Garden culture

[keithtanbb]

Am exploring the possibility of utilizing chinese urns (easily available this time of year at Chinese new year fairs) to culture food for my tank.Using natural sea water and a pump to aereate /circulate the water. Harness natural sunlight to encourage photosynthesis so as to get green water to feed my marine tank? Just an idea/ feasibility checks from brothers here before committing time /effort in it. Not too sure of temperature issues. (had a koi pond before- algae boom like crazy in it!)

[FuEl]

Think slightly opaque plastic sheets will work better and cost cheaper than glass. The light that pass through is still enough to grow microalgae.

[keithtanbb]

have a circular tempered glass top already from mistake of glass cutter (drilled hole too small for a table-top) have all the raw ingredients save for the NSW to start culturing,just need to know if feasible- as our sun quite intense. But if koi pond water was super green!! should do wonders for marine life!

[lightbolt75]

Yeah.... I am also toying with this idea to grow plankton etc.... so is that a workable idea?

[bawater]

hi keith

yes its feasible with what you have, with a few modifications -

1)do not use NSW raw. If NSW is to be used, it needs to be sterilized.

For a few ltrs u just need to microwave for 10mins or so on high, but for what you need- it needs to be 1micron filtered,uv and ozoned if possible.

it works out to be more cost & sweat. NSW contains a lot of things that you don't want to grow as a culture.

- Artificial salt works best and easy (just add tapwater, age for 24hrs,add fert & algae+ time = big tub of greenwater)

2) Most probably you have this- you need a seed source, a pure strain is the best e.g florida farms algae disks or from anyone else who is culturing locally. Contamination of cultures are common and you need back ups.

If you culture rotifers too - you only need 1 to drop in and you loose the entire algae culture within 30days. (if we count that you hit the max density for home cultures@20 million cells per ml)

3) Most probably you have this too- you need fuel for the algae, to get a good density to harvest you need a fertilizer. If you rely just on whatever is in the water or use tank water - the density may just reach local waters. Scoop 1 liter in a bottle and u will see that local seawater does not have the density you want.

4) the sun will raise temps and evaporation will happen. You need to watch salinity, or over time your tank salinity will also start to rise from feedings. The temp should not kill the algae but this may depend on your strain.

5) the continous cultures over time will have settlements- will be back breaking to clean & restart.

IMHO, hope it helps

[FuEl]

If it is not possible to UV-sterilize or ozone the water, you should filter the water down to 1 micron first. After that just pour chlorine into the whole tank of seawater and leave it to bubble overnight. By then the chlorine would be gone and the culture water will be effectively sterilized. Then add your fertilizer and algae.

[keithtanbb]

I have a set of 3 cannister filter (DIY) with filtration down to 1 micron. Plan to mix up a batch of salt mix , leave over nite with air-pump,small internal circulation pump going. Also have a algal disk left over from previous attempt at phytoplankton coke bottle culturing (culture crashed due to poor maintenance!) , though of this out in the sun concept as we enjoy very good sun light (my koi pond was overtaken by green algaes!!!). But plan initially to keep a part of the urn under shade -keep it cooler than under the direct sunlight -

[zorden]

so how things? look at your avatar and fuel avatar it is making me giddy....

[keithtanbb]

Hi , firstly thanks to all for the input, had put off the garden culture till I can be sure of success...formerly using spare cabinet space to grow phytoplankton (from culte disk i got on the internet from florida farm) I have 1 last disk , anyway last week end just started working on the "garden culture" as in a tub of filtered tap water (0.5 micron) /salt mixed -Oceanic-. Innoculate it with live planktom bottle form -german brand-NOT WORKING OUT! do you think they sterilised them at the factory? Have 0.5 percent evaportion rate (visual calculation) I did use fertiliser . Think I will restart the culture with my last disk of pure florida farm phytoplankton tomorrow-Thanks all

[keithtanbb]

finally put my plans into actions!!!....hey Fuel need your input bro....(haven't gotten that microscope yet to view upclose, but thats part of my plan.

[keithtanbb]

basic ingredient;

1) Phytoplankton culture, soup, bottles from the LFS, tried the german brand - that didn't work , maybe they nuke them so they wont reproduce??need that microscope.....

2) Sunlight -thats free in our tropical climate but please take away the heat!

3) fertilizers, bought some from florida farms, but trying to replicate using miracle grow formula...friend took in from australia ($4 a pack)

4) air tube to circulate the mixture.

5) time....

6) need to harvest and restart the culture in 7 to 10 days....(( mine is at 7th day on these pics.

[keithtanbb]

look lovely!! the green in my pics.Comparing them to the LFS brands and mine is the top right..started feeding my tank with this. Running rowa phos to get rid of excess phosphates from the fertilisers., (I HAVE TRIED CULTURING PHYTO"S IN MY CABINET USING FLAME ANGEL formula before, but since we get nice natural sunlight..came up with this tropical plan.

[keithtanbb]

now with this start up, I can carry out my rotifers, brine shrimp factories!! all for my tank.Please comment if you like. But this is just one way to culture the plankton.I have tried the other methods , but due to climate different , we need our own energy efficient methods.Also need a good strong strain of the plankton to endure the heat...confined radiated heat can be up 38 degrees! here..

[briareos]

You selling plankton now? Hehe

[keithtanbb]

You selling plankton now? Hehe

no dude! have been experimenting for a while on culturing the wonderful planktons,rotifers, brine shrimps to provide steady supply of beneficials food to the reef tank. Found the florescent lighting method not energy efficient.But if we "grow" plankton without too much hassle then it will be just great! Cleared nmy 1st batch using LFS planktons, now will break out my last disk of florida farm pure Phytoplankton! ...wish me luck, will post my findings here.