Has anyone used Miracle-grow to culture phyto?

sinder255248 · 10/30/2006, 04:44 AM

Hi there, I've been thinking about culturing my own phyto, and came across this link:

http://melevsreef.com/phytoplankton.html

In the link he mentions using Miracle-grow to feed the phyto. Has anyone used this method? I'd be using the blue crystals, can anyone recommend an ammount to add to the salt water before adding the starter culture?

Thanks

Bri

DrBDC · 10/30/2006, 06:26 AM

I used that for awhile. I found I was having phosphate issues and I can't say for sure that was the issue or not. I switched to the microalgae grow which is cheap anyway (10 bucks for hundreds of gallons worth) and I seem to have been the phosphate issues although I run phosban now. In short, just be careful and monitor phosphates.

sinder255248 · 10/30/2006, 08:31 AM

Thanks for the info, anyone else? How much would I add to a 2litre bottle?

barleychown · 10/30/2006, 12:18 PM

I use the liquid, and 5 ml works out to about a cap full.

I agree with DrBDC, watch your phosphates when using this home-grown phyto.

Paintbug · 10/30/2006, 12:53 PM

Micro Algae Grow AKA f/2 is supposed to work better. https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure/...ACRO_NUTRIENTS

take a look here for some more info on culturing. watch the podcast! theres 2 parts, the link to the second is on there.
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2262

Kurt03 · 10/30/2006, 12:57 PM

How are you guys testing your phyto for phosphates to make sure its ok to use?

DrBDC · 10/30/2006, 01:38 PM

Your phyto will have phosphates. All the food you feed does but it has more so you need to have an export method in place.

Kurt03 · 10/30/2006, 01:41 PM

well im talking about the large amounts of phosphates in the mircle grow. Before the phyto consumes most of the phosphate there is a pretty large amount in the culture. I was wondering if theres a way you guys are testing the phyto to make sure that its ready. I figure once it gets pretty dark it will be hard to see any color change using a phosphate test.

DrBDC · 10/30/2006, 04:02 PM

What I've been doing is letting it settle and then pouing off as much of the extra fluid as possible. I do 4 bottles a week that I settle and get rid of 3/4 of the fluid just in case.

Xirxes23 · 10/30/2006, 06:16 PM

i had one start crash, but i do not believe i got enough culture in a 2 liter. Melev says he has not had any issues with it.

DrBDC · 10/30/2006, 07:02 PM

I started this method and haven't had any problems or crashes in a year or more. I used to get a crash every few restarts.

4 cups saltwater right from my water change mix.
2 cups ro/di
1 ml bleach.
let sit overnight or more. I make up about 2 months worth at a time.
2 ml dechlorinator
20 drops MicroAlgae grow
2 cups phyto from previous culture
Let bubble 24/7 and light 18 hrs/day
Harvest in 1-3 weeks.

Kurt03 · 10/30/2006, 07:13 PM

what is the 1 ml bleach for? just to stop any bacteria from growing since you make 2 months worth at a time?

DrBDC · 10/30/2006, 07:19 PM

To kill anything and everything in there that could outcompete and crash.

Acroholic · 10/30/2006, 07:34 PM

I use the liquid Miracle Grow with my phyto cultures. I add 1.5-2ml miracle grow per 2 litre bottle. This is plenty to grow the cultures deep velvet green color, but not too much to add excessive phosphates. I start to check PO4 levels after 2 weeks of culture growth....then harvest cultures when PO4 is < 0.08 , too much longer, the PO4 runs out and phyto crashes. This way I can assure that I am not dosing excess phosphates with my phyto.
I use a cheap seachem phosphate test kit to make it quick and easier to read since you are trying to compare green phyto solution against a green color chip....

10/30/2006, 04:44 AM	#1
sinder255248 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: England Posts: 77	Has anyone used Miracle-grow to culture phyto? Hi there, I've been thinking about culturing my own phyto, and came across this link: http://melevsreef.com/phytoplankton.html In the link he mentions using Miracle-grow to feed the phyto. Has anyone used this method? I'd be using the blue crystals, can anyone recommend an ammount to add to the salt water before adding the starter culture? Thanks Bri __________________ 72g Bowfront, 2 x 150w 10k MH and 110w Actinic, Berlin XL Skimmer, 40kg LR, DSB, 2 x Maxi-Jet 900 and 1 x Seio 620, Fluval 300 canister.

