Extensive list of algae growth media

https://ncma.bigelow.org/algal-recipes

PROTOCOL FOR GROWING ALGAE AND RAISING AMHPIOXUS 1) Culturing

Superb pdf link to algae culturing amd breeding.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://edenrcn.com/protocols/Individual%2520Protocols/Square_Protocol.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjv75_K9ILQAhVW-2MKHcR1DjQQFggbMAA&usg=AFQjCNHV8rdPr3MAFLQavRNimU-MBo86fQ&sig2=2J_ynijxGeax76n14-E66w

Excellent article on Algae university of Wisconsin

http://www.botany.wisc.edu/courses/botany_330/Isolation&Culture.html

The start of this experiment.

Algae sample from my front yard pond - weeks grow in miracle grow media.

I have grown algae before in the past without doing my researched  and the algae always did fine for a while then just died. So I started to research what is required to properly grow and sustain an algae system.

What algae need to live -

Algae reproduce very quickly and need only sunlight (or another form of energy, like sugar), water, carbon dioxide and a few inorganic nutrients to grow.


My first experiments I used filtered tap water (to remove the chlorine ), sunlight, CO2 from aquarium air pump and miracle grow.

That system worked for a while but it always reached a certain point of grown and then would stop growing and eventually the algae died and fell to the bottom.

Finally,I followed this Instructable - Simple Algae Home CO2 Scrubber - Part 1 - 
http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Algae-Home-CO2-Scrubber-Part-1/?ALLSTEPS

I assumed that one only needed to continuously feed the algae with nothing more than miracle grow and sunlight. But I apparently was mistaken. I was missing an important ingredient - nutrients.

The Instructable above is actually perfect for scrubbing CO2 from the air or for maintaining a sample. but not very efficient or controllable.

The next instructable Simple Algae Home CO2 Scrubber - Part II Algae Cultures and Breeding - http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Algae-Home-CO2-Scrubber-Part-II-Culturing/
goes into more detail about how to cultivate and culture algae under more controllable conditions.

I have searched extensively for different instructables and different follow along tutorials but the two above are the best I have found so far.

Another important goal in Algaculturing is to eliminate competing strains of alga and other microscopic organism that can decimate your algal population.

Dictionary.com
Cultivation - the planting, tending, improving, or harvesting of crops or plants - http://www.dictionary.com/browse/cultivation

Culturing -  to grow (microorganisms, tissues, etc.) in or on a controlled or defined medium - http://www.dictionary.com/browse/culturing?s=t

Breeding - . the improvement or development of breeds of livestock.
- http://www.dictionary.com/browse/breeding?s=t 


The next step would be to growing or production -  incrementally grow up your culture to larger and larger quantity. This was another issue that I was not aware of until researching. One can not just take a small sample and throw it into a large growing vessel and be done. This thins out the algal colony and it will crash. Slowly working up to larger and larger vessels will allow the algae to develop properly.

So with these two instructables one takes several algae samples from several different locations, streaks a petri dish with homemade algae growth media and agar. Select individual colonies that have grown in the petri dish, thereby eliminating other species as much as possible. Then produce up to a photobioreactor.

So here is a list of steps.

1. Build a photobioreactor - see my next post
2. Build an incubator.
3. Create growth media from soil sampled from several locations
4. Create petri dishes with growth media and agar 
5. Streak the petri dish
6. Grown colonies inside the incubator
7. Select which colonies you want to produce, several - depending on how many photobioreactor chambers you have.
8. Grow colonies inside incrementatlly larger containers until it is large enough to be put inside the photobioreactor chambers with algae growth media.
9. Monitor which colonies does best, all under the same conditions.
10. Experiment with different conditions for the your choice species or strains.

If have found out early on that the most time consuming part, at least for me, is building and designing the photobioreactor and incubator.

The photobioreactor design needs to allow sufficient amounts of light for the algae to grow, proper stirring or mixing of the grow media / culture to maximize light coverage and growth, to maximize CO2 absorption and maintain proper temperature levels.

