Reef Nutrition Phyto-Feast LIVE 6oz

Phyto-Feast Live has the same algae as Phyto-Feast but is handled with special care. Phyto-Feast Live is harvested and shipped fresh each week and has better short-term cell viability. It contains a blend of the most important marine microalgae, those chosen by universities and hatcheries for their superior nutritional value: Pavlova, Isochrysis, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Tetraselmis, Nannochloropsis, and Synechococcus.

With six species in 5 classes, both Phyto-Feast and Phyto-Feast Live provide a diversity of Phyto-pigments, lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, carbohydrates and cell sizes. Reed Mariculture's proprietary harvesting and stabilizing processes keep cells intact and insures that the maximum amount of nutrients get to your animals.

Optimized for 100% Nutrition

After decades of research, hatcheries and universities around the world have come to agreement on the best algae for filter feeders. At the top of the list are Isochrysis, Tetraselmis, Pavlova and Nannochloropsis. While each provides certain benefits, none on their own can provide for a complete diet. Brown algae, in particular, are especially critical to your filter feeders because in addition to sterols and pigments they are the only algae that produce the fatty acid DHA (required for complete omega-3 nutrition). Phyto-Feast is the only live algae concentrate that contains 100% of the nutrition needed by your animals - proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and essential fatty acids.

Maximized for Long Term Storage

The best process for preserving the nutritional benefits of live algae for long term storage is to place the live microalgal cells in a state of suspended animation (also called quiescence or hibernation). This process reduces the metabolic activity of the live cells to minimal levels, allowing long term storage without the depletion of oxygen or the loss of nutritional value.

All the microalgae that goes into Phyto-Feast are grown at Reed Mariculture and are harvested live and packed and shipped "farm fresh" every week. Once harvested, the algae are induced to become "quiescent". At the time of packaging, 95% or more of the algae are alive. In this quiescent state, metabolic activity and respiration are reduced to minimal levels, preserving the nutritional value of the algae and the integrity of the cell membranes. Since not all of the algae species are equally hardy, after a few weeks some of the more delicate cells will begin to expire. However, due to our quiescence process, the cells lose none of their functional qualities or nutritional value. Many of the cells will remain viable for several months. When properly stored, a bottle of Phyto-Feast will provide the same value after two-plus months that it did on the first day.

Phyto-Feast or Phyto-Feast Live?

Phyto-Feast Live has the same algae as Phyto-Feast but is handled with special care. Phyto-Feast Live is harvested and shipped fresh each week and has better short-term cell viability. Phyto-Feast has better long-term nutritional stability. Both are equally good for your aquarium.

Directions

Invert and/or shake the bottle a few times before opening it. The larger algae cells such as Tetraselmis tend to settle to the bottom.

If you have not used Phyto-Feast before, start with 1 drop per gallon each day (1 teaspoon per 100 gallons) . Your animals will rapidly become accustomed to the phytoplankton (microalgae) and be able to feed on quite a bit more.

If your animals do not "clear" the water in less than an hour - back off on the amount you are adding because your systems is not fully digesting all the microalgae.

A common dosage for a mature system is 1-5 drops per gallon (1-5 teaspoons per 100 gallons) each day, depending on your tank setup and animal density. Use our feed calculator to determine the number of drops to use daily for your setup.

Usage Tips
We recommend turning off your skimmer before adding the algae. Many customers have been successful by putting their skimmer on a vacation timer so it automatically turns back on later in the evening (2 hours is a good window).

Storage
Phyto-Feast must be stored in your refrigerator. The best place to store algae is the bottom shelf because that is the coldest place in your refrigerator. The worst place to store it is the refrigerator door which may not be cold enough. Do not store Phyto-Feast in your freezer bcause freezing will break many of the algae cells.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min) 1.3%
Crude Fat (min) 0.5%
Crude Fiber (max) 0.1%
Moisture (max) 94.0%

Additional Guarantees
Microalgal Biomass 9.3%
Omega-3 (as a % of fatty acids) 15%

Ingredients
Seawater, Marine Microalgae (Isochrysis, Tetraselmis, Pavlova, Nannochloropsis, Thalassiosira, Synechococcus), Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Larixinic Acid, Sodium Alginate

Is Phyto-Feast Live Really Alive?
YES – Phyto Feast Live is ALIVE! Over 95% of the cells are alive when bottled and much of it will stay alive for several months. For more details, check out the viability report from the CCMP

Does Live Algae Make a Difference?
Yes and No. Cell integrity is critical. Live cells are a clear indication of quality, intact and unprocessed cells. However, microalgae can often retain these qualities when handled properly, whether viable or not.

Can I see Phyto-Feast Live swimming under my microscope?
No. Many kinds of algae do not swim. Other kinds "swim" by the beating of flagella. As a survival response algae lose their flagella under certain conditions - such as during the harvesting process. The flagella don't grow back so you won't see any of the algae swimming.