Growing Algae...

[Jetijs]

Hi Savvypro.
I used a cream separator to filter the water out from the algae, something like this:


You just pour in the algae medium in the upper hopper and the centrifuge inside separetes the water and solids. Water comes out theough one outlet and a cream like algae substance comes out the other outlet. Works very well, water comes out crystal clear. Only you need a large enough amount of algae medium for it to cole out as cream like substance, because if you have only a small ammount of total algae percentage, it wont even fill the centrifuge. I tried putting through 3 liters of algae water and the algae just barely filled the centrifuge and was not flowing over the edge through the outlet. Raw milk has high fat content, up to 20% and that gives a good cream yield, so the algae also must be in high concentrations in the water for the separator to work properly.
In a week or so I will upgrade to 1000L container with 60w LED floodlights.
My previous setup did not turn out to work well, even with several layers of epoxy, the water got to the contacts and some serious galvanic corrosion started. So don't make the same mistake. The floodlights on the other hand will be completely waterproof and will be able to give light and heat to the algae as well
Thanks,
Jetijs

[Savvypro]

11th September 2011 update...

Did my first harvest of the Spirulina, it wasn't perfect as I didn't have the right mesh to filter out the algae. I used a fine sieve that was laying around in the kitchen. I allowed the Spirulina to settle a bit and clump up, before I poured the algae through the sieve. In total I may have got about half a gram to a gram. Went down well with pineapple juice.

[Jetijs]

Hi all.
As my lights failed some time ago, I switched to halogen lamp that lights up the barrel from outside and heats it also. But I think that when the light contacts corroded, that chemical action or electricity messed up the algae and now it does not seem to grow anymore. But I will keep trying to revive them. I adjusted the PH to 6.8 (it was 8.2) and made a co2 feeder using dry ice. Here is a video:
CO2 chlorella vulgaris - YouTube

hope this will revive them

[Savvypro]

@Jetijs
Did you have all your algae in that one barrel?

You may need to use the cream separator to separate the algae from the medium. In order to remove anything that is potentially effecting the algae.

For growing the Chlorella, I've seen a lot of places use the Bristol Medium. Although I'm finding the medium a bit slow going.

Bristol Medium for Algae (mg/liter)

NaNO3 250 mg
K2HPO4 75 mg
KH2PO4 175 mg
CaCl2 25 mg
NaCl 25 mg
MgSO4.7H2O 75 mg

Trace elements:

FeCl3 0.3 mg
MnSO4.4H2O 0.3 mg
ZnSO4.7H2O 0.2 mg
H3BO3 0.2mg
CuSO4.5H2O 0.06 mg

[Majestic81]

What is everyones thought about the books of David Siege?
I have read some samples and is packed with information.

making algae biodiesel at home - algae-for-entrepreneurs-sneak-preview-DL
making algae biodiesel at home - algae biodiesel

[paninfosys]

hi

hey all ENERGETIC guys,

i was just exploring.. n exploring.. net.. all for ALGAE to ALGAEOIL to BIO DIESEL.
is this project clear on RND side ?
are comapnies manufacturing bio diesel alraedy ?

just wondering, what could be the price of algae oil ? jetijs, u know my funda, i was just pondering upon .. production of algae oil.. can it sustain commercially ?

thanks,
ash.

[Shadesz]

So what significant difference is growing algae inside by light and outside by open pit (like they d o in developing countries)? I mean, if I decide to do some sort of open culture, what risks do I face? I hear spirulina (sp?) grows at such a high ph that nothing else will grow in it anyways?

[Savvypro]

So what significant difference is growing algae inside by light and outside by open pit (like they d o in developing countries)? I mean, if I decide to do some sort of open culture, what risks do I face? I hear spirulina (sp?) grows at such a high ph that nothing else will grow in it anyways?

The high ph does help, but that doesn't stop: dust, dirt, sh*t, hairs etc from falling into the ponds, be they inside in a green house or outside.

[Majestic81]

Can any one answer my question?

[Jetijs]

Here is a short video showing my chlorella vulgaris sample under microscope:
Chlorella vulgaris under microscope - YouTube

[Jetijs]

Hi all.
Here is my new bioreactor. I used a 1000L container that will be filled with water and algae culture. There are 6 air stones immersed with equal spacing from each other that will bubble the air into the reactor, the air will be filtered of course. I glued together a rectangle acrylic tube with the bottom end glued shut. This will be immersed in the water and will contain a rectangle piece of aluminum with three 20w LEDs mounted on it. The aluminum serves both as a radiator and as a weight for the acrylic tube so that it is not pushed out of the water. There is a fan mounted on the aluminum tube that sucks air out from the acrylic tube via holes on the bottom of the aluminum tube, this will keep the Radiator from overheating. On the pictures the LEDs are at about 50% brightness for testing, but when the water will be in, they will be turned full on. Also there will be another three 20W LEDs on the other side of the aluminum tube for optimum lighting. I tested the acrylic tube for leaks by pouring water in it, after several hours there was not a drop on the outside, so it should work well. Now I have to wash the container for the last time, sterilize it by putting an UV-C lamp in it for several hours and then the water can be pored in. I will use tap water which at our house has a good quality and then I will place the UV lamp above the water and let the water bubble for a day, this will ensure that there will be no pathogens in it. After that I will add the algae. I will keep you informed.

[Jetijs]

here's an update:

And here is a video:
New 1000L bioreactor for growing chlorella vulgaris - YouTube

[Jetijs]

Here are pictures of my chlorella algae sample in concentrated form in 100x and 400x magnification:

[Shadesz]

Thanks for the posts jetjis. I enjoy them.

Question... What kind of production are you seeing with that large tank?

I am looking to find out how large of a system I need to produce somewhere between 4 and 10 tablespoons raw per day.

[Jetijs]

Hi Shadesz,
thanks for the encouragement
The large bioreactor did not turn out well, mostly because I used sterilized tap water instead of pure distilled water. Tap water has all kinds of minerals already in it and this makes everything bad. When I stared the new reactor, everything seemed good, but then I added some fertilizer as I usually do, this, of course, increased the PH a bit, but that was enough for the dissolved minerals to become solids and settle down on the bottom of the tank. The worst part is that these minerals took the algae with them, since algae tends to attach itself to small mineral crystals. This made them reproduce very very slowly. The tank water was mostly transparent, not green as it was when I started the process. I tried to lower the PH using nitric acid to slowly dissolve those minerals, and that did work and in several days, the tank water turned green again, but as the CO2 from the air pump reacts with water, it makes it go higher in PH again, so it is a constant battle. Another thing was that even when the minerals were dissolved, most of the algae stayed on the bottom, the air pump does not make enough flow to agitate the algae water constantly. Also I noticed some bacteria cultures starting to grow on the tank walls as a slime. So I dumped everything out and decided to go another way. I will use more manageable volumes - 120 liter plastic barrels. I will use a reverse osmosis filter to get the best possible water to start a new reactor and I will use aquarium wave makers on the bottom of the barrel that will keep everything well agitated. I am talking about such things:
12W 6000L/H Vibration Pump Wave Maker JVP-201A Suction | eBay

This should ensure the best possible environment for growing chlorella and should yield some 100 grams of dry product from one barrel in one week.
So stay tuned, will keep you informed