The Incubator design needs to allow sufficient amounts of light for the algae to grow in the agar petri dishes, proper light coverage and maintain proper temperature levels.

I have tried a couple of design configurations already and run them in my workshop. This is where the temperature control becomes and issue.

It is fall time, almost winter, in my area and the night time temperatures are already dropping into the forties. Most Algae species will automatically stop growing and hibernate in these temperatures or even completely die out.,

Now, in the second Instructable above and several other reference websites suggest using a lamp or lgith to raise the temperature. Which is fine if you wish to have constant illumination, but even algae have to have time to rest Temperatures need be in the 80's and 90's depending on the strain / species.

Designing a compact PBR and Incubator is challenging AND ALOT OF FUN.

See next post for what I have done so far and what conclusions I have arrived at.

Algae 101 - What is algae.

So, if you read my first post you now how much importance I place on researching and learning about anything one is curious about.

With the advent of the internet and the information super highway new digital forms of the encyclopedia formed. Wikipedia.com and Encyclopedia is by far two of the best things to have developed from the internet. 

I am partial to Wikipedia because it can be edited and corrected by the public, who contribute its content.

Students now have at their fingertips the largest encyclopedias ever created. Whether on a computer screen, which I prefer, or on a tiny cell phone display, almost any conceivable subject needing a definition can be typed in and instantly receive the answers.

Yesterday I attempted explain to a friend of mine that I was attempting to culture, cultivate and produce my own strains of algae - and after explaining those terms - her question was still a confused WHY???

So here is a short research list I created to try to explain to her and my readers WHY??

• What is Algae? 
• What is its function?? 
• Where can it be found? 
• Why is Algae important? 

A simple search on Wikipedia will deliver a page filled with not only the definition of Algae by also provides links to a plethora of other definitions of terms and definitions to more terms and definitions.    - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae

Go ahead and click the all of the links and learn all of the definitions and terminologies. 

Surprisingly it would take years to fully understand all of the terms and definitions but once you have you will arrive at the same conclusion that scientists the world over have concluded time and time again.

Algae is most important form of life on this planet. If it did not exist then life itself would not exist.

Google "The Most Important Organism on earth" and you will receive back thousands of resulting pages all stating that Algae is the most importand. An excellent article that I enjoyed reading is actually the first link that comes up in the Google search results. 

http://www.ecology.com/2011/09/12/important-organism/

Here is a short list of why Algae is the most important.

Algae is one of the oldest forms of life on earth, almost all plants with chlorophyll evolved from Algae. See - http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1987-08-11/news/8703060373_1_blue-green-algae-billion-years-greenhouse-effect

Since algae are the predominant photosynthetic organisms in the aquatic ecosystem, Algae forms the base of the aquatic food chain. All other non-photosynthetic marine life depends on the presence of algae. 

•  An excellent article from Berkely University introducing Cyanobacterial algae http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/cyanointro.html
• Another great article from University of California, San Diego - https://scripps.ucsd.edu/biblio/algae-worlds-most-important-plants-introduction - The articles Abstract states that - Early in the history of life, algae changed the planet's atmosphere by producing oxygen, thus paving the way for the evolution of eukaryotic organisms. In an era in which the consumption of fossil fuels is a prime topic of concern, few people realize that the oil we currently exploit comes mostly from Cretaceous deposits of marine algae. Moving from ancient times to the present, the algae remain more important than most people realize. Today, the production of oxygen by algae (ca. 50% of all oxygen production) is another reason for saying "our lives depend on algae." Those who love seafood should thank the algae because algae are the primary producers upon which aquatic ecosystems depend. Thanks should come from all who are vegetarians or omnivores, because all land plants derive from a freshwater class of green algae and all land-animals-including the cows that provide the steaks for meat-lovers-depend directly or indirectly on land plants for food and often for shelter as well. As we use up the oil deposits provided by the ancient algae, we are turning to the modern algae for help. Given the photosynthetic abilities of the algae, they are one of the major focuses for sustainable biofuel production and CO2 consumption. Finally, the algae that give us the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the fuel for our cars (past and, perhaps, future), are also a source of active pharmaceutical compounds that can be used against drug-resistant bacterial strains, viruses (including Herpes Simplex and AIDS), and cancers. Roses are pretty and oak trees are impressive, but no other groups of "plants" have done so much, for so long, and, for so many as have the algae!

