Culture Journal, Species: Tetraselmis

General
Species:  Tetraselmis
Species description:  Green alga
Culture source (link if possible):  http://www.marinecolorado...ber.php?1431-AlgaeBarn ,  AlgaGen
If algae, CCMP # (Optional): 
Culture Establishment Date:  Dec 9, 2012/ 25 July, 2013
Continuation Date: 

Culturing Vessel Details
Salinity:  1.021
Temperature:    Ambient temperature is around 70°F in culture room
pH:  Not Measured

Vessel description:  One quart wide-mouthed jar with a plastic lid and airline going into the culture
Lighting description:  6500k leds that are about 10 cm away from the culture. I could not find the exact wattage of the leds
Lighting cycle:  14 hours on, 10 hours off
Aeration description:  Air pump with a pace of a bubble per second

Methodologies
Split methodology:
Every 8 days 
Culture medium description: 
FAF Micro Algae Grow of 10 drops per quart at the beginning of each culture
Cell count:
 (if known)
TBD
Reference links:  

Additional Information
(No Pictures or Videos in the Section Please)
Notes: 



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Split out some from the source tetra, and added a bubbler. Here is it a week later:
 

FWIW, I think that using only 3ml to start a 1L culture is too little, and runs too much risk of contamination from other sources.  Frank Hoff in the "Plankton Culture Manual, Sixth Edition" says on Page 56 that, "A rule of thumb in inoculation is never to dilute more than 100-fold."  He goes on to say on Page 62, in the troubleshooting section, "Too low an inoculant per volume or other factors mentioned allow bacteria to proliferate and often subdue a new culture."

Thanks for the advice Jim! I will immediatly change how much the splits are. I think I will do around 1/4 of a quart.

Today I am making two more batches of tetra. Currently the culture is a mixture of tetra and nano. I made two more jars for them, but I only put 8 drops of the FAF microalgae grow and I put them in the microwave for 15 minutes

Hey Amphispur,
 
Was the original culture contaminated or did that occur later?
 
 

I believe that the culture started out contaminated.

this is just the experience i have had but if there is NANNO in your TETRA you are going to end up with NANNO as your final result.
 
NANNO seems to be way more aggressive than the other phytoplankton's we readily culture in our hobby. 
 
actually just had this happen to my TETRA cultures and am having to order some new ones from FAF as we speak 
 
but all this is just my exp. some of the more advanced breeders on the site might chime in and say that im completely wrong 

Would it be possible to refrigerate a bottle (taller the better) with the mix of algaes? Tetraselmis is motile while nannochloropsis isn't. So you may be able to take a small, dilute culture from the top of the bottle.

Certainty worth a shot if anything. I've got enough of it. Now one thing I am noticing is a fine layer of green at the bottom of the jar. Is that tetra or nano?

So I still have the original bottle, and it's been in the fridge for long enough... Lets see if I can get tetra!

Here's a pic of the bottle:

How's the progress? I ordered new starters, so I may be able to help you get another tetra starter.

Good News! After the experiment with the top of the bottle, I now have 1 culture of Tetra going! Thanks for the idea Helix

Well, I never really put much into this culture after awhile, and I'm ready to start again. I got a new starter from AlgaGen:

 
I'll be splitting this every 8 days and be somewhat treating this as my Isochrysis galbana.