So, you wanna grow phytoplanton?

This is the coolest thing I've found reef wise lately! Growing green is
easy! Check out this website first:


http://www.sjwilson.net/
reef/

This guy has got a really cool set-up. I've got ours set up very
similar. I've been growing the same culture for over a year. When I
first started, I mixed up a 5 gallon bucket and stuck a power head in
it and used it as I needed it. I had a culture bottle or two "crash"
enough times to be very frustrating. That's when I started
researching this stuff!

How can you tell your cultures gone south? It starts to foam, and
the cells fall to the bottom of the jug! It turns out phytoplanton is
very susceptible to bacterial infestations. Working in a hospital made
me think washing my hands before I worked the cultures would stop
this problem. Still had foaming. It wasn't until I changed my mix that
I found the cure! My secret:

   Gasp! Tap water! Even worse, RIVERTON well water (Hey, an
occasional raccoon crawling in never hurt anybody!). "Egads", you
say,"I would never add tap water to MY tank!". Well, here's the scoop.
The city kills the bacteria before it can cause issues, and the bad
crap we don't want in our tank is what the phytoplanton eats! By the
time it goes into your tank, the crap is eaten away! Since I've been
using Riverton water, I haven't had one single crash! And the bottles
get this gorgeous dark green color in about 4 days!
   
   I have a gallon jug to which I add 1cc Kent Declorinator, a little
less than 1 cap fertilizer, and a little less than 1/2 cup instant ocean.
Then, top it off with tap water! It is so easy! When I pour a bottle of
green into the tank, I use about 2/3's. I then use the remaining 1/3
to start the next culture. I always use a new bottle, 'cause I'm
addicted to Diet Pepsi, and I've got a ton of plastic bottles!

Anybody want to try this? I've got unlimited bottles, if you need
some. I can set you up with a start of green. And, if you haven't
already got a shop light, I've got a case of bulbs! One day, I went to
Home Depot, looking for replacement bulbs and this clerk gave me a
case for 1 cent each! I got a case for 32 cents!! But, they are only 32
watts, so my new lights in the basement won't fire them, and Robs
shoplight won't light them,either. But, our green grower does. So, if
you have to buy a light anyway, I got bulbs! They work great for me!

And, when you're buying the air pump, get the cheapest one you
can find.... You don't need much push....

Really? Cool! I should have known from the talking sun-polyps!
Chicks love those things!

Are you still growing green? Are you the one who had different
types of cultures?

   I've been using Florida Aquafarms' version...
And, when I used RO water I had many culture crashes.

Has anyone heard of using Miracle Grow (house plant version) for
our phtyo? I've been wondering about that since my bottle's getting
low. Wouldn't it be the same thing? Are you out there, Mr Algae?

If I were to use anything other than FAF micro algae grow, it would be Shultz instant liquid fertilizer. In fact, I have grown a 20 gallon batch culture using it. The amazing thing was it was growing in a open top aquarium in my greenhouse and lasted a long time without crashing. I never did use it in my tank since I wasn't sure how safe the fertilizer is. I would bet it would be just as safe as FAFUSA's fertilizer, but who knows.

One other thing...A culture may look dark green but still have a relatively low density. I think the measuring stick FAFUSA used to measure the density of a culture is pretty much useless. The only accurate way I have found is a hemacytometer.

Isn't miracle grow a powder?  I've heard (just passing on rumor) that it contains more phosphates then the FAF.  But I don't know if that's true or not.

Maybe my memory is failing, I thought I bought some water soluble MG powder that I sprayed through a garden hose adapter....

That FAF fertilizer smells like no other fertilizer I've ever come across.  It smells just like vitamins.  Anyone up for going to the ag supply store (IFA or Cal Ranch) and getting some liquid livestock vitamins for use a phyto fertilizer?

Adam Blundell wrote: Shane H wrote: What can I use for fertilizer? Mark....  it did come from Mark to start with, didn't it? Adam

If I started using Mark's now famous fertilizer method, I think my wife would start calling me something stronger than fish nerd!

If I'm going to get serious about green water, I've got to get some fertilizer though. Anyone willing to sell some to me on Thursday?

Shane - I'll bring you some fertilizer on Thursday.

So you can't use tank water because it is loaded with bacteria and it will crash the culture.

is that right?

Ryan - thanks for the offer. I'd like to ask you a few more questions about green and rotifers.

Mark - thanks for the offer. I'm sure that exactly what they thought I had in my jar when we went to Dees last month.

Nothing like going out to eat with a tub o'urine under your arm!