Date: 20 Oct 1997
From: Randy Reed <rreed@seafarm.com>
To: BRINE-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
COMMENTS 1:
As an alternative to growing microalgae, there are companies that are
producing microalgae paste as a food source for the aquaculture industry.
The three companies that I know of are:
Innovative Aquaculture Products (IAP) in British Columbia, Canada;
Coast Oysters in Washington; Reed Mariculture in Santa Cruz, CA
Microalgae paste is relatively inexpensive, especially considering how much microalgae bio-mass you get. For example, to produce 1 kg of paste we centrifuge ~3500 liters of highly concentrated culture. A kg is probably a lot more than you need, but these companies also sell in smaller quantities. As a reference point, we sell a 250 gram bottle of CHGRA for $20.00.
Randy Reed
CEO, Reed Mariculture, Inc.
Santa Cruz, CA USA
e-mail rreed@seafarm.com
web http://www.seafarm.com
voice 1-888-4-Seafarm
fax 408-287-2246
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COMMENTS 2:
Date: 20 Oct 1997
From: "Shiao Y. Wang" <sywang@whale.st.usm.edu>
To: BRINE-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
I think Randy's suggestion of using algae paste is a good one for
growing Artemia. Speaking from experience, it's very difficult to grow enough algae to grow Artemia of any quantity over long periods. Randy, can you answer the following questions:
1. Are the algae shipped/stored frozen, refrigerated or preserved in some way?
2. What is the useful "shelf life" of the algae paste?
Shiao Y. Wang
University of Southern Mississippi
sywang@whale.st.usm.edu
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COMMENTS 3:
Date: 21 Oct 1997
From: Randy Reed <rreed@seafarm.com>
To: BRINE-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
I believe that the microalgae paste from IAP and Coast is preserved and refrigerated. I also believe that the estimated shelf life of preserved, refrigerated paste is about 6 months.
RMI's paste is not preserved but it is refrigerated. As with all vegetable matter that is not preserved, what you are trying to avoid is
bacteria and mold. We have not yet completed our shelf life tests but
our oldest viable paste is about 8 weeks. I would plan on using the
paste within 4-5 weeks.
We are in the process of putting together a bottling design for the hobby-culturist who only needs a small amount of paste. It will be a
small squirt bottle filled with microalgae slurry (paste that has been
resuspended in water) with measurements on the side to simplify and
regulate feeding. We hope to have this ready by the end of November.
Randy Reed
CEO, Reed Mariculture, Inc.
Santa Cruz, CA USA
e-mail rreed@seafarm.com
web http://www.seafarm.com
voice 1-888-4-Seafarm or 1-408-768-9411
fax 408-287-2246