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removing algal contamination?

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 12:00 am
by Mufasa
So i had this culture that got some sort of algal contamination... it was a stalk cutting, so i kinda just set it aside, and wrote it off... today i had a look at it and noticed that it is growing
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anyone know of a way i can disinfect the algae without destroying the growth point if i replate?

cheers

Re: removing algal contamination?

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 2:49 am
by Matt
In my experience, it's really challenging to get rid of contamination of any kind. Takes lots and lots of patience, mild sterilization techniques, dividing and conquering with frequent replates, selecting out the least contaminated pieces of itssue, and using media with antibiotic/antimycotic.

I've done it several times, but it's extremely time intensive. Now, I normally just wait for spring and start a new culture instead of spending hours and hours trying to save one.

Re: removing algal contamination?

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:34 am
by Aoli wang
Silver ions at 1mg/L will totally supress most bacterias and algae and showes no apparent side effect on explants.I have tried this method.
but like ppm,contaminants will eventually come back once you stopped to use silver.

Re: removing algal contamination?

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 12:26 pm
by Mufasa
thanks for the responses... unfortunately i dont have any silver ions lying around lol... i think for now i'm going to just continually replate it untill it has some nice growth... though im wondering if i could control it with food coloring or charcoal... block out the wavelengths of light that the algae requires to grow... dont know if that would work..