Where to get spirulina culture

Pre-weighed food for sale N50 and N The growing medium Spirulina lives naturally in volcanic lakes, rich in salt and bicarbonate of soda, with a high PH, close to This is its environment but not its food, as fish do not feed on sea salt.

In the culture of spirulina, the objective is to recreate as close as possible the native environment of spirulina. In its natural state, Spirulina is rarely taken except by pickers and flamingos.

In pond the harvests are much heavier, it is thus necessary to regularly bring food to the culture to allow its renewal. In the culture of spirulina, it is thus necessary to dissociate the culture environment from the living environment and the food:. Spirulina lives naturally in warm climates. In France, outdoor cultivation, with a translucent cap, is possible from mid-April. The deep green color of spirulina is obtained by photosynthesis.

For this, spirulina needs a strong luminosity but not a long exposure to the sun. It is important to shake the pool to prevent the spirulina on the surface from burning and to allow the deep ones to benefit from the light. The culture must be 20cm deep maximum so that all the spirulina can benefit from good sunlight. One of the health indicators of spirulina is its concentration.

To measure it there is a very simple instrument: the Spirumeter or Secchi disk. It is a white disc at the end of an axis graduated in centimeters. The concentration of spirulina is measured by dipping the disc into the culture solution.

When the disc disappears, the graduation on the surface is read, the Secchi concentration index. The lower the index, the more concentrated the spirulina is. For a healthy spirulina, the concentration should be between 2 and 4.

At 2 it is very concentrated, it can be harvested. At 4 it is at its minimum cultivation concentration, for example after a harvest. This tutorial is produced in collaboration with Gilles Planchon, a specialist in the domestic culture of spirulina, trainer and researcher on the natural living environments of microalgae. If rainwater: filter. The rich composition of spirulina comes from its diet, it is mainly composed of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iron.

The food used in the family culture can be of mineral or natural origin. Mineral fertilizers obtained by chemical synthesis or by the exploitation of natural deposits are less ecological than natural food produced locally.

Both preparations are presented. Mineral Food : The components of this preparation are agricultural fertilizers, they must be water-soluble. They can be found in agricultural cooperatives or garden stores. Natural food : The components of the mineral food are found in ideal proportions in the urine [1]. By adding a solution of iron oxide or "juice of rusty nails" spirulina benefits from a local and organic food ideal for its productivity and resistance.

The high pH and salinity of the culture medium reduces the risk of contamination. However, only "organic" urine should be used, from people with a healthy diet non-smokers, without medication or contraceptives.

Human urine is now widely used in agriculture and many studies exist on the subject [2]. If you leave the nails more than 10 days in the solution, the iron oxide concentration will rise. It will be necessary to dilute the juice with water. The pH level of the growing culture should be maintained at Though it can be done using sophisticated laboratory equipment, the easiest and cheapest method of examining pH level is done by dipping for seconds litmus paper in the culture medium containing the Spirulina: The colors of the paper will change.

Comparing the colors of the paper to the scale on the litmus paper box will indicate the pH level of the culture medium. Litmus paper can be found at school labs and at stores that sell aquariums. Harvesting Spirulina is essentially separating it from the culture medium in which it grows. Cloth with a density of microns in diameter made of polypropylene, nylon or polyesteris a good solution. Spirulina tends to gather at the top of the growing culture, where sunlight exposure is maximal.

Due to this, Spirulina that cannot reach the top, will ultimately die. In order to maximize Spirulina exposure to sunlight, the water in which it is grown must be agitated so that all Spirulina filaments are exposed to sunlight.

Agitating can be done manually, using a stick or — better yet — a broom both must be cleaned before use. This should be done gently, in circular motions that maintain the same direction clockwise or counter clockwise.

Another option is a small pump. The simplest kind used for aquariums will do. When you purchase the live culture, look for a starter pack that also includes the nutrients mix. I bought a starter pack that included ml live culture, grow medium nutrients mix , and a manual. Message from the Creator. You can mix your own nutrients if you want. In commercial aquacultures such as fish, prawn, and livestock; Spirulina either in the wet or dried form is used as a complementary dietary ingredient.

Spirulina is unicellular, filamentous blue-green algae coiled in spirals of varying tightness and numbers measuring about 0. In environments having adequate minerals, it grows rapidly with high nutrient content, low nucleic acid content, high concentrations of vitamins, and minerals. In developing countries, it is used as a potential source of food, feed, and fuel.

For human nutrition, it is cultivated in large scale in clean waters and under controlled conditions while it is also grown in wastewaters and can be used in animal feed. At the bottom of article, you can find cost and profit details in Spirulina Farming Project Report. The scientific name of domesticated Spirulina is known as Crocus sativus L. Studies in animals showed lowering of blood sugar levels. Climate : Spirulina while growing for commercial and large-scale production has to be done in regions with suitable climatic conditions.

Tropical and sub-tropical regions are well-suited places for its growing. It requires sunshine throughout the year. The growth rate and production of Spirulina depend on various factors such as wind, rain, temperature fluctuation, and solar radiations.

Light : The intensity of light plays an important role in its growth. Light has a direct effect on protein content, growth rate, and pigment synthesis of Spirulina. The light intensity between 20 to 30 K lux is found to be ideal for Spirulina farming.

It is observed under 2 K lux for 10 hours period by providing different light shades; under the blue light, it yielded the highest protein content. Yellow, white, red, and the green light was the next levels of protein generated.

Stirring : Spirulina needs exposure to light, as it a photosynthesizing organism. Light is maximum on the top surface, Spirulina that is on top of the culture will thrive well while the ones beneath have a slow growth rate and the Spirulina that remains below may die. For maximum production and proper growth rate of each organism that culture has to be stirred constantly. This helps all organisms reach the top of the culture and photosynthesis takes place uniformly.

Stirring can be done manually as well as mechanically. Pump and paddle wheels can be installed and can be powered by solar. Maximum care should be taken while in manual stirring which can be done either with a stick or broom or any other convenient thing. Stirring should be done in slow circular motions in one direction.

Manual stirring is carried out once in every two to three hours in daytime only. After every stirring, the instruments are cleaned thoroughly before. Water Quality : In commercial Spirulina farming, it is required to recreate the close culture medium in which blue-green algae grows naturally. Water is the main source medium for Spirulina to grow. It should have all the necessary sources of nutrition for a healthy growth of Spirulina.

The ideal water quality should be maintained throughout the micro-algaemass production by providing a controlled salt solution in the water. The ideal pH value culture medium should be between 8 to 11 ranges. The water level in tanks or pits should be controlled. The water level is important for the photosynthesis process to take place in all organisms. The deeper the water level, sunlight penetration will be reduced, which will affect algae growth. A minimum shallow level of 20 cm is ideal water level height.