Phytoplankton Question!!! Need help

[Shelby1317]

To encourage zooplankton to come out and feed corals what time do you add your phytoplankton to you tank??

 

[Mouse]

Your question suggests that you might want to do a little more research into Zoo & Phytoplanctons. The zooplanktons dont "come out" so much as pods and worms do. They are constantly floating around in the water column. When you feed Phyto or Zooplancktonic cultures to the aquarium you are feeding the corals directly allthough the zooplancktons in the water may consume a few phytos. In this instance i would feed two hours before lights out, this should in theory feed both day and nocturnal corals. If you wish to create a natural level of planktonic life in the aquarium then i suggest you set up a refugeum, the bigger the better really. This should support large unpreditated areas of infauna i the system, therefore feeding the preditated show tank with a constant supply, the larger the refugeum the larger the supply, the less you should have to suppliment to maintain optimal nutritional levels.

There are reactors on the market specifically for culturing such planktons check them out below. There from AB Aqualine.

 

[PDD]

mouse,

Do you "raise/grow" your own phytoplankton? If so, can you tell me how much work it is? My concern is that my time get consumed with phyto vs. my tank. I have heard both pros and cons.

I would like to be able to provide my tank with a constant phyto food source (amongst others)via a dosing pump. What do you think?

Thanks for any info.

PDD

 

[liquid]

Actually, on the reef, there's a HUGE difference in the amount of life in the water column during the day vs. during the night. Borneman presented this data in both his MACO course as well as WMC. I've got the data around here somewhere...but I don't have time right now to dig it up.

Shelby: I'm just now getting setup for growing my own phytoplankton and it really doesn't sound like it's all that difficult once you've got it running. Two excellent books on culturing phyto are:

The Plankton Culture Manual, 5th Ed by Frank Hoff
Clownfishes by Joyce Wilkerson

Hoff's book is available from Florida Aqua Farms and Wilkerson's book is available from various online vendors. You could get both books via intralibrary loan from your local library and read them both before you decide what to do.

Also, here's Dwayne Sapp's phyto station that he put together based on plans from Hoff's book:

http://www.reefcentral.com/diy/culture_station.htm

All in all it doesn't sound like it's too much more work to be honest. The key seems to be to keep everything sterile...

hth

Shane
liquid on #reefs