My Battle with Dinos

[obrien.david.j]

2 hours ago, Eatfrenchfries said:

Currently using portable USB powered air pumps from DHgate at $1.78 a unit and I've had them for over a year with no issues. Paired them with a USB charging splitter to manually control each one.

I bought 30 my first time around and I'm using almost all of them continuously for projects. 

They are also available on Amazon for a few dollars more. 

Looks like going rate is about $8 each, unless I by 50 units - at around $5 each.  Sounds like you found a deal at <$2/ea.

[obrien.david.j]

 

Harvest #30 complete (March 5th)

• Continuing to add mid-grow fertilizer kicker.   
• First harvest of new Tetraselmis culture
• Jar 1 / Jar 5 experiment is interesting
• Copepod cultures continue to be fed PhytoFeast.   They eat more than I realize!

Phyto:

• Nannochloropsis Oculata  (Original Culture, from Poseidon Reef)  <-- 4 gallon jars
• Tetraselmis (new culture from @Eatfrenchfries) <-- 1 gallon jar

Copepods:

• Tisbe (Original Culture, from Poseidon Reef) <-- 1 gallon jar
• Tigriopus (new culture from @Eatfrenchfries) <-- 1 gallon jar

Experiment:  Does air supply matter?

• Swapped Cap/Air Supply between Jar 1 & 5   (Jar 5 had black airhose, now Jar 1 has the black airhose)
• CONCLUSION - Air Supply Matters!  
  • Jar 5 is the lightest (previously darkest, now has Jar 1st air supply/cap)
    • Secchi score 10
  • Jar 1 is the darkest (previously the lightest, now has Jar 5ths original air supply/cap)
    • Secchi score 22

Left is Jar 5, Right is Jar 1 -   It's that obvious.

 

 

[Eatfrenchfries]

I think having a strong sir supply is important. Roiling boil should be big bubbles. Insane how much abuse the phyto can take. Small bubbles are the death of phytoplankton. I try to use air pumps rated for at least double my volume. 4x if I'm teeing off. 

Airline tubing I generally use clear tubes with low flexibility. Easier to see if they are dirtier and alcohol doesn't do the trick anymore. Black is nice because you won't have growth back up your lines. Airline tubing is cheap and replaceable. 

You're right. Pods eat an insane amount of phytoplankton. Especially if you're trying to keep your #s high continuously. Currently making 42 gallons of phyto with 2/3 of that dedicated to 60 gallons of zooplankton.

Live phyto is the best main food but a good supplement I've found is dried spirulna powder, works if you're down on phyto or just boost your #s. A little goes a long way. Not worth culturing your own though. Just don't dose it to your main tanks. I learned the hard way. This works best for pelagic pods, the benthic ones appreciate filter food (roids, blizzard, chili. Just dirties the water fast). RG COMPLETE is a good backup as well

Also feeding  too much phyto too fast will clump and prevent successful molts.  Mostly they just eat it really fast and starve). Another option is to just harvest the pods, replace with the same water you sieved and dial back the amount of phyto fed. I do it when the average temperature is too cold in my room. Cysts are resilient. 

 

 

Edited March 7 by Eatfrenchfries

[obrien.david.j]

14 hours ago, Eatfrenchfries said:

You're right. Pods eat an insane amount of phytoplankton. Especially if you're trying to keep your #s high continuously. Currently making 42 gallons of phyto with 2/3 of that dedicated to 60 gallons of zooplankton.

Live phyto is the best main food but a good supplement I've found is dried spirulna powder, works if you're down on phyto or just boost your #s. A little goes a long way. Not worth culturing your own though. Just don't dose it to your main tanks. I learned the hard way. This works best for pelagic pods, the benthic ones appreciate filter food (roids, blizzard, chili. Just dirties the water fast). RG COMPLETE is a good backup as well

Punch line, I'm moving to daily feedings.  (from every 3-5days, from previously every 7-10 days)

Food choices, life phyto as first choice.  I've heard of using Dried Spirulna.   Between PhytoFeast and RGComplete, which would be first choice?

 

[Eatfrenchfries]

Oof that's a tough one. I personally like RG complete because it comes with ph buffer and ammonia neutralizer. Helps to reduce foam buildup to prolong water changes. Foam is a sign of ammonia. 

I believe live/dead phyto feast is good for feeding but RG complete seems better for culturing purposes. Slightly cheaper as well. 

Reed mariculture owns reef nutrition so it's not like the quality will be different. I think RG complete contains other compounds as well for nutritional purposes. The phyto feast covers diversity. 

In the end. Pods aren't picky. 

[obrien.david.j]

51 minutes ago, Eatfrenchfries said:

Oof that's a tough one. I personally like RG complete because it comes with ph buffer and ammonia neutralizer. Helps to reduce foam buildup to prolong water changes. Foam is a sign of ammonia. 

I believe live/dead phyto feast is good for feeding but RG complete seems better for culturing purposes. Slightly cheaper as well. 

Reed mariculture owns reef nutrition so it's not like the quality will be different. I think RG complete contains other compounds as well for nutritional purposes. The phyto feast covers diversity. 

In the end. Pods aren't picky. 

I just bought a new bottle of PhytoFeast.  So until it's gone...  No decision needed.   

Thanks for your coaching and inputs.

[obrien.david.j]

Harvest #31 complete (March 22th)

• Continuing to add mid-grow fertilizer kicker.   
• Second harvest of new Tetraselmis culture -- Like this stuff.
  • Restarted cultures with 3 nanno/2 tetra (was 4 nanno/1 tetra)
• Copepod cultures continue to be fed PhytoFeast.   I'm feeding them almost daily now.  
  • Got a nice Copepod harvest!

Phyto:

• Nannochloropsis Oculata  (Original Culture, from Poseidon Reef)  <-- 4 gallon jars (dropped to 3 on restart)
• Tetraselmis (new culture from @Eatfrenchfries) <-- 1 gallon jar (increased to 2 on restart)

Copepods:

• Tisbe (Original Culture, from Poseidon Reef) <-- 1 gallon jar
• Tigriopus (new culture from @Eatfrenchfries) <-- 1 gallon jar

 

 

Animated GIF of Tigri pods.   They're Big and Active

 

 

[obrien.david.j]

And a follow-up.  I'd previously promised some microscope attempts on my pods.   Yesterday was too rushed a day to break out the scope.  but I haven't forgotten.