My Battle with Dinos

[obrien.david.j]

1 hour ago, Krux said:

I really enjoyed this thread, thank you.

 

I am interested in dabbling into adding phyto to my system, and hoped for your thoughts on the growth system you picked up now that you are a few months further into the system.

I am investigating doing a larger continuous feed system using 3.5 gallon containers having seen some others that have had success doing so.  Do you still love the Poseidon system, and would you buy into it again, or would you look into a different system now that you have had more experience with it?

 

There are a number of commercial phyto reactors that seem to streamline the process a bit, and allow for a smaller footprint for a lager culture, but with no experience having grown or used phyto, I am still deciding which way to go for my system.  I like the idea of doing one larger batch and just topping it off with new water each time I draw off to dose the tank, but it might not be that simple...

 

Thank you for your thoughts.

 

Edit: I should add that I am pretty busy, so finding a streamlined way to do this that may end up more cost effective and/or of higher qquality than just ordering phyto for subscription delivery is more important to me than finding the lowest cost solution - I need efficient more than I need inexpensive!

Thanks for the feedback that the thread has been useful.  BTW, with all my "Correcting nutrients/elements" and getting bio back under control, and now daily phyto dosing and silica addtions...  My sand still has Dinos.  BUT, besides the bit of ugly brown color... The Tank Has Exploded.  Corals growing like crazy/etc.   

On Phyto system, I bought the Poseidon system for the same reasons you list.  Turn Key, Smaller Footprint, just follow their recipe/Fast weekly harvests... less about cost.   And it works.   Simple as that.   I'm running 4 jars growing phyto, I can harvest and restart the setup in 30-45 minutes once every ~7-10 days.   If interested, I can list the other items I'm finding useful to get this fully going.   At this point I'm adding >=32oz of phyto to my tank daily.

What I've gotten out of Poseidon is the concept of Regular Sterilizations.   Every Week everything is new, clean, and freshly wiped down with alcohol.  (new bags and airline hoses, so they start clean).    I'm playing with continuous grow, see other thread, but put it outside because I didn't want more space taken up inside with grow lights.    I'm likely to buy flex LED lights, wrap around the 5gal jar, and move inside - a home made Poseidon reactor.   

1 gallon jars, with bags inside, are easy to harvest and restart - because you just pick them up and pour.  (Poseidon setup)   5 gallon jar needed a spout to make it manageable, which means no internal bags.   So either continuous grow, or more labor intensive full scrub/clean weekly.   (which I'm not doing, so it's continuous grow style for me)

Send me some links to the commercial reactors that streamline stuff, that allow for smaller footprint.  (at a hobbyist scale)  I'd like to research.

And in summary, I started this being more interested in turn key and low footprint, than DIY and saving money.

BTW - if your thinking of ordering Poseidon, ping me first.  I've got some learnings to share on extras to include in the initial order up front.

[Krux]

5 hours ago, obrien.david.j said:

Send me some links to the commercial reactors that streamline stuff, that allow for smaller footprint.  (at a hobbyist scale)  I'd like to research.

And in summary, I started this being more interested in turn key and low footprint, than DIY and saving money.

BTW - if your thinking of ordering Poseidon, ping me first.  I've got some learnings to share on extras to include in the initial order up front.

The largest unit available, 19.5 liters, is just under $700 shipped to the states and the smallest is $475, 1/3 of that being the shipping.  Still looking for a US distributor but this is the one that looks best to me.  It is also possible to get some now discontinued Aquamedic units, but those one needs to find used.

Pac Sun:

https://pacific-sun.eu/shop/filtration-2/filtration/phytoplankton-reactor-pr-series/?attribute_pa_model=phytoplankton-reactor-pr-70-200-19-5-liters-capacity&attribute_pa_plug=usa-power-supply-plug

Aquamedic:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aqua-medic-plankton-reactor.html

 

There are some cottage companies, but I am looking for maximum volume with minimal footprint - I need to tuck it in a corner near the tank and go from there.

 

Did you get the PA storage system sealer thing?  That looks attractive to me, especially paired with a mini-fridge in the basement near the tank to keep the wife happy.

Assuming you just order the bag and tubing kits when the initial ones run out, maybe in bulk?  10 doesn't seem like many when you are running 4 units.

 

Thanks again!

