How-to: Dosing Live Nannochloropsis phytoplankton

[AlgaeBarn]

AlgaeBarn – Live Nannochloropsis Phytoplankton

Live phytoplankton has many benefits:

1. Increase the concentration of Zooplankton and Pods in your tank![1][2]
2. Augmenting the nutritional value provided by brine shrimp and rotifers.[3][4]
3. Provide essential fatty acids such as EPA, DHA, ARA for fish and invertebrates[3][4]
4. Clams and Feather dusters love marine phytoplankton!
5. Decrease of ammonia, nitrates and phosphates in a marine aquarium or rearing tank.[5]

Directions for intended effects:

Increase the concentration of Zooplankton and Pods in your tank

1. Feed AlgaeBarn Nannochloropsis phytoplankton every other day.
2. For every 10 gallons, add approximately 3 - 5mL of AlgaeBarn Nannochloropsis phytoplankton.
3. It is better to start at a lower dose and work towards a higher dose over two weeks.
4. Once your system has adjusted, live phytoplankton can be feed in very high dosages.
5. I feed approximately 25 mL of phytoplankton per 10 gallons every other day.
6. For optimal results:

• Perform feeding when the display lights are off.
• Turn off any protein skimmers during feeding and for at least 1 hour after feeding.
• Drip the desired amount of phytoplankton into the tank.

Augmenting the nutritional value provided by brine shrimp

1. Add phytoplankton to a culture of brine shrimp to increase their nutritional value.
2. If you watch closely, the brine shrimps stomachs will turn green!
   1. This is the optimal time to feed the brine shrimp to your tank, as they are now enriched in omega 3 fatty acids!

Storage

1. Please refrigerate AlgaeBarn Phytoplankton when not in use.
2. Nannochloropsis has a tendency to settle at the bottom of the container.
   1. Shake each bottle for several seconds every 2 to 3 days.
   2. If the bottle is not shaken, the cells at the bottom layer tend to “suffocate” and die.
3. If the phytoplankton smells foul, then the product has likely gone bad.
4. It would be unwise to add dead phytoplankton to your aquarium or larval rearing tank.
   1. Live phytoplankton, like products sold by AlgaeBarn, will actually consume ammonia, nitrates and phosphates!
   2. Many commercial phytoplankton products are dead; therefore whatever portion is not consumed will quickly decompose into ammonia, nitrates and phosphate.
5. AlgaeBarn phytoplankton should keep for approximately two months if properly maintained.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I’ve seen other Nannochloropsis cultures that look much darker, are you diluting your product?
A. No, AlgaeBarn performs nutrient starvation on their algae. This has several effects:

• Increased lipid concentration per cell; this means more HUFAs such as EPA for your fish, copepods and coral!
  • The alga utilizes a portion of its chlorophyll a supply to provide nutrients during this process. This makes the culture appear less dense.
• Ensures that no nutrients such as nitrates, phosphates, and ammonia are added to your marine aquarium or larvae grow-out systems.

Although phytoplankton is non-toxic, this product is not intended for human consumption!

References​

[1] MarineBio.org. (n.d.). Zooplankton. Retrieved from http://marinebio.org/oceans/zooplankton.asp
[2]Gowen, R. J., McCullough, G., Kleppel, G. S., & Elliott, P. (1999). Are copepods important grazers of the spring phytoplankton bloom in the western irish sea?. Journal of Plankton Research, 21(3), 465-83. Retrieved from MarineBio.org. (n.d.). Zooplankton. Retrieved from http://marinebio.org/oceans/zooplankton.asp
[3]Avella, M. A., Olivotto, I., Gioacchini, F., & Carnevali, O. (2007). The role of fatty acids enrichments in the larviculture of false percula clownfish amphiprion ocellaris. Aquaculture, 273(1), 87-95. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2007.09.032
[4]Seto, A., Kumasaka, K., Hosaka, M., Kojima, E., Kashiwakura, M., & Kato, T. (1992). Production of eicosapentaenoic acid by a marine microalgae and its commercial utilization for aquaculture.Industrial Applications of Single Cells Oils, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/9781439821855.ch12
[5]Hii, Y. S., Soo, C. L., Chuah, T. S., Mohd-Azmi, A., & ABOL-MUNAFI, A. B. (2011). Interactive effect of ammonia and nitrate on the nitrogen uptake by nannochloropsis sp. Journal of Sustainability Science and Management, 6(1), 60-68. Retrieved from http://jssm.umt.edu.my/files/2012/01/8.June11.pdf

 

[ReeferMatt]

Nice write up, still kicking myself for not getting a bottle from you at the DBTC.

 

[Boogie]

Going to have to get a bottle and give it a shot. If you remember, I'm on the east side of Boulder if you happen to be out and about. =)