Use phytoplankton settlements

[MMM33732]

So my culture of phyto has been doing pretty good for about 2 weeks now. Even with a extremely fast bubbles, some still always settles due to the shape of my container. I also get some growing in circular patterns on the sides of the container where the light is. It always gets much darker once I shake it up of course. If not shaken for a few days it will continue to get lighter. Once shook, is this okay to dose, or should I be filtering it somehow? Once its shook nice and hard, you don't see any large pieces anywhere floating. So is phyto just suspended plant matter or should it be "swimming" and keeping itself in the water column if its good?

[MondoBongo]

from my understanding phyto is non-motile in the sense that it does not have its owns means of locomotion.

mine also settles in the container, and i try to shake it as often as possible. which usually works out to once every couple days or so.

i don't dose mine directly to my tank, rather it goes in to my pod cultures, but i can't say i've seen any negative effects from dosing after shaking it. i also can't really think of a meaningful way to filter it, or what you would want to filter.

as long as it doesn't smell off, i would say you're fine. mine usually smells kind of vegetable like.

[Cdiggy]

When it settles it will eventually die. Mine turns white when it does this. When I store it in the fridge I don't have to shake or stir it as much. As long as it is not turning white you should be alright.

[MMM33732]

So mine seems to keep going clear overnight. It doesn't smell bad and if I shake it, it turns green again. It used to take a few days to turn clear like that, now its overnight. I added more f2 2 days ago in case it was running out of food. Does this indicate anything?

[MondoBongo]

just perhaps that you need more flow. if it is settling that quickly.

after you shake it, i assume it is darker than it was the previous day?

[MMM33732]

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

just perhaps that you need more flow. if it is settling that quickly.

after you shake it, i assume it is darker than it was the previous day?

Its hard to say, but I do believe its darker. There is a TON of flow in there in my opinion, but the shape of the container seems to allow it to settle between where the airlines/bubbles are. I guess I may need to change containers if this keeps up. What about a nano powerhead in there? That would be fine, right?

[MondoBongo]

That should be fine.

[Cdiggy]

As long as the stuff settling isn't turning white it should be fine. What kind of containers are you using? I use 2 liter soda bottles. They work rather well.

[MMM33732]

Originally Posted by Cdiggy

As long as the stuff settling isn't turning white it should be fine. What kind of containers are you using? I use 2 liter soda bottles. They work rather well.

I'm using a thin 5L "space saver" dispensing container sold at walmart. Its footprint is about 2.5"x12" and about 10" high with a spigot on it. The shape seems to let it settle pretty easy even with 3 airlines in it.

[Cdiggy]

2 liter bottles have the round bottom. Keeps it afloat with just 1 rigid tube.