Algae Culture

[TCLynx]

Here you go Harold.

An Algae culture topic.

 

So I'm looking at Spirulina. Its easy enough to grow and its a 99.9% complete food. The methods and inputs aren't costly or complicated and it runs on Urine(welcome news for TC I'm sure), sunlight, oxygen, and at 10.3 and over PH, it is germ free. This is the last key, freeing AP to finally become self sustaining. As hobbyist we can supplement with worms, larvae, food scraps etc, but to answer the question of human sustainability we really need to get more serious, don't you agree?

 

Kobus I know you have been experimenting with this for some time now, if you'd like, design a simple model, I sure we can persuade Sylvia to market it for AP use. We have to start somewhere, how about here?

So I've done a bit of looking into this topic but haven't had much time to really get into it. A wider range pH test method is needed than what we in Aquaponics are used to but aside from that I expect it shouldn't be too hard.

Here is a link to a web site that is already selling kits and starter culture
Algae Lab

And here are the pdf instructions for the kit they sell.

[TCLynx]

If one wants to use algae, you might be able to do something like a solar algae pond where you could pump some of the algae rich water to the tilapia or other algae eaters or perhaps even raise them in the solar algae pond.  However, I doubt recirculating an algae pond directly with an aquaponics system would be all that easy.  So many parameters in aquaponics will conflict with algae culture so they may best be run at least partially separated flows.  Perhaps manure being sterilized before being fed as fertilizer to an algae culture and the harvested algae fed to algae eaters that can then be fed to the carnivorus fish.

[Frank De Block-Burij (hygicell)]

diversified risk management means what is written in the words:

diversifying the risk

I would not want to invite to a bbq all those who have gambled on just one thing, then found out they were losing all freedom and became dependent to the point of losing it all and being gobbled up by bigger corporations or disappearing altogether

but you need to draw borders

and we need to build solid social and technical networks to make ourselves much less vulnerable

there is the internet

Frank

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi TC,

With respect to SP, I'm not sure if it will be easy to combine with Recirculating AP. The PH's are different and it will require lots of work to top up, also there is the problem of nutrient balance in the attached AP with baking soda(salt) inputs coming from SP algae production. I think it will be easier to harvest SP separately and feed AP.

TCLynx said:

If one wants to use algae, you might be able to do something like a solar algae pond where you could pump some of the algae rich water to the tilapia or other algae eaters or perhaps even raise them in the solar algae pond.  However, I doubt recirculating an algae pond directly with an aquaponics system would be all that easy.  So many parameters in aquaponics will conflict with algae culture so they may best be run at least partially separated flows.  Perhaps manure being sterilized before being fed as fertilizer to an algae culture and the harvested algae fed to algae eaters that can then be fed to the carnivorus fish.

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi Carey,

"Bio diversity means diversified risk management....but sometimes I do get carried away."

Broader based eco systems are stronger naturally, should b4e encouraged, and is surely a better direction than the current trend of mono culture which, because of our dependence, will eventually wipe out natural systems globally.

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi All,

On the question of SP as a substitute for fish meal, I recently came across a study done with Mekong catfish. Four feeding regimes involving SP at a percentage of 0%, 15%, 30% and finally 100% SP. The results are quite surprising as you can see for yourself. Please note in the case of 100% SP the pigment and the carotenoid content results were highest than the other three.

This means that we have a more than able replacement for fish meal and if the time comes we can eliminate the use of soya, corn meal etc and feed 100% Spirulina.

Harold Sukhbir said:

Hi Steve,

I think it can be used not only to supplement but to replace fish meal entirely. The entire harvest of algae can be fed directly to the FT, or it can be frozen into blocks, or dried and cooked with corn starch, or even yes, pelletized. Pellets may appeal to us because we have been conditioned to feeding that way, but is it really necessary?

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi All,

This is a next study which not only shows a proven basal diet recipe(which i intend to copy) with standard fish meal and SP, but the fish meal can be replaced altogether by SP as the PDF in the last post shows, but again shows proof that fish growth and overall immunity is greatly enhanced with the addition of SP.

[Frank De Block-Burij (hygicell)]

does anyone know how to make your own pellets?

[TCLynx]

The easy but costly answer would be a pellet mill and a recipe.

 

The more labor intensive answer for small scale home production, well I've done something where I mixed up some batter like stuff and then squished it through a meat grinder with the blades removed so it came out like fat spaghetti and then cut into pellet shapes and bake or let dry. 

 

The recipe would probably dictate how well they float.

 

I didn't do enough of this to really be able to say how well it worked.  Was very tedious.

 

 

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi Frank,

It may not be necessary to feed with pellet. We can calculate the percentage body weight applicable to the fish species we have, and feed in blocks. I think Aquaculture feed is pelletized to discourage dominant fish and to allow an "average size" fish. Since the main goal in AP is not a focus on fish growout we don't really have to follow these rules.There is a conditioning to feed with pellets because that is what is manufacturered. I think having dominant fish and their larger growth rate is fine. I can identify and harvest them more easily without the guess work. Besides in nature fish must compete for food and the dominant gene also gets breeding rights to ensure strong lineage. 

TC's meat grinder or pasta grinder and a dryer or freezer is great! "Work" here would mean that we have to avoid the convenient manufactured products of an industrialized world and truly move toward self sustaining methods. Aquaculture has the same option, but as it is driven by commercialism, we won't be able to depend on this to effect any change whatsoever  Changing the rules will be left to the few.

[TCLynx]

I expect making a dough and rolling it thin then dehydrating or baking then the result could be broken up into appropriate size feed which would probably be far easier.

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi TC,

The best part of this method you have, is that these "cookies" are special enough to feed to your family as well, with great health benefits!, although you may eventually run the risk of starving your fish to help you families health!

[Tony Tarantino]

How much Spirulina would be needed to feed say tilapia? On one site that sells a kit it said a 10gal setup would produce about a tablespoon every other day. So does anyone know how much would be needed to feed say 20 tilapia. I'm trying to understand how big a system would be needed to feed the fish