Culture Journal, Species: Isochrysis galbana

General
Species:  Isochrysis galbana (T.Iso)
Species description:  Motile brown/yellow golden algae ~ 5µm in size. (cell length of 4-6µm)
Culture source (link if possible):  Algagen via seahorsesource.com 
If algae, CCMP # (Optional):  https://ncma.bigelow.org/node/1/strain/CCMP1323
http://ccmp.bigelow.edu/
Culture Establishment Date:  10-25-2013
Continuation Date:  DUE for Jan. 23rd, 2014 

Culturing Vessel Details
Salinity:  1.020
Temperature:   72 F  (room temp)  
pH:  8.0

Vessel description:  1qt container canning jar, 300mL Erlenmeyer flask, 2L glass cylinders (x2). 
Lighting description:  2 18" compact bulbs at 2600K 
Lighting cycle:  24hr constant to ramp up culture, then I'll back it down to an 18hrs on & 6hrs off. 
Aeration description:  rolling. 

Methodologies
Split methodology: none yet. 

Culture medium description: 
(this could range, example with algae could be “10ml per l of guillards F formulation” or with A. tonsa it would be more like “300ml per day of algal mixture containing gymnodynium, tetraselmis, isochrysis, and rhodomonas” )

Cell count:
 (if known)

Reference links:   Referring to journals: JimWelsh and KathyL, also referring to planktopedia.org and NCMA (formally the CCMP).

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



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Alright, I ended up getting my starters from Algagen via seahorsesource.com and got them started this morning, after trying a few different sterilization methods. I ended up choosing sterilization via the microwave for 20 minutes, until the liquid hit 190°F (181°F requirement for sterilization per Hoff & Snell pg.40). 
 
If the vessel could not fit in the microwave each part was sterilized separately. Canisters were heated in the oven covered with tin foil up to 300°F and kept at that temperature for 45 minutes. Then the sterilized freshly mixed (24hrs heated/circulated) saltwater was added to the final culture vessel and both were allowed to cool covered. Once temperature had cooled, algae was added. 
 

Starters arrived:

 
Sterilized water (left) and sterilized culture vessels (right).
 

 
Ok, and here is the temporary housing for the algae's while I get the cabinet built that they will be going into. Tetra is on the left and T. Iso is on the right.

 
 
 
 

Ok I finally split them today (I'd say a day or two later than I should have...) but they were nice and dark! I was worried I wouldn't have enough to sustain parvo, I'm thinking this will be more than enough for what I need. So long as I don't crash too much at one time. 
 
Sterilized more water (microwave) tonight, letting it cool overnight and will continue to make splits and renew my steril back up.  

Oye, I never went back to update these journals. Well the iso is doing well in the top shelf of the culture cabinet now. I have two 18" compact bulbs at 2600K on them 24/7, so long as the house stays cool they can run all the time. As soon as warmer weather starts to hit though, I'll have to back them down to 18/6 or possibly even a 14/10 time frame. We'll see how this goes. 

 

Here's first harvest photo's.  
 

Jan. 23rd- It's been 90 days continuous now, so we can put that continuation report in.  I need to get some microscope pictures up first though. 
 

Alright got some microscope video footage of my algaes now. (I know, it's been forever)... but hey, I got it up that's saying something. lol.
https://www.youtube.com/w...I&feature=youtu.be
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeZtJsJHnjI&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Looks like I'm starting to have some trouble with the Iso now that the weather's warming up. The top of the cabinet is running close to 80 degree's with the lights on and the temperature rising outside. So, I'm switching my lights to run overnight, and go dark during the day. I'm up anyway, and that's when I do my tank work so it's not really any trouble for me...and hopefully it'll keep my cultures a bit cooler. 
 
I've also cut my lights back to 14/10 lighting schedule now... I'm hoping I can save what's left of these cultures (they aren't looking so hot). And one turned green on me (assuming that's a tetra contamination)... so I *may* have to reorder starters... Let's hope I can get these guys to pull through! 

double post, sorry.