Edited July 1, 2022 by Krux

[obrien.david.j]

On 7/1/2022 at 3:00 PM, Krux said:

Did you get the PA storage system sealer thing?  That looks attractive to me, especially paired with a mini-fridge in the basement near the tank to keep the wife happy.

Assuming you just order the bag and tubing kits when the initial ones run out, maybe in bulk?  10 doesn't seem like many when you are running 4 units.

I did not get the PA storage system/sealer thing.   Much simpler to order 32oz clear bottles (at ~$2/ea) and just wash them.   Also faster to pour them into the tank.

For bag and tubing kits, Yes, I ordered a bunch of extra up front.   

1. ordered it all from Poseidon Reef directly, not through bulk reef.   I could order all the extras at once, plus it then comes with the starter cultures.   When ordering, spare bags/tubes were at a discount.  So I ordered ~5 extra sets, plus set of 200ml fertilizer, plus 4 jars, plus larger air pump.  BTW, I still prefer my old tetra luft air pumps.

2. For bottling supplies, I ordered 32oz bottles, baby bottle drying rack, bottle washing attachment for faucet, and larger funnel to fill them with.

3. For harvesting and restarting, I like really like my 3l beaker which fits almost a whole jar of phyto at once, plus extra 250ml+ plastic beakers to hold restart cultures. 

Amazon orders looked like this:

 

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #14 done - both phyto and pods again

• cooked a little longer than usual.  10days instead normal ~7days (was on vacation, AGAIN!   )
• Pods consumed all their phyto over the 10days, were basically clear water when harvested.
  • I think these can grow faster if I feed them more... 
  • Currently feeding them almost an entire jar of grown phyto each week ... Actually feed a 1.5gallons this cycle

Harvested, and all restarted - #14

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #15 done - both phyto and pods again

• Let cook 11days, I'm liking the higher density/darkness with longer cook/grow toime.
• Pods consumed all their phyto over the 11days, were basically clear water when harvested.
  • Strategy of Aggressively harvesting pods last time worked.   
  • This cycle, took pods about 9 days to make the water clear.  And I just let them stay clear two days and harvested with phyto.

Phyto Harvested, and Not Restarted.  Pods not harvested.

Phyto Harvested, and half way restarted, Pods still to be harvested

Harvested, Both Pods and Phyto restarted

 

 

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #16 done - both phyto and pods again

• Pods completely consumed all phyto in this time window

 

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #17 done - both phyto and pods again

• Pods not growing as fast as I think they should.  may need to rethink this one

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #18 done - AND added a 5th grow out jar!   Thanks to the last club meeting, I picked up another jar - used.  Happy for the increased capacity!

• Pict 1, harvest done
• Pict 2, restarted - with phyto jar #5!  (black airline tubing)

 

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #19 done - first time harvesting 5 jars of phyto

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #20 done !   Updates;

• Repurposed my outdoor grow experiment container into indoor Pod Grow container (big jug)
  • Why, because it's going to be easier to feed them.  When water turns clear, unscrew cap, dump in more phyto.  (there's free space)
• This is one of the Darkest harvests I've had.   Doesn't show as well in the bottles, but was really obvious while still in the jars.
  • @Flash21  - Maybe try this.
• Couple of things done differently.
  • slightly longer grow cycle, about 14days
  • half way through, added another dose of fertilizer
• Looks really good!

Harvested

Restarted

 

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #21 update:

• We've been out of town, so this batch Cooked longer than normal
• Followed the same regime as last time.   Grew >14days, had fish sitter add 2nd batch of fertilizer half way through
• Same result.. Dark good looking Phyto!

 

[islandVib3s]

2 hours ago, obrien.david.j said:

Harvest #21 update:

• We've been out of town, so this batch Cooked longer than normal
• Followed the same regime as last time.   Grew >14days, had fish sitter add 2nd batch of fertilizer half way through
• Same result.. Dark good looking Phyto!

 

I need to get some more from you soon. Maybe the coming meeting if you will be there?

[obrien.david.j]

11 hours ago, islandVib3s said:

I need to get some more from you soon. Maybe the coming meeting if you will be there?

I should be there.  But generally I'm producing to consume myself.  I do occasionally trade... PM me.

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #22 update:

• Same result.. Dark good looking Phyto!

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #23 complete

• continued nice and dark/thick/rich grow outs

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #24 complete

• continued nice and dark/thick/rich grow outs

@John Vinson - Care to start a thread documenting your setup and harvests?

