algae bioreactor at night

[pickler555]

generator. Just let nature do it's thing. Also consider tanks with a greater surface area to make the most from the sunlight.

[pickler555]

I love the setup. why are you producing the algie? is it for biofuel or some other purpose. If it is for biofuel you really must think about ditching the lights and the

[unnaturaltragedy]

While it does seem to be a waste of electricity to not just rely on sunset, you have to admit these look pretty cool glowing like that.

[coldbalistic]

are those foam fill tanks

if so how did you clean



[coldbalistic]

are those foam fill tanks

[stormwolfproductions]

were did you get the bin?

[Illisil]

All of you guys talking about biofuel are totally missing the point. He's just growing algae, not turning this into a business for fuel production. I guess you guys don't know that algae is also used in the pond, aquarium, and aquaculture industries. Small aquatic animals (rotifers) eat the alage and are in turn eaten by larger fish, that's the underwater food chain.

[ag7g]

I'll bet you have a hell of an electric bill. Isn't algae production supposed to harvest sunlight energy?

[walter0bz]

Am i missing something: isn't using electrical energy to grow bio-fuel pointless

[mikeccuk2006]

what is the best type of algae to use?

[52kismetic]

What kind of algae are you using?

[alex471996]

when I leave Upper 6th I'm gonna buy up 10 acres of desert and build an algae farm... apparently an optimized plant can produce 100,000 gallons of bio-fuel per acre per annum. Saddle row, here I come....

Although it'll probably never happen.

[d3adp001]

so what happened?

did you harvest the algae, and if some did you get any oil?

[Citizen1Media]

Good idea for using some old bulk totes. I have seen a youtube thing about growing algae with the help of LED lites. The artical claimed blue LEDs stimulate cell division, while red lites promote increase in cellular size. I would suggest adding blue in your starter tank and red in your growth tanks. I thought flourescent bulbs emitted UV light too. That would be negative. Do U use a filter to condition your light source? I suggest adding some mirrors or mylar film 2 catch more sun if not 2 hot.

[chriscmgerards]

The technician tending the bio reactor initiates harvest mode, which in turn displaces the existing culture to the next tank with fresh nutrients and media.

[datzfast]

@chriscmgerards i thought the whole idea was to get them to grow in free sunlight,not expensive electic light.

[xboxdisc]

How does the pump decide when the algae is mature enough to move to the next tank?

[datzfast]

mabey the set up cost less than a bass boat and its a hobbie, who cares, