Phytoplankton - opinions?

[Midway]

I dosed live phyto 2 or 3 times a week in my 240 mix reef. I have 4 clams and other filter feeders, and sponges and i have seen the difference big time since i started dosing phyto. The clams are growing like mad, everyhting seems so much alive in there for sure.

[tgrover]

Thanks... I'm just wondering if it is worth the cost. My tank looks great since I started dosing...

[rayjay]

Phyto isn't much of a cost if you DIY.

[tgrover]

Any suggestions on DIY?

[dreef]

Originally Posted by tgrover

Any suggestions on DIY?

Skip the petri dish culture,buy some phyto from someone and use that as starter.

http://www.melevsreef.com/phytoplankton.html

[FitoPharmer]

The FAF manual is great source of information on the subject of phyto and zooplankton. You can pick up a copy from florida aqaua farms online store. Just search their name in Google. They also sell the fertilizer to grow phyto, starter cultures, and equipment. But as someone previously mentioned going local for your starter source is always preferred.

[rayjay]

This is how I do it. There are many ways people have cultured phyto so just pick the method you feel will work best for you.
I do however recommend using the proper f2 fertilizer if you are going to put this in the display tank.
Miracle grow and other non phyto fertilizers contain elements not used by the phyto and so you will be dumping those into the tank when you add the culture water.
Nannochloropsis Culture

[daniella3d]

The benifit is huge. first, it's not really the corals that will eat phyto but the zooplankton. By feeding phyto you will effectively feed the zooplankton and thus the corals.

It is the very base of the food chain, and without it there is not much pods or zooplankton that will thrive in your tank.

It is the only thing that clams eat, and it must be alive for them to eat it as they reject dead phyto.

Feeding phyto is the best way to make a healthy pod population grow.