is not too keen on the potential for odor.

[Martin Riggs]

6 minutes ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

I would try to culture phyto, but I don't have the space or time and mom is not too keen on the potential for odor.

Just buy the bottle to dump. It’s space and time consuming. 

[seabass]

9 minutes ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

I would try to culture phyto, but I don't have the space or time and mom is not too keen on the potential for odor.

If you have space for a 2 liter soda bottle, then you have enough room.  Plus, I'd estimate that it takes me no more than 10 minutes a week.  As far as a smell, I wouldn't call it an odor, but there is a slight smell (but not offensive IMO).  Phyto cultures don't have that sulfur smell like some bottled live phyto has.  I'm not saying that you have to, but just that you probably could if you really wanted to.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Hmmm...I will think about it. Let me see if I got the culture routine right; you have a sterilized bottle with an airline and bright light, you add fresh saltwater, algae ferts, and the culture, let it go for a week, harvest, then sterilize bottle and restart...right? Can I use old tank water if I put it through a sieve to remove small algae eating organisms?

[seabass]

22 minutes ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

Hmmm...I will think about it. Let me see if I got the culture routine right; you have a sterilized bottle with an airline and bright light, you add fresh saltwater, algae ferts, and the culture, let it go for a week, harvest, then sterilize bottle and restart...right? Can I use old tank water if I put it through a sieve to remove small algae eating organisms?

TBH, I didn't sterilize the bottle (just emptied out a cheap generic club soda, and rinsed it out with tap water).  For a light, a standard household, 75W equivalent, daylight spectrum, LED bulb in a clamp on fixture works great.

 

I wouldn't use tank water, use fresh saltwater (I'm mixing to 1.019 sg) and ferts (f/2 fertilizer is best, but there are alternatives).  Depending on how large of a culture you start with, it might take a couple of weeks before you are ready to harvest your first batch.  But yes, once it gets going, you can harvest about half the culture every week.  Again, I tend to just rinse out the bottle (I don't believe sterilization is really needed).  A bottle brush will help you clean the sides.

 

So yeah, harvest a liter, wash the bottle, add a liter of new saltwater (w/ ferts) to the culture.  You might need to shake the culture every couple of days, but sometimes I've gone a whole week without shaking it.  Check out this thread where I started a culture from just airborne spores.  It documents how easy it is to start a culture (in this case, from nothing).

 

 

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

I was going to start with 8 fluid ounces (about 232 ml) per culture. How many bottles are required for a decent supply? Can I refrigerate the harvested portion for a few days?

 

EDIT: Almost forgot! Today I saw a 4 ft, 5000k, 4000 lumen LED light for $20. Would that work for the phyto?

[seabass]

 

8 hours ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

Today I saw a 4 ft, 5000k, 4000 lumen LED light for $20. Would that work for the phyto?

It should.

 

I just use a regular bulb like: https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-Equivalent-Daylight-Energy-Efficient/dp/B01EOIBOHQ/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1539917316&sr=8-25&keywords=75w+equivalent+led+daylight

and a clamp on fixture like: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-75-Watt-PVC-Clamp-Light-1102/205504032

 

8 hours ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

I was going to start with 8 fluid ounces (about 232 ml) per culture. How many bottles are required for a decent supply? Can I refrigerate the harvested portion for a few days?

You could certainly do multiple bottles if you wanted.  However, I'd just use a single 2 liter bottle.  Harvest 1 liter each week, saving it in the fridge (it will easily last a month).  If you want to go smaller, use a 1 liter bottle and harvest a 16oz bottle each week.  IMO, multiple cultures are a needless pain.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

7 hours ago, seabass said:

 

It should.

 

I just use a regular bulb like: https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-Equivalent-Daylight-Energy-Efficient/dp/B01EOIBOHQ/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1539917316&sr=8-25&keywords=75w+equivalent+led+daylight

and a clamp on fixture like: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-75-Watt-PVC-Clamp-Light-1102/205504032

 

You could certainly do multiple bottles if you wanted.  However, I'd just use a single 2 liter bottle.  Harvest 1 liter each week, saving it in the fridge (it will easily last a month).  If you want to go smaller, use a 1 liter bottle and harvest a 16oz bottle each week.  IMO, multiple cultures are a needless pain.

Thanks! How much should I feed my NPS tank a day with this? And do they really not smell? My mom is very worried about odors.

[seabass]

The cap stays on all the time (you drill a 1/4" hole in the cap for the air line).  This prevents most of the evaporation, and I think the smell.  The only time I smell it is when I'm harvesting it.  And even then, it's not strong and not offensive.  I'd hate to steer you wrong, but I don't believe the smell is going to be an issue.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Thanks :)

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Here's another question, this time on a setup. I have a 5 gallon tank that I will have two 2 liter bottles in it - one with Isochrysis, one with Nanochloropsis, each on opposite sides of the tank. Since I do not have a drill, both will have plastic wrap for a lid with a small hole in it for the airline. The 5 gallon will be partially filled and heated to the low 70's. How does this sound?

[seabass]

There is no need for a heater or to put the bottles in water.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

Even when my room is in the low 60's?

[Subsea]

4 hours ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

Even when my room is in the low 60's?

 

You overthink too much or you have an abundance of free time and surf hobby forums. This stuff grew in the swamps before mankind existed.  It does not need to be babied.  It will grow faster at a warmer temperature if you need more.  With you just starting out, you should not push the process until you have mastered the few details.

 

Just for curiosity sake, how old are you?  It would help me in the manner in which I give you advice.  I am 70 years old and I have been addicted to the hobby for 47 years.  

[seabass]

6 hours ago, AlmightyJoshaeus said:

Even when my room is in the low 60's?

Yes, both species will be fine at temps in the 60's.  Plus the light might add (just a little) heat.

[AlmightyJoshaeus]

4 hours ago, Subsea said:

 

You overthink too much or you have an abundance of free time and surf hobby forums. This stuff grew in the swamps before mankind existed.  It does not need to be babied.  It will grow faster at a warmer temperature if you need more.  With you just starting out, you should not push the process until you have mastered the few details.

 

Just for curiosity sake, how old are you?  It would help me in the manner in which I give you advice.  I am 70 years old and I have been addicted to the hobby for 47 years.  

I am infamous for overthinking things 🙂 Anyhow, I'm in my early 20's, have been in the hobby since high school and into saltwater on and off for a little over 2 years.