2 liter bottle gimmick

[president89]

Does this look like a good or a bad idea for a phytoplankton dispenser? I cam across it randomly. I can't decide. It's a gimmick to keep the fiz in your soda bottle. But i was thinking.. hmm you could use it to split cultures... But now that I think about it. You'd have to take it off the dispensor to refill. Anyways, maybe it could be of some use?

[chuggy]

how bout for brine shrimp i want one where did you get it/?

[Suzy]

I think it would be cool if we could use it to tap the culture, use it without contaminating it!

Wheres the link? I'll try a couple!

[MikeSW]

What I found was called "Fizz Saver", looks like the one pictured?
From reviews it appears to use the soda carbonation to dispense.

[president89]

I didn't even think of brine shrimp. Forever fizz saver.. that is what its called. I bet the inventor of that thing will be happy I found it. I doubt they were selling too many as fizz savers lol.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Forever-Fizz-Soda-D ... tem4aa824e

[Suzy]

So, you think it has to be carbonated fluid to come out? Could it just be gravity that makes it come out? My bottles will all have a hole at the top, so it would just flow if there is nothing to stop it....

[Graham Penney]

I see at least 3 problems, being with the "neck tube" area...........1. BS eggs will, during the process of hatching get stuck/drawn into the neck tube & start to "hatch then decay" adding to excess bacteria within the entire hatch. 2. Very difficult to clean out this area unless bleaching at every opportunity. 3. If using it for phyto culturing, again this area will become a "dead spot".
graham

[MikeSW]

So, you think it has to be carbonated fluid to come out? Could it just be gravity that makes it come out? My bottles will all have a hole at the top, so it would just flow if there is nothing to stop it....

With a hole in your bottle it would dispense until the spout and liquid were level. Estimating from picture it looks like you'd only be able to drain about 2/3 of the bottle.

[Suzy]

I am going to try it, just for my phyto. I cant see an advantage for BBS, unless I am missing something. But, I think being able to use the culture without opening it might make it less susceptible to contamination. Maybe?

[Graham Penney]

Suzy, a bottle without a "hole" in it will not flow due to air locking. Secondly, how do you expect to aerate the phyto culture, as the air bubbles will need to vacate at water surface & sooner or later (ie very quickly) you'll get an air lock in the upper part of bottle. I see your thoughts on "non contamination", perhaps if you cut a small hole in the upper top (what was the base) & then either add a ball of "eg cotton wool" or utilize an air lock device used in wine/brewing this should ease the risk of contamination.

[Suzy]

My set up now uses upside down DP bottles with a hole at the top. My thought is that the positive air pressure from the air bubbler will prevent air moving to the inside of the bottle. At this point, I dont open the bottle to use it unless I am going to innoculate new bottles. But, if I could access the bottle without air going in, maybe the culture would stay clean. Maybe! I know my process is in no way "sterile" but I think just slowing the contamination as best I can is good enough for a home hobbyist.

For me anyway!

[Kmiec123]

That would be cool for brine.

[Suzy]

Mine or the original bottle gimmick spout? My set up is sweet for bbs eggs. Easy peasy.

[clownfishheaven]

I need a fish room like that. =D

[DanUnderwood]

For brine shrimp, these made by FAF while not cheap, do very well.

Dan

[Suzy]

Mine cracked after a year...

I'm sticking with empty diet Pepsi bottles. I usually have a few dozen laying around anyway.

[DanUnderwood]

I did have one crack that was several years old. Some plexiglass glue along the crack and i have used it daily now for close to 3 years since. I really like the drain at the bottom. Our 5 gallon and 15 gallon cones are setup the same way.

Dan

[jolson]

Suzy I like the way you are doing this mainly because It looks like you get much better circulation that way, no dead spots in the bottom corner of the bottles. ? how do you fill and empty them, do you cover the hole with a finger

[Suzy]

Suzy I like the way you are doing this mainly because It looks like you get much better circulation that way, no dead spots in the bottom corner of the bottles. ? how do you fill and empty them, do you cover the hole with a finger

It does get great circulation. I have found tetralsemis wants to settle out of suspension, but if it stays in the water column, it grows wonderfully.

I use bleach in my water mix, and I try as much as a hobbyist can to keep the field sterile (ish). I mix up 5 gallons, then fill as many diet Pepsi bottles as I can at one time with that mixed water, using the regular opening on the top of the bottle and tubing that has been sitting in bleach. Those bottles sit under a shelve until I need them. When I want to start a new bottle, I turn the bottle over and place it in a base made from another DP bottle, just the cut off bottom. I then drill a small hole in the top (which really is the bottom). I add a rigid piece of tubing that has been soaking in bleach water and let it bubble over night to dissipate the bleach. The next day, I use the tubing from a growing bottle to siphon a portion of that bottles contents into the new bottle.

My theory is, the positive pressure in the bottles keep pathogens from entering.

It sounds like a PIA, but it only takes a few moments to get a few bottles cooking. But, this could only work if you are addicted to Diet Pepsi. I drink way more than I should so I always have empty bottles...

[jolson]

I understand now, you use a new bottle for each culture, I dont drink that much pop and have always reused my bottle hence my question on how to block the hole when reusing Thanks

[Suzy]

You could soak the bottle in bleach to clean it. Use the hole in the bottom to fill it with bleach water.

[rayjay]

My theory is, the positive pressure in the bottles keep pathogens from entering.

How are you sourcing your pathogen free air to pressurize the bottles?

[Suzy]

I'm not. There is a chance that the pump will add something, of course, but it is as close as a hobbyist can get without being too obsessive. for this hobbyist anyway!

[Suzy]

Wait. The bottles are not pressurized. But the pump pushes air in, so I think none can go in from the room....

[rayjay]

I would expect the air entering the air pump is the same air that would get into the bottle if the bottle was open so really you haven't gained anything unless you do something about that incoming air.
You could pass the air through a "poly" trap, and maybe put it through a sterilizing bubble bath before going to the culture.