Growing Algae...

[Savvypro]

17 June 2011 update - part 2...

I've just uploaded a video of what I can see under my microscope. Its at: Spirulina Platensis 17/June/2011

[Savvypro]

18 June 2011 update...

Nothing much to report on the Spirulina front.

On the other two strains, they look to be doing well, the area of the agar slant that their covering is increasing.

The biofuel algae is starting to grow everywhere, even in the area between the agar and the test tube wall.

The other strain is now green, especially where its covering agar, there are some red sports at the top end of the test tube which is agarless. Those spots look to be the same algae but in their dormant state.

New video showing what I mean: 18 June Update...

[Savvypro]

[ashtweth]

Thanks for the update my friend, you have done well what an inspiration to read

Ash

[Savvypro]

Thanks for the update my friend, you have done well what an inspiration to read

Ash

YouTube - ‪9 Days later...‬‏

The video shows the progress so far - after just 9 days.

[Savvypro]

Biofuel...

For those interested in the biofuel side of things, take a look at the following video: YouTube - ‪Biofuels from Algae Project - Brunswick Community College Center for Aquaculture & Biotechnology‬‏

[Savvypro]

To just grow Spirulina, most of the precautions I'm taking are not needed as Spirulina can grow in medium which other things can't survive in. But for the other strains - that's a whole different issue.

[Savvypro]

28 June 2011 update...

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year here in the UK (or at least it was where I am). I decided to move the algae to the north facing kitchen which is normally cooler than the rest of the house. The result wasn't that much of a difference, so I ended up placing the test tubes in a jar of cool water to try and lower the temp a bit. The Spirulina can handle the high temp, but the other two algae do well at a lower temp.

I've decided that when I divide out the algae I'm going to do a couple of Spirulina tubes with agar. Simply because with the algae grown on a slant, you can tell if it's still alive as the test tube wall above the growing area gets covered with water vapour from photosynthesis.

My main concern at this stage is just to ensure that the algae are established and that I can multiply them out, otherwise I'll have to reorder more samples - which are expensive. So far so good, for the two algae in agar, the Spirulina is a different issue as it's in liquid and going by the colour of the water is somewhat subjective.

[Savvypro]

[Savvypro]

6 July 2011 update...

The Spirulina is doing well, even the small amount that was left in the small vial (and by small amount - I'm talking droplets here, held back by the water tension) is starting to take hold in it's new medium. For the vial I did as follows: I poured out the contents (about 1ml) into a larger test tube with about 15ml of new medium. Even though this dilution is extreme (15 to 1), the Spirulina is getting darker in the new test tube. All the new test tubes including the medical flat, which holds about 50ml of medium (it's a 75ml bottle) is doing well.

The agar flats look to be doing ok - it's too early to tell.

[ashtweth]

Good to hear from you Bro, thanks for the good news, please drop me an email have some extra info i found you for my friend

Ash

[Savvypro]

[Savvypro]

YouTube - ‪Spirulina Platensis - small vial test sample - 11/July/2011‬‏

[Savvypro]

[Savvypro]

Blue dot is for Spirulina.
Red dot is for the red mystery strain.
Green dot is for the green mystery strain.