 Algae gave use the crude oil we use in almost every form of transportation and the coal we use to generate electricity. Virtually all forms of energy we use today came from algae. - National geographic - http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/petroleum/

 Algae produces 70 to 80 percent of all oxygen on earth and absorbs more carbon dioxide than all of the trees and other plants on land, combined. Oxford journal - 

Algae is the fastest growing organism on earth and can produce more biofuel per acre - Also from the oxford journal link above - Algae are estimated to produce two- to tenfold more biomass per unit land area than the best terrestrial systems (Chisti 2008, Packer 2009, Pienkos and Darzins 2009, Mata et al. 2010, Stephens et al. 2010, Weyer et al. 2010). There are several reasons for the greater biomass yields of algae versus land plants. Generally, algae have higher photosynthetic efficiency than land plants because of greater abilities to capture light and convert it to usable chemical energy (Melis 2009, Weyer et al. 2010). Under ideal growth conditions algae direct most of their energy into cell division (6- to 12-hour cycle), allowing for rapid biomass accumulation.

Algae can potentially end world hunger - Some strains of algae, like spirulina, are super foods - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirulina_(dietary_supplement)

Algae produces more biofuel oil than any other biofuel crop- Oxford journal http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/content/60/9/722.full -  - Various estimates indicate that potential oil and biomass yields from algae ponds range from 2000 to 6000 gallons per acre per year 140 to 420 tons per acre per year, respectively (Weyer et al. 2010). 

Algae benefits - http://allaboutalgae.com/benefits/

1) Algae Grow Fast
Algae can double their numbers every few hours, can be harvested daily, and have the potential to produce a volume of biomass and biofuel many times greater than that of our most productive crops.

2) Algae Can Have High Biofuel Yields
Algae store energy in the form of oils and carbohydrates, which, combined with their high productivity, means they can produce from 2,000 to as many as 5,000 gallons of biofuels per acre per year.

3) Algae Consume CO2 
Like any other plant, algae, when grown using sunlight, consume (or absorb) carbon dioxide (CO2) as they grow, releasing oxygen (O2) for the rest of us to breathe. For high productivity, algae require more CO2, which can be supplied by emissions sources such as power plants, ethanol facilities, and other sources.

4) Algae Do Not Compete With Agriculture
Algae cultivation uses both land that in many cases is unsuitable for traditional agriculture, as well as water sources that are not useable for other crops, such as sea-, brackish- and wastewater. As such, algae-based fuels complement biofuels made from traditional agricultural processes.

5) Microalgal Biomass Can Be Used for Fuel, Feed and Food
Microalgae can be cultivated to have a high protein and oil content, for example, which can be used to produce either biofuels or animal feeds, or both. In addition, microalgal biomass, which is rich in micronutrients, is already used for dietary supplements to advance human health.

6) Macroalgae Can Be Grown in the Sea 
Macroalgae (seaweeds) are grown in the sea, or even on land with seawater, and their sugars can be converted into biofuels and chemicals.

7) Algae Can Purify Wastewaters
Algae thrive in nutrient-rich waters like municipal waste waters (sewage), animal wastes and some industrial effluents, at the same time purifying these wastes while producing a biomass suitable for biofuels production.

8) Algal Biomass Can Be Used as an Energy Source
After oil extraction, the remaining algal biomass can be dried and “pelletized” and used as fuel that is burned in industrial boilers and other power generation sources.

