Starting Algae & Rotifer Cultures from Scratch

[Inspector Gadget]

Hi Guys & Gals,

I enjoyed reading the Green Water and Rotifer articles (yes, Im going to have a stab at breeding some closnfish) and I was wondering if these can be started off without buying the Commercial Cultures. I live in australia and cant find them here, and Im not sure live cultures will be allowed through customs.

I read elsewhere on the internet that a Chinese setup uses Chicken Manure and to start his Rotifer culture, someone else has suggested using Banana peel!

So the question is...... can anyone help with suggestions on how to start a MicroAlgae culture from scratch, with out purchasing a commercial culture, the Algae Im thinking of culturing are 1: Nannochloropsis Oculata, 2: T-Iso, and 3: Tetraselmis.

And the same thing for a Rotifer culture, any clues on how to start one of these without purchasing a commercial culture of cysts?

Of course if anyone can point me at a Aquaculture supply house in Australia, that would be appreciated!

 

[liquid]

Have you checked around for local hobbyists that grow their own? It will be very hard to get a mono-culture going of a specific microalgae without getting a pure culture to start with.

Shane

 

[Inspector Gadget]

Thanks Shane,

Im new to this game, so I dont know many people who do this sort of thing.

I have found out though that the CSIRO ( a government sponsored Scientific Research organisation here in Oz) do provide various cultures on request. The trouble is they cater for the commercial, rather than hobby market, so the prices seem pretty hefty to me. $77 Aussie money (about 50 US I guess) for each culture!

I think I am going to try a mail order from some on-line US supply houses. The ones Ive found are only like US$10 or so, so if they get grabbed coing through customs I wont lose too much. And it must be legal since the CSIRO do it.

Although the banana skin does sound interesting!

 

[dallast1]

where do you live?

when i was applying for jobs in sydney, both fisheries and the universities had such cultures available.

i am pretty sure you would not need too much and they would be willing to give you some.

also look for oyster culturing....if they have a research facility, they will definitely be culturing algae to feed.


goof luck!