How to cultivate Spirulina at home for your family to eat regularly.
http://www.spirawline.com/
I recently wrote an article about the benefits of algae as bio fuel. This post is a continuation of my introduction to algae articles. I have also previously written about the benefits of Spirulina and have seen several other amazing articles written by other authors about Spirulina so I am not going to sell you on how great it is. I am assuming you know.
If you don’t know please check these links.
@solarguy/bio-fuels-for-carbon-capture-using-alga
Still active.
@solarguy/spirulina-the-super-food-of-the-future
@solarguy/algae-our-best-bet-for-the-future
Want some other Steem opinions check these out.
@katyakov/continued-my-secrets-of-staying-healthy-and-feeling-good-spirulina-the-magic-algae
@anns/fast-facts-about-spirulina-supplements
Sold?
To mass produce Spirulina it’s most cost effective to do it outdoors in a tropical place like Hawaii. However small and medium scale farms have been sprouting up all over France and other parts of Europe. These aren’t the hottest places but they do offer enough light and warmth to grow Spirulina outdoors in covered ponds.
The methods for growing it have come a long way if you do it correctly you can estimate one gram of fresh Spirulina per day per liter of water. or better, that is after you spend a couple weeks growing to that level. You will start with about one liter of culture you buy online from a trusted seller I will mention at the end of this article.
These mid sized farms like in the pictures from France produce enough Spirulina to support a family and a few workers by selling the product daily to the local market. France is actually a world leader in mid sized Spirulina Farms. One reason I read was due to the last European financial meltdown and entrepreneurs looked at this as a good opportunity to take control of their destiny and its working for thousands across the country.
http://www.algaeindustrymagazine.com http://www.algaecompetition.com/
In this post let’s learn how to cultivate a small Spirulina Photo Bio Reactor (PBR). They are also becoming more common in households as fresh Spirulina is much more nutritious and, though I have yet to try it myself, taste much better, like no taste, and has an almost buttery feel. The down side of fresh Spirulina and the reason it’s near impossible to buy for less $200US per Kilo, is it only last about 48 hours before it loses it nutritional value. So dried is very common as it lasts years and comes in powder, tabs and capsules. It’s very difficult to market fresh.
http://www.algaelab.org/
A different Green Gold.
So if you’re looking for hobby that will change your life for the better fasten your seat belt here we go.
There are several methods to grow Spirulina in your home by the window if it has enough sunlight or using LED lights. Cultivating Spirulina inside your home has several benefits aside from eating it.
Alga cleans the air you breathe and releases clean oxygen. If you love gardening this is unique hobby you brag to your friends about.
Spirulina grows in high acidic water. They like a Ph of 10 -10.5, that’s alkaline above 7 Ph which is neutral to the touch of skin. If that’s an alien language to you think of the taste of the ocean but bitterer. This high Ph level makes Spirulina incredibly tough, most other organisms cannot survive in the same conditions Spirulina thrive in. This is great for the Spirulina farmer because the product is less likely to get contaminated and die.
Spirulina is said to be one of the easiest types of algae to grow when compared to other strains that are very susceptible to disease and contamination.
In my previous post about Spirulina I mentioned it will absorb pretty much anything in its waters even nuclear radiation, it also absorbs that from your blood, so it’s important to you only allow the right nutrients into the water. This is easy to maintain in your home because I doubt you have too many harmful chemical like soap ready to spill into you hobby.
Spirulina thrive in tropical conditions but too much light and heat can be fatal.
One of the most amazing things about Spirulina that separate from most other plants and Photosynthesizing organisms its blue green pigment. As we should all know plants are green to absorb sunlight. The green allows the plant to absorb higher on the spectrum like yellow and red but NOT GREEN hence why we see green, they reflect green. The Blue pigment allows Spirulina to absorb light lower down the spectrum like green and purple the coulrs we don't actually see. AMAZING!!!
What does that mean?
That means Spirulina can use up almost the entire color spectrum. So you don’t need to worry about the color of your LEDS like you would for your, umm, Tomatoe plants. Yea. You just need a lot of it for 16 hours a day.
What to grow it in and how much?
Well there is no maximum amount of Spirulina you can eat per day. No one has ever died eating too much but there are some reports of diarrhea and stomachaches after eating more than 5 grams a day. United Nations recommends 1 gram per day for children and 1-3 grams per day for adults if they are healthy and just want the additional nutrients. There are special diets to use it as medicine which have been proven (however loosely) to cure some types of cancer and other illnesses, for another article.
So let’s estimate you want 2 grams per day per person on average, that’s about 1 teaspoon equals a gram.
From cheap to pricey there are so many DIY or store bought Spirulina PBR’s available you can really choose what fits your abilities and budget. Here are a few examples I have found in a variety of blogs and forums I am involved with.
Fish Tanks System
http://www.algaelab.org/
Algae Lab makes a very good easy to use, system that produces enough Spirulina for mid size family. You could buy each part seperately and make your own and there are many articles online you can easily find with a quick google search on how to do that.
Pre built system LED Photo Bioreactor for home use for those who don’t have steady sun light. I am aiming to buy this very kit.
https://utex.org/products/utex-photobioreactor
Temperature is really warm but not hot. Spirulina excels at reproduction in 35-37 degrees Celsius. Hotter than that and they will start to die. However they can keep growing with cooler temps but at a much slower rate. Eventually they will sort of fall asleep and if the water is too cold or frozen, dead.
Nutrition.
There are many formulas and methods and combinations of light, feed and Co2 to maximize production. You will have to decide what’s best for you. For the sake of keeping this post simple I suggest if you are growing at home you should just buy the feed the company you bought the culture from supplies, or recommends. They will have everything you need. Once you have a good grasp of Spirulina you can research and make your own using your compost waste.
Spirulina needs these ingredients which as I type them sounds really complicated and science nerd stuff but really it basic stuff with big names. It will be in the fertilizer you buy. This is also needed to keep the Alkaline Ph balance of the water. There are specific formulas online.
Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3)
Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)
Sodium Chloride (NaCl) – any cooking salt.
Potassium Dihydrogenate Phosphate (KH2PO4
Iron Sulfate (FeSO4) Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) – pent hydrate.
It may take some time to do it right but it’s worth it and like I mentioned make it a hobby.
If you are truly interested in growing Spirulina at home I recommend you check out these websites and do some searching. There is a ton of info available and without a doubt you will find a system suitable for you.
I hope this post was a good introduction to growing Spirulina at home. I plan on buying a small 5 liter system this winter to start practicing myself. When that time comes I will keep you posted on my journey.
I have more algae post to come. We can save the world and make it better for the next generation. We can forgive last generation because, well, they didn’t really know they were killing the world. Our generation has the knowledge and no excuses. The next generation will be right to be pissed off; let’s not let that happen.
Please use the following links for more Algae cultivation advice and information.
http://www.spirulinaacademy.com/grow-your-own-spirulina/
Spirulina Academy is one of the leading online resources for hobby Spirulina growers. They were one of the first places I found in search for knowledge.
http://justspirulina.org/spirulina-manual/
A detailed article how to grow Spirulina in your kitchen window or balcony.
I hope you found this article interesting and unique..
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