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NFC: Tips for Handling Newly Received Cultures
FYI - :)
Posted by Overlord Daphnia magna on January 21, 2002 at 10:40:21:
Tips for Handling Newly Received Cultures - daphnia, worms, brine
shrimp, rotifers.... planktons in General!
1. Open your shipment right away, and feed the culture.
2. Stir the culture by rocking the bottle gently to distribute the
food.
3. Allow to stand for a period of time to equalize temperature. You
can add a little of your own water during this period, or pour the
culture into a clean container. Add water over the next couple of
hours to about double the original amount. Always pour water gently
either way!
4. Only use clean containers, free of soap, or any other residues that
may be harmful to the culture.
5. Only use dechlorinated water, well water, or other suitable water
(some mineral waters are good, some not.) Never use de-ionized or
distilled water or water containing chemicals which may kill the
culture - dechlorinate tap water if needs be :)
6. If culture appears dead or inactive upon receipt, open container
and try stirring the culture by gently swirling. If no action, then
email or call us (904) 824 - 6308 during business hours.
7. Do not place cultures in areas of extreme heat or cold. Most
cultures do poorly when temperatures reach above 84 degrees F, and
below 40 degrees F will slow them down considerably.
8. Use a binocular dissecting microscope, magnifying glass, or
microscope to look close at the cultures. This way you can get
familiar with how they look, and even some of their processes!
9. When the culture has acclimated to your conditions, begin making
new cultures by setting up new containers, and pouring some of your
acclimated culture into the new containers... Always keep an extra
culture, if not more...the more you transfer into a new culture the
faster it will take and grow.
For example: A new algal culture will "green up" much faster with 200
mls of starter culture seeded in it than if you use 20 mls!
10. Feed your culture well, and regularly. Cultures will do extremely
well when feed well, and regularly. Feeding constantly is the best
method, but frequency will help with this if not possible. Or increase
the feed to cover a period between next feedings. Do not allow the
culture to become clear of feed. If a culture goes clear of feed for a
period of a couple of days, and the life span of an organism is around
a month... then they may starve to death before you realize it!
Planktons pretty much feed constantly, and since it is impractical for
us to continuously feed them, then placing enough feed into a culture
to keep them eating until the next feeding is important. To determine
this amount, watch the culture for a few days while feeding and give
feed accordingly to fit your schedule. Water quality is a concern, but
lack of feed will kill them all the quicker. Feeding is dependent on
the number of critters in a culture and feeding frequency. Lots in a
culture will eat more (straight forward) If the water starts to become
"stinky", then change it, or increase the amount of water your culture
is in.
11. Using aeration to keep feed suspended in the water column is a
good idea where it will not adversely affect the organisms. In other
words, use air lightly so it is just enough to keep the feed
circulating for awhile. Light air will move the feed and not BASH the
organism you're trying to culture. Some critters, like Daphnia magna,
do not always do well with air, and to get a handle on them, don't use
air, but substitute stirring the culture regularly instead. (Although
I have used air with D.magna, they are more susceptible to getting
bubbles trapped in their shells, and floating.)
12. Monitor your cultures. If you keep an eye on them, you'll learn to
spot problems such as water quality degrading, or swimming action
different....
These tips are general, and doable.. be patient, and the new cultures
will provide for a long time!
Paul
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sachs Systems Aquaculture
1185 Thompson Bailey Road
St. Augustine FL 32084
PHONE: (904) 824 - 6308
ICQ : 4216428
AOL : DeanoTheMag
MSN: DeanoTheMag at hotmail_com
EMAIL: Mailto:Deano at AquacultureStore_com
web : http://www.AquacultureStore.com
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