Algae Research Supply: Filter Feeder Formula Algae Culture

Filter Feeder Formula of microalgae is a blend of four Live Phytoplankton species:

  • Nannochloropsis
  • Tetraselmis
  • Porphyridium
  • Isochrysis

Algae Research and Supply's Filter Feeder Formula will nourish and provide pigments to your filter feeders. This blend supports corals, copepods, and filter feeders with a complete diet of highly nutritious essential fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, amino acids and carotenoids.

Filter Feeder Formula will provide a balanced diet to your corals, clams and invertebrates. Phytoplankton improve water quality by out competing nuisance algae for nitrate and phosphate.

Filter Feeder Formula is LIVE blend of cultures, NOT a ZOMBIE blend sold in the chilled section of the pet shop! Filter Feeder Formula blend of microalgae is a natural way to balance the biology of your ecosystem, and can even facilitate pH stabilization by fixing CO2.

 

 

Isochrysis (Isochrysis galbana)

Research quality algae feed that is actively RESPIRING and GROWING.  Store at room temperature in the light.  

Proof that corals graze on phytoplankton:   Leal, Miguel C., et al. "Coral feeding on microalgae assessed with molecular trophic markers." Molecular ecology 23.15 (2014): 3870-3876.

Phytoplankton vs. zooplankton.  Phytoplankton are 10x more important than zooplankton.  (Limnol. Oceanogr., 40(7), 1995, 1290-1301 0 1995, by the American Society of Limnology)

Aquarium Benefits:

Background on the strain:

Nearly every aquaculture facility that farms filter feeders will culture Isochrysis as a food supply for their farmed organisms. Isochrysis galbana, like other members of this class, is rich in polyunsaturated fa#y acids including DHA, which are of nutritional value for marine fish larvae and juvenile stages of mollusks. This organism grows well in captivity and is a ‘model organism’ commonly used by researchers who study marine systems and photosynthesis.  The thallus, or body of the organism, appears as a single cell with flagella. This strain also has a high concentration of the pigment fucoxanthin which is an accessory pigment for photosynthesis, and some have claimed that it has nutraceutical benefits for humans and animals for weight loss.  Growing Isochrysis requires seawater. As they are flagellated, they can grow without mixing being a requirement, but mixing does help to increase growth rates.

 

Nannochloropsis (Nannochloropsis occulata)

Store at room temperature in the light.  

Proof that corals graze on phytoplankton:   Leal, Miguel C., et al. "Coral feeding on microalgae assessed with molecular trophic markers." Molecular ecology 23.15 (2014): 3870-3876.

Phytoplankton vs. zooplankton.  Phytoplankton are 10x more important than zooplankton.  (Limnol. Oceanogr., 40(7), 1995, 1290-1301 0 1995, by the American Society of Limnology

Phytoplankton are likely more important than zooplankton for lipid accumulation in corals.   (Proceedings of the 12th International Coral Reef Symposium, Cairns, Australia, 9-13 July 2012)

Aquarium Benefits:

 

Background on the strain:

Nannochloropsis is a very useful genus of algae.   This line comprise at least six species, including N. oculata  Used in production of aquarium feeds, lipids for biofuels and nutraceuticals, Nannochlopsis grows fast and produces lots of biomass.   The cells of the species are small (2uM), nonmotile, and green in color. It is different from other related microalgae in that it lacks chlorophyll b and c. Nannochloropsis is able to build up a high concentration of a range of pigments such as astaxanthin, zeaxanthin and canthaxanthin.  

Nannochloropsis is considered a promising alga for industrial applications because of its ability to accumulate high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is mainly used as an energy-rich food source for fish larvae and rotifers. Recently, Nannochloropsis has been investigated for biofuel production.

The cultivation of Nannochloropsis is relatively simple and produces beautiful green cultures.  It grows best in warmer conditions, 30°C with some mixing using air bubbling.  The cells are negatively charged so they repel each other and do not sink easily. 

 

Porphyridium (Porphyridium cruentum)

Evidence that corals graze on phytoplankton:   Leal, Miguel C., et al. "Coral feeding on microalgae assessed with molecular trophic markers." Molecular ecology 23.15 (2014): 3870-3876.

Phytoplankton vs. zooplankton.  Phytoplankton are 10x more important than zooplankton.  (Limnol. Oceanogr., 40(7), 1995, 1290-1301 0 1995, by the American Society of Limnology)

Aquarium Benefits:

Background on the strain:
The red algae are mostly macroalgae (large multicellular and visible with the naked eye), but  Porphoridium is one of the few that are planktonic microalgae.  The red microalga Porphyridium (Rhodophyta) is a potential source for several products like fatty acids, lipids, cell-wall polysaccharides and pigments. The polysaccharides of this species are sulphated and their structure gives rise to some unique propertiesthat could lead to a broad range of industrial and pharmaceutical applications. additional, P. cruentum biomass containing carbohydrates of up to 57% have been reported. Thus, the combined amount of carbohydrates in biomass and exopolysaccharides of this microalga could potentally provide the source for bio-fuel and pharmaceuticals. The red pigment is a large protein called a phycoerythrin. It is one of the few water soluble photosynthetic pigments.