9) Algae Can Be Used to Produce Many Useful Products
Algae can be cultivated to produce a variety of products for large to small markets: plastics, chemical feedstocks, lubricants, fertilizers, and even cosmetics. See other products algae is used for here.

10) The Algae Industry is a Job Creation Engine
Algae can grow in a wide variety of climates in a multitude of production methods, from ponds to photobioreactors to fermenters, and thus will create a wide variety of jobs throughout the United States, from research to engineering, from construction to farming, from marketing to financial services. The Algal Biomass Organizationprojects the potential for creation of 220,000 jobs in this sector by 2020.

Products made from algae are the natural solution to the energy, food, economic, and climate challenges facing our world today.  Algae have the power to simultaneously put fuels in our vehicles, recycle CO2, provide nutrition for animals and people and create jobs for millions of Americans. Algae? Naturally. - http://allaboutalgae.com/

This list of benefits go on and on and the more I study Algae to more fascinating and complex it gets - Like this article which basically states that Algae are responsible for the occurrences, every 100,000 years,  of our planet's Ice Ages!!  - http://www.sciencealert.com/we-might-finally-know-the-weird-reason-earth-experiences-an-ice-age-every-100-000-years


But my best answer to her question of why is that the potential for discovery and cultivation of previously unknown species of algae is far greater than any other potential in the history of man. Imagine discovering a new species or strain of algae that could completely improve every aspect of life on earth - https://www.currentresults.com/Environment-Facts/Plants-Animals/number-of-undiscovered-species-living-on-earth.php

In the next several posts I will attempt to begin chronicling my experiments so far in attempt to catch up to the present state of my algae research setup.

....and yes there will be pictures!!

The Beginnings of an obsession for knowldege of everything

Well, it all started on a hot sweltering summer afternoon when I was in the 7th grade and attending North Cumberland Elementary school in Crossville, TN. Up until that point I had made straight F's throughout my scholastic career and in those days they just passed you on to the next grade no matter what, so why try?

However. there was one particular teacher named Mrs. Bilbrey,  a substitute teacher who, to me at the time, was the oldest person I had ever seen. She had white hair and when she walked, because of  bad hips, she waddled down the hall like a duck.

Mrs. Bilbrey was an old school school-teacher whom had been teaching for over 30 years and had taught at the high school that my mother attended when she was young. She was accustomed to teaching respectful children that had been brought up to respect their elders. My generation was apparently when many parents began letting their children go wild without any proper discipline or respect.

My parents, thankfully, instilled within me and my siblings proper respect for our elders and an inherent christian desire to do good.

My first memory of Mrs. Bilbrey was when she came to substitute for a teacher that had to take the day off, I don't remember which one or for what reason. But from the moment she entered the room to the end of the class she was disrespected, heckled, and mocked for the entire class.

They did this to get a rise out of her. She was quick to temper and her face would get red as a beat as she tried to maintain order in the a classroom filled with the most unruly and disrespectful children I had ever seen. In the beginning,  I admit, for the first few minutes I laughed when the other kids got a rise out of her. But after a while I began to feel uneasy at felt sorry for her when I realized that she was just trying to teach and what the other kids in the class was doing was disrespectful and wrong.

From then on, when the students found out that Mrs. Bilbrey was substituting they would excitedly let everyone know else know that day was going to be a day of poking fun, at her expense.

This went on several times and each time I was not excited when I heard she was going to be teaching because I knew what was going to happen. One day in particular, an especially bad day for her, the class was completely out of control and they had riled her to the point of screaming,  a popular and particularly disrespectful girl chewed up a huge full mouth spit wad and threw it into Mrs. Bilbrey face.

This ultimate act of disrespect did not have the intended effect and instead of exploding into a fit of rage, Mrs. Bilbrey broke down in tears and left the room. The room the fell completely silent and you could hear a pin drop and all of the other kids looked at Christie like they couldn't believe what she had done. I was completely appalled and for the first time I spoke up and asked her what was wrong with her, what was wrong with the rest of the class? Didn't their parents teach them better than that? Being the unruly heathens they were, they then turned on me and I became even more unpoplular in school, if that was even possible.

