|
Biscuitcleaner
|
Posted 10/9/2007 8:25:19 AM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 10/18/2007 4:26:27 PM
Posts: 16,
Visits: 27
|
Hello to all,I was thinking of building a small 800 liters systems bases solely to grow out algaes such as caulerpa. I would like opinions on to what species have the greatest growth rates as well as for the additives and type of system that some might think useful to use. My plans are tu use large plastic boxes with an inflow of a big water system full of nitrates (almost no ammonia) - system was around 30000 liters. BC
|
|
|
|
|
CTReefer
|
Posted 10/9/2007 9:16:03 AM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 4/25/2012 5:10:36 PM
Posts: 1,155,
Visits: 4,616
|
Hi BC: You can check out Anthony's "Favorite Links" and look for topics dealing with Refugia, Algae, etc.. There is a vast amount of info located there.  I would stick with species of Chaetomorpha & Gracillaria & stay away from Culerpa if I were you. Good luck & let us know how you progress with the set up? Steve
|
|
|
|
|
Biscuitcleaner
|
Posted 10/9/2007 1:44:28 PM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 10/18/2007 4:26:27 PM
Posts: 16,
Visits: 27
|
Thank you for the reply!
I will try to keep informed on the species and set up. Possibly it will be direct sunlight with minimal temperature variation and a lot of current. The project is to serve as an aid to eliminate nitrogen compounds or reduce them and to produce an viable aquaculture sustainable ornamental plant farming without much costs associated.
I will try to follow the mass growth of the plants and share that information here.
Gracillaria seems to be a nice addiction aswell as Chaeto.
Anyone knows the toxic properties of Caulerpa ? sounded interesting because i had no idea of it.
BC
|
|
|
|
|
Spracklcat
|
Posted 10/9/2007 6:01:53 PM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 3/9/2009 11:11:58 AM
Posts: 253,
Visits: 2,332
|
What is your goal in growing out all this algae? What will you do with it?
|
|
|
|
|
Biscuitcleaner
|
Posted 10/9/2007 9:09:57 PM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 10/18/2007 4:26:27 PM
Posts: 16,
Visits: 27
|
the main goal is to make a sustainable aquacultured specie in a low cost effective way. But this primarily will serve as a study to avaliate what kind of production does the system provides.
The flowering algae will be harvested used for investigation and the bits and parts that won't probably to be selled in market to breakeven the costs with project ( yeah right a dream one day investigation payin for itself)
BC
|
|
|
|
|
Reefski
|
Posted 10/10/2007 9:10:11 AM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: Yesterday @ 2:57:33 PM
Posts: 2,071,
Visits: 8,872
|
be aware Caluerpa is illegal in California. i wish we could add where we are to the info posted.
------------------------------------
Carl-
"Pain is temporary, but quitting lasts forever" - Lance Armstrong
We are all stardust
Sun powered reef
Venice Beach California
|
|
|
|
|
Reefski
|
Posted 10/10/2007 9:14:39 AM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: Yesterday @ 2:57:33 PM
Posts: 2,071,
Visits: 8,872
|
be aware Caluerpa is illegal in California. i wish we could add where we are to the info posted.
------------------------------------
Carl-
"Pain is temporary, but quitting lasts forever" - Lance Armstrong
We are all stardust
Sun powered reef
Venice Beach California
|
|
|
|
|
Spracklcat
|
Posted 10/10/2007 9:29:12 AM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 3/9/2009 11:11:58 AM
Posts: 253,
Visits: 2,332
|
If you don't mind me asking, what sort of research are you looking to do? And are you going to sell the macroalgae to hobbyists or for some other purpose?
|
|
|
|
|
Biscuitcleaner
|
Posted 10/10/2007 5:08:33 PM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 10/18/2007 4:26:27 PM
Posts: 16,
Visits: 27
|
Hello to all,
I do not live in United States but in Europe. I understand the illegal part, because there is a major concern of having a non controlable proliferation of caulerpa, that for example striked the Mediterranean sea, some years ago too. In Europe is popular to use Caulerpa in aquariums, but things like the cosmetic and medicine sectors are starting to use caulerpa in their products. I meantion caulerpa as a known algae it doesn't need to be Caulerpa. The first thing i need to research is the potential of aquaculturing, because we have big costs in the primary and secondary sector of industry. Electricity, gas and land values add an important share to the final cost of product.
Most of all my big investigation is to know what do i need to do to make a sustainable bio filter. Of that biofilter how much can i harvest to serve as food to vegeterian animals, and another project is to use algae for ornamental decoration, and if there is no major setbacks the pharmaceutical industry too.
This project is in the beggining and needs to consider many factors prior to final destination.
- I've been reading some information on caulerpa and most likely i will avoid to use caulerpa in these system.
- Gracillaria seems to fit very nicely to feed some organisms and Chaetomorpha to use as nice Biofilter.
I respect deeply all the ecologist laws and have a profound respect for all point of views so i start this post to help to guide what i think that might turn a nice experience trying to avoid big mistakes. Tomorrow i will try to post the general scheme of the project to start sharing some more solid ideas. Today it has been a tough day and i've still got some work to finish.
Sincerely
BC
|
|
|
|
|
Spracklcat
|
Posted 10/11/2007 7:50:03 AM
|
|
Group: Forum Members
Last Active: 3/9/2009 11:11:58 AM
Posts: 253,
Visits: 2,332
|
Well, you certainly have come to the right place to ask about a project like this. I work for a large chemical company in a division that develops raw materials and finished formulations for cosmetics (primarily). There is a call for algae-based active ingredients in cosmetics for sure, and pharmaceuticals as well. Off the top of my head, we use Palmaria palmata, Chondrus crispus, Spirulina, Sarcodiatheca, and the microalgae Haslea ostrearea regularly and in large quantities.There are well-established companies that grow algae for foodstuffs (animal and human) and for pharma/chemical use. One you might want to look at for an example of how they run is Acadian http://www.acadianseaplants.com/index.html . There are others that do microalgae (Mera: http://www.merapharma.com/index-2.html . My advice as a potential client of a business like yours is to pick species that are not easily harvested sustainably. You will not be able to compete with a company that can go to the ocean and collect tons of an algae that will grow back quickly. Caulerpa wouldn't be my first choice only because it has a reputation for toxicity. That could be good--more active ingredients, but could be bad because of allergenicity or sensitivities when used in humans. If you have any algae that you want screened for antimicrobial or skin-altering activity I can help you out. And if you have any other questions about this end of the business, please don't hesitate to ask. It is an interesting subject, and in my experience hobbyists are better at grwoing marine critters than most industry folks, and so have a lot to offer. Good luck with your project and keep us posted. Christine
|
|
|
|