[pjr]

Looking for ideas here... what do people find to be the best method for adding phyto to tank?And what is your source for that phyto? thx!

 

[Workingstiff]

What's phyto, and why do you add it?

 

[Clayton]

Phytoplankton is single-celled algae. It's literally the base of the food chain in the ocean. Many reef invertebrates eat phytoplankton. And anything that doesn't eat phytoplankton directly will eat something that does eat phyto, like copepods.

-Clayton

 

[bstruebing]

I mix a bit with some sw and suck it up in a siringe. Then target feed all the herbavorius with it.

 

[Ocellaris]

I use ESV spray dried phyto. I love the stuff and my corals actually improved when I switched from DTs to it.

 

[Raptor]

I use Dt's. So you say that esv is better? Never seen it, Can ya order it online?

 

[mattvc]

pjr, I grow my own so I usually just pour some into the tank directly from the 5 gall bottle. Or, when I target feed corals occasionally I mix some small chunked food (mysis, shrimp, krill, phyto flakes, etc) in a large shot glass then add phyto to that, wait for it to thaw and use syringe to suck it out. Adding phyto to the shot glass as I go along. I always turn off the skimmer for a day. I don't necessarily add phyto at night, anytime will do. What do you do?

 

[Mermaid]

About the same at Matt! Sometimes with a Turkey baster and other times I pour in in a high flow area and don't run the skimmer for a day.

 

[Rook]

I add DT's and ESV. Not in the same day of course. I just add it direct and leave the powerheads to move it around in the water so the coral/clams/etc can feed. I feed at random times and I don't have a skimmer to turn off.

 

[peanut]

Mattvc Where do you get the phyto from to grow your own???? would be interested in trying to support some here at the house for future use. Do you keep it refigerated?? please clarify interested Thanks inadvance on anything you can share on this. Doug

 

[canisson]

I grow green water phyto and feed it once a day, that is till my culture crashed last month. I have since bought some ESV, and I love it. The difference in the tank is noticable as well. The filter feeders seem much happier than when I was feeding just the GW. I think it is a much more dense product (more cells per dose) than the GW I had.

 

[Ocellaris]

Raptor - I get my ESV through Marine Depot.

 

[peanut]

Okay I give up Where do you get the green water phyto?????? Where do you get the culture your talking about canisson>>??????????? PJR have you gotten the answers your looking for yet please send me a PM if you could or post it here. I want to learn in the mean time I will take a look at Marine Depot.

 

[Specialk]

I just dump it in.....oops I mean pour it in.......LOL
And I use Phyto.


Kaye

 

[pjr]

I have one question do people use both DTs and ESV? Ort is that a bit of overkill? Should I just use one or the other?

 

[peanut]

I buy phyto from a lfs but it sounded as though there were some reefers out there that were raising there own. I believe that if you can do something youre self than you should be doing it. So I guess that Dt's is okay I use 2 tablespoons a feeding three time a week. This is in a 135 gallon tank.

 

[mardemp]

Peanut,If you are interested in growing your own phyto check out this web site http//www.sjwilson.net/reef/phytosteps.html, she has very nice step by step instructions. My first batch should be ready tomorrow. Any questions just PM me.Marie

 

[gsxspeed98]

I have just been using DT's and adding some every couple of days.

 

[camelot]

Marine Snow is a type that we use. It works great and everything in the tank seems to love it. You need to turn off the filtration when adding phytoplankton.

 

[Sparty]

I use both ESV and DT's. I usually put DT's in on Monday & Thursday and I use ESV the other days (I dose with about half what they recommend and everything is doing good).

And to answer your question I just pour the DT's in front of a powerhead and I mix the ESV with saltwater and use a turkey baster.