But, that day I felt incredibly bad for Mrs. Bilbrey so I wrote her a heart felt letter telling her how horrid I thought the rest of the students had been treating her and that I wish they would just leave her along and respect her and let her teach. I handed it to her in the hallway as I was going for my next class, she was still crying.

The rest of the school year went basically the same with Christie being the taunting ring leader. Mrs. Bilbrey still showed up knowing what to expect. In the brief moments when she was allowed to teach, she was awesome!

That summer, during summer vacation, on a particularly hot summer afternoon there was an unexpected knock at my families farmhouse door.  Even more unexpectedly, it was Mrs. Bilbrey!!

Mrs. Bilbrey apparently saw something in me that no other teachers. She had come to my house to deliver a brand new complete set of World Book Encyclopedias. FOR ME!! I was flabbergasted as was the rest of my family.

At first I didn't even know what to do with them. But I deduced that the best way would be to start with volume A and from that day on every time I wanted to know more about a subject, I looked it up in my encyclopedias.

Because of this, I found within my self an awakened insatiable curiosity to learn about everything possible. From A to Z and everything in between and by the beginning of the next school year I had completely scoured the entire set of encyclopedias. Every time Mrs. Bilbrey taught a class and she was able to ask a question for the class to answer, my hand went up every time with the correct answer and she would grin from ear to ear with look of complete satisfaction. To this day, even though Mrs. Bilbrey is long gone, I can still see that smile and the feel the immense satisfaction of knowing the correct answer and the even better feeling of knowing that if I don't know the answer, I can always look it up!

Since that time, Thanks to Mrs. Bilbrey, I have always been fascinated with the entire world, especially the electronic and microscopic world.

At age 17, I think it was in 1988 or 1989, on a particularly hot summer afternoon my family and I were living in a farm hand's trailer because that spring a hail storm had destroyed the roof and allowed rain to enter the electrical service box. As a result our family house was destroyed by fire.

Then, as before, there was an unexpected knock at the door. This time it was a travelling recruiter for R.E.T.S. Electronics Institute in Louisville Kentucky. I don't remember the recruiters last name but his first name I remember because his name was Paul, same as mine.

RETS Electronics, was a school which taught a two year degreed course that covered Electronics Theory all the way up to Industrial Robotics and had at that time started teaching about Microprocessors, including the new line of 8086, and more excitedly the X286 CPU!!

In retrospect, to say that I enjoyed my time at RETS is an understatement. I learned an incredible amount about how the electronics world functioned. I excelled at this school and maintained a 100% average. But, actually and truthfully, I had already studied most of the material covered from my World Book Encyclopedia Set by Mrs. Bilbrey.

Then In 1997, during a particularly hot summer,  I was attending Roane State Community College in Harriman TN in an attempt to earn my A.S. Degree in Computer Science.
That summer I decided to take my Biology electives, all three. BIO,II & II. My counselors recommended not taking all three because the summer classes covered the same amount of material normally covered in three months, all crammed into one month.

Upon first using a microscope in the lab to peer at the opening and closing of the stomata of an plant leaf and seeing for my self first hand the nucleus of a cell and the DNA strands at the center of it, and closely inspecting algae for the first time, to say I was enthralled is an understatement!!

I was so engrossed and enthralled that I aced my entire three biology electives with a 100% grade for all three classes.

I obtained my Associate Of Science in Computer Science from Roane State Community College and I proudly walked out onto the graduation floor as the first college graduate on either side of my family.

But, actually and truthfully, I had studied almost everything covered in my biology class, and most everything else covered, in my two years at Roane State Community College inside my World Book Encyclopedia set given to by Mrs. Bilbrey!

So thanks Mrs. Bilbrey!!

..and thanks mom and dad for teaching me respect, honor and proper christian values.