Phyto Plantkon

[marinelife]

Just started using a new jar for growing Phyto, here is a picture of the old 2 liter beside the new one, I will be using 3 of the news that will be spaced about 4 days apart for the patch start time

 

[bc_slc]

That is great. Growing phyto can be quite fun. Do you have a plan for trying to clean it up once you have it made? I grew my own phyto for about 2 years and stopped as I was concerned about the nitrogen and phosphates I was adding to the system.

Mat

 

[marinelife]

my understanding with talking to other that have been doing it is that I do not have to clean it

 

[bc_slc]

Well, it depends. Usually it is a good idea if you can. The phytofood or whatever you are using to feed has tonz of nitrates and phosphates, since that is what the phyto use to eat and grow. Those go directly into your tank unless you
1. spin down the phyto and reconstitute with new salt water
2. allow the phyto to consume as much of the nutrients as possible.

Obviously spinning it down is the better way as the phyto become less useful and polute the water as they outstrip their nutrients and begin to die. A poor mans version of centrifuging the phyto culture down is putting it in the fridge (slows the metabolism), allow it to settle undisterbed for 2-3 days, and you will see the darker phyto settle to the bottom leaving a lighter pink fluid above. Poor off as much as you can, leaving the settled phyto below. Then top it back off and add it to the tank as necessary, always remembering to put it back in the fridge to keep the metabolism low.

Mat

 

[marinelife]

this is interesting, All that I have asked have not said anything about needed to do it. I talked with a few breeders that make their own and they never do that, they claim after 5-7 day the food I add to make the stuff grow is so low that it would not hurt anything

What is spinning down the phyto

 

[liveforphysics]

The phyto has a greater density than the water its in. This means if you effectively amplify gravity through centripital force, you can turn your green water test-tube into a concentrated green goo chunk at the bottom of the test tube, with clear water on top. Then you pour off the clear water, add new water without fertilizers, stir, and you have cleaned up the plankton.

If you need a centrifuge, you can DIY them quite easily. When I was really into chem, I machined a dual test-tube holder deal that went into the chuck of a high speed drill. BALENCE BALENCE BALENCE! Balenceing the loads was absoultly crucial, and it ended up snapping the snout of the drill off when i got sloppy with the balenceing and had the drill pinched solid in a vice. I was only in 8th grade at the time, so my dad was pretty relaxed about breaking 2 lights and putting a hole through the wall... But seriously, there are pretty easy safe DIY plans to make a low G centrifuge.

However, I purposely does high nutrient water from my cichlid tank into my reefs.... So I would be the wrong guy to be telling you its important to clean the solution of excess firtilizers before adding.

 

[marinelife]

Thanks Live, I will try with out clean, I do my water changes and have a large skimmer so I will see if my system can handle it