Reefer Microalgae Home Culture Kit
Hi there, Reefer!
Welcome to the fascinating world of home phytoplankton culture. Culturing phytoplankton at home offers numerous benefits for aquatic enthusiasts and ecosystem caretakers alike. By nurturing your own phytoplankton, you not only provide a sustainable food source for your aquarium habitats, coral reefs, fish, and zooplankton, but you also gain a deeper understanding of the aquatic ecosystems vital to our ocean and world sustainability.
While the journey to a thriving culture may have its challenges, it's a rewarding process that empowers you to contribute to the health of your aquatic environment. We want to encourage you to embark on this journey with hope and excitement, knowing that with patience and persistence, you'll soon reap the rewards of a flourishing phytoplankton culture. While the initial stages may pose some hurdles, our comprehensive FAQ page is here to guide you through every step, offering insights into the variables involved and troubleshooting advice. Remember, each setback is an opportunity to learn and refine your techniques.
By consistently nurturing your home culture, you'll soon enjoy the benefits of a nearly endless supply of phytoplankton, with the only recurring cost being the purchase of new starter phytoplankton every 10 weeks or so to reset the batch.
To begin your own home phytoplankton culture, there are a few items you will need to have on hand that are not included in this kit (these items are available in other kits or alacarte in our shop):
- Water - Reverse Osmosis (RO) water is highly suggested. If you do not have RO, distilled water from your local store may also be used.
- Lighting - Any light with a Kelvin rating of 3,000-3,500 will work. A timer a suggested as your culture will require a minimum of 16 hours of light daily. When choosing a light, pay attention to the heat generated and adjust the light's distance from the culture vessel to avoid overheating your culture. We use LED lighthing, since it generates little heat, but fluorescent or incandescent can work in certain setups.
- Hydrometer/Refractometer - used to measure and assess salinity
This kits includes these materials needed to begin your own home culturing journey.
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Choose between our two available species, Nannochloropsis or Tetraselmis, and our starter culture options:
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(2) 16oz bottles live phytoplankton in liquid saltwater suspension (lower cell count than culture disk, higher liklihood of a successful culture, must be used within 2 weeks)
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(1) disk of preserved phytoplankton cells (highest cell count, increased difficulty for successful culture, best for international shipping or if you do not plan to begin your culture immediately)
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8oz of ocean salt to make your own saltwater mix
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8oz PhytoPheed f/2 growth medium
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(4) sterile syringes with dosing caps
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(4) 3mL pipettes
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6’ of flexible air tubing
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(2) 10” 3/16 thinwall rigid air tube
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Glass culture jar, with plastic lid drilled with holes for rigid air tube and air escape
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choose between 64oz and 1 gallon sizes
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Note: 64oz are great for beginners and starting cultures from disks as the smaller volume has a higher liklihood of success
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15W continuous air pump with 6 valve manifold. Please note: While these are quieter than some other options we have tested, these are definitely not silent. These pumps have offered us the highest longevity and proper aeration for our cultures.
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Easy to follow Guide for beginning and maintaining your own culture are available on our website
Additonal disks, jars, and accessory packs are also available for purchase in our shop.
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