10/30/2006, 06:26 AM	#2
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	I used that for awhile. I found I was having phosphate issues and I can't say for sure that was the issue or not. I switched to the microalgae grow which is cheap anyway (10 bucks for hundreds of gallons worth) and I seem to have been the phosphate issues although I run phosban now. In short, just be careful and monitor phosphates. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

10/30/2006, 08:31 AM	#3
sinder255248 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: England Posts: 77	Thanks for the info, anyone else? How much would I add to a 2litre bottle? __________________ 72g Bowfront, 2 x 150w 10k MH and 110w Actinic, Berlin XL Skimmer, 40kg LR, DSB, 2 x Maxi-Jet 900 and 1 x Seio 620, Fluval 300 canister.

10/30/2006, 12:53 PM	#5
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	Micro Algae Grow AKA f/2 is supposed to work better. https://3kserver7.com/~frank/secure/...ACRO_NUTRIENTS take a look here for some more info on culturing. watch the podcast! theres 2 parts, the link to the second is on there. http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2262 __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

10/30/2006, 01:38 PM	#7
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	Your phyto will have phosphates. All the food you feed does but it has more so you need to have an export method in place. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

10/30/2006, 12:18 PM	#4
barleychown Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 53	I use the liquid, and 5 ml works out to about a cap full. I agree with DrBDC, watch your phosphates when using this home-grown phyto.

10/30/2006, 12:57 PM	#6
Kurt03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,602	How are you guys testing your phyto for phosphates to make sure its ok to use?

10/30/2006, 01:41 PM	#8
Kurt03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,602	well im talking about the large amounts of phosphates in the mircle grow. Before the phyto consumes most of the phosphate there is a pretty large amount in the culture. I was wondering if theres a way you guys are testing the phyto to make sure that its ready. I figure once it gets pretty dark it will be hard to see any color change using a phosphate test.

10/30/2006, 04:02 PM	#9
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	What I've been doing is letting it settle and then pouing off as much of the extra fluid as possible. I do 4 bottles a week that I settle and get rid of 3/4 of the fluid just in case. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

10/30/2006, 06:16 PM	#10
Xirxes23 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 607	i had one start crash, but i do not believe i got enough culture in a 2 liter. Melev says he has not had any issues with it.

10/30/2006, 07:02 PM	#11
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	I started this method and haven't had any problems or crashes in a year or more. I used to get a crash every few restarts. 4 cups saltwater right from my water change mix. 2 cups ro/di 1 ml bleach. let sit overnight or more. I make up about 2 months worth at a time. 2 ml dechlorinator 20 drops MicroAlgae grow 2 cups phyto from previous culture Let bubble 24/7 and light 18 hrs/day Harvest in 1-3 weeks. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

10/30/2006, 07:13 PM	#12
Kurt03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,602	what is the 1 ml bleach for? just to stop any bacteria from growing since you make 2 months worth at a time?

10/30/2006, 07:19 PM	#13
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	To kill anything and everything in there that could outcompete and crash. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

10/30/2006, 07:34 PM	#14
Acroholic Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hypoluxo, Fl. Posts: 1,000	I use the liquid Miracle Grow with my phyto cultures. I add 1.5-2ml miracle grow per 2 litre bottle. This is plenty to grow the cultures deep velvet green color, but not too much to add excessive phosphates. I start to check PO4 levels after 2 weeks of culture growth....then harvest cultures when PO4 is < 0.08 , too much longer, the PO4 runs out and phyto crashes. This way I can assure that I am not dosing excess phosphates with my phyto. I use a cheap seachem phosphate test kit to make it quick and easier to read since you are trying to compare green phyto solution against a green color chip.... __________________ "I don't always know what I'm talking about, but I know I'm right!" -Muhammad Ali Current Tank Info: 180 Diamante Oceanic, 3 400w 10k Hammy's w/IceCaps, 2 140w URI super actinics, AC III Pro, 30g sump, 30g refug, 1/3hp chill, PM Skimmer/kalkreactor/calcium reactor/effluent, 2 Tunze 6060's, 2 Gorman Rupp 1115's, 25w UV