[John Vinson]

@obrien.david.j - I'd be happy to, but I'm not sure how helpful it would be, since I'm just a carbon copy of your setup (only on a smaller scale)!

I had my first harvest a few days ago and I'm starting out by dosing about 250ml to the tank every day.  I'm looking forward to testing my NO3 and PO4 after a week of dosing to see what sort of effect this might have on them.  I'll also start dosing some microbacter7, which should help to balance out any N and P increase and will hopefully be the final blow to the cyano!

[obrien.david.j]

1 hour ago, John Vinson said:

@obrien.david.j - I'd be happy to, but I'm not sure how helpful it would be, since I'm just a carbon copy of your setup (only on a smaller scale)!

I had my first harvest a few days ago and I'm starting out by dosing about 250ml to the tank every day.  I'm looking forward to testing my NO3 and PO4 after a week of dosing to see what sort of effect this might have on them.  I'll also start dosing some microbacter7, which should help to balance out any N and P increase and will hopefully be the final blow to the cyano!

Nice Looking setup.  Although not DIY cheap, I'm enjoying the crispness and ease of the PhytoTanks.

[markv]

You can sure raise phyto Dave, but are you able to raise pods too? How is your pod breeding going?

[obrien.david.j]

2 hours ago, markv said:

You can sure raise phyto Dave, but are you able to raise pods too? How is your pod breeding going?

You sure know how to hurt a guy...   My pods have never really taken off.   I'm either starving them, or just not treating them right.   

Literally this morning I decided I better track the phyto density in the pod jar.   Cleaned up the pods, refilled with fresh phyto, turned off the room lights and snapped this picture.   Going to see how long it takes to get clear.

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #25 complete (Dec 10th)

• Learning - harvested slightly over 2 weeks.  But didn't add mid-grow fertilizer kicker.  
• Harvest is fine, but not as dark-dark grow the last two have been.   
• extra fert isn't required, but help

Before

After

Storage

 

[LastMile]

A few questions for you. 
Are you adding the phyto to the tank main to support the pods, or are you using it more for an additional way to raise your nutrients?

How has it effected those nutrient levels?

What did you decide for the time window you added the phyto to the tank(lights on, off), and why’d you go with that time?

[obrien.david.j]

29 minutes ago, LastMile said:

A few questions for you. 
Are you adding the phyto to the tank main to support the pods, or are you using it more for an additional way to raise your nutrients?

How has it effected those nutrient levels?

What did you decide for the time window you added the phyto to the tank(lights on, off), and why’d you go with that time?

Honest answer for you...   Because many people, including the Dick Mac's Dino facebook guide simply said "Does Phyto, it's good."    Yes, trying to feed pods, yes trying to feed healthy biome, ... Because it was on the Good List, and I went for everything "Good."

Quote from Dealing With Dinos, RevE

Quote

12.0 Dosing Phytoplankton / Zooplankton
Dosing Phytoplankton / zooplankton is incredibly important to the aquatic food chain within our
tanks. They utilize nutrients in the water along with carbon dioxide to reproduce and, in the process,
create essential fatty acids (EFAs) critical to the health and development of most marine organisms.
Dosing a highly concentrated batch of live phytoplankton is only going to benefit your tank.

 

I can't tell if Phyto has affected my nutrient levels.  I can say I've done a lot of things to get my nutrients up (heavy feeding, phyto, baby brine shrimp, ...)   And I've succeeded - NO3 (>100) & PO4 (>0.3) are way up.  And I've never had my corals growing so fast.   But I'm now trying to Very Slowly bring them back down.   I can't say nutrients alone are the reason for good coral growth, chemistry is under control with Moonshiners, lighting seems good, tank is stable.   Things growing.  But do want nutrients lower.

Time Window.    For a while I added every day before going to work, which meant in the dark.   Then switched to when I get home, lights on.   But then tank is murky while I'm home, less enjoyable.  So I'm back to in the morning/dark.

 

 

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #26 complete (Dec 28th)

• Learning - harvested slightly over 2 weeks.  and *DID* add mid-grow fertilizer kicker.  
• Harvest is back to dark-dark grow of the past

 

 

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #27 complete (Jan13th)

• Learning - harvested slightly over 2 weeks.  and *DID* add mid-grow fertilizer kicker.  
• Harvest is back to dark-dark grow of the past