my new plankton propagation set up:
- Thread starter neoreef
- Start date
neoreef
Member
I like that silicon air line tubing. Very flexible.
I had a lot of trouble getting phyto to grow until I started bleaching the water and the bottles I am using. Here is what I do now:
I mix up 20 ppt salt in tap water in a 5 gallon bucket. I siphon that to fill rinsed out soda bottles about 2/3 full. I can set up about 12-15 at a time. I add 8 drops of bleach to each bottle, cap and shake and store them on the second shelf until needed.
Each day I take a bottle of stored salt water, add 16 drops of BioSafe or dechlorinator, cap and shake. I add 14 drops Micro Algae Grow from Florida Aqua Farms. Then I take my darkest bottle of Nannochloropsis, remove the soft airling tubing from the rigid one that goes in the bottle, and fill up the last third of the dechlorinated, fertilized saltwater bottle, thus innoculating it. I have been transfering the rigid tubing/cap from the used bottle of nanno to the fresh one, and that seems to be OK. If I drop it, or otherwise think it needs cleaning, I can use some rigid tubing for the fresh nanno that I keep soaking in the green bottle on the second shelf. It has bleach water in it, so I have to dechlorinate before I use it.
Any way, the ripe bottle of nanno that I have just taken off line, can be used to feed rotifers.
My plan is to grow the rotifers until I have 4 gallon jugs of 200 rots/ml. Then, each day, take one gallon off to feed the clownfish larvae, and set a new jug up with a quart of rotifers from each of the 3 rotifer jugs left, topping each jug up with a quart of phyto, and re-attach the airlines. In this way, each jug will have 25% harvested from it, fresh phyto each day, and should replace the rotifers harvested with no problem.
That is why I have so many phtoplankton bottles. By the time the clownfish hatch, I want to have 14 bottles handy, 2 for each day that the clownfish larvae are going to need rotifers. I can only fit 10 bottles on my shelves, so I am keeping 4 extra bottles of phyto in the fridge to use as needed.
Sound like a plan?
Cheers,
Kathy
I had a lot of trouble getting phyto to grow until I started bleaching the water and the bottles I am using. Here is what I do now:
I mix up 20 ppt salt in tap water in a 5 gallon bucket. I siphon that to fill rinsed out soda bottles about 2/3 full. I can set up about 12-15 at a time. I add 8 drops of bleach to each bottle, cap and shake and store them on the second shelf until needed.
Each day I take a bottle of stored salt water, add 16 drops of BioSafe or dechlorinator, cap and shake. I add 14 drops Micro Algae Grow from Florida Aqua Farms. Then I take my darkest bottle of Nannochloropsis, remove the soft airling tubing from the rigid one that goes in the bottle, and fill up the last third of the dechlorinated, fertilized saltwater bottle, thus innoculating it. I have been transfering the rigid tubing/cap from the used bottle of nanno to the fresh one, and that seems to be OK. If I drop it, or otherwise think it needs cleaning, I can use some rigid tubing for the fresh nanno that I keep soaking in the green bottle on the second shelf. It has bleach water in it, so I have to dechlorinate before I use it.
Any way, the ripe bottle of nanno that I have just taken off line, can be used to feed rotifers.
My plan is to grow the rotifers until I have 4 gallon jugs of 200 rots/ml. Then, each day, take one gallon off to feed the clownfish larvae, and set a new jug up with a quart of rotifers from each of the 3 rotifer jugs left, topping each jug up with a quart of phyto, and re-attach the airlines. In this way, each jug will have 25% harvested from it, fresh phyto each day, and should replace the rotifers harvested with no problem.
That is why I have so many phtoplankton bottles. By the time the clownfish hatch, I want to have 14 bottles handy, 2 for each day that the clownfish larvae are going to need rotifers. I can only fit 10 bottles on my shelves, so I am keeping 4 extra bottles of phyto in the fridge to use as needed.
Sound like a plan?
Cheers,
Kathy
neoreef
Member
there's no best source. The Wilkerson Clownfishes book is good, but does not go into the bleaching part that I seem to require. The Plankton Culture Manual by Frank Hoff, Florida Aqua Farms, has more complete info, and also a lot of other information about systems that work commercially. Several hobbyists have written stuff online that you will have to search for, since I am not allowed to give reference to other websites that may or may not sell stuff.
You need shop lights or =, fertilizer (Guillard's f/2), low salinity saltwater, an air pump, gang valves, and clear bottles with a drilled cap, and airline tubing, both rigid and flexible. In my case I also needed bleach and dechlorinator.
And a source of algae, either purchased or borrowed from a friend.
I would recommend getting the books above.
You need shop lights or =, fertilizer (Guillard's f/2), low salinity saltwater, an air pump, gang valves, and clear bottles with a drilled cap, and airline tubing, both rigid and flexible. In my case I also needed bleach and dechlorinator.
And a source of algae, either purchased or borrowed from a friend.
I would recommend getting the books above.
neoreef
Member
Originally Posted by hot883
I have no idea the difference between phtyo and rotifers? HELP ME so I'm not ignant. HA!
Don't feel bad, it is confusing. Phytoplankton and rotifers are both plankton.
Phytoplankton are microscopic algae- 2-10 micron plants.
Rotifers are microscopic, but lots bigger, around 100 microns, and they are animals.
Rotifers eat phytoplankton and become very nutritious for tiny fish larvae. Clownfish larvae are too small to eat anything but the smallest planktons, and they need live food. They may not eat if the food doesn't swim!
Fortunately, both phytoplankton and rotifers multiply rapidly, given the right conditions.
I am getting eggs from my friend's clownfish that spawned about a week ago. I will try to raise them on phytoplankton enriched rotifers. I pick up the eggs tomorrow, and I am very excited!
Wish me luck!
I have no idea the difference between phtyo and rotifers? HELP ME so I'm not ignant. HA!
Don't feel bad, it is confusing. Phytoplankton and rotifers are both plankton.
Phytoplankton are microscopic algae- 2-10 micron plants.
Rotifers are microscopic, but lots bigger, around 100 microns, and they are animals.
Rotifers eat phytoplankton and become very nutritious for tiny fish larvae. Clownfish larvae are too small to eat anything but the smallest planktons, and they need live food. They may not eat if the food doesn't swim!
Fortunately, both phytoplankton and rotifers multiply rapidly, given the right conditions.
I am getting eggs from my friend's clownfish that spawned about a week ago. I will try to raise them on phytoplankton enriched rotifers. I pick up the eggs tomorrow, and I am very excited!
Wish me luck!
hot883
Active Member
I definately wish you luck my friend. Dedication and determination is in your blood. I love clowns so I'm very interested in this whole process, that's why I watch, read and ask! Thanks for the explanation. Just because you took the time to answer my question, YOU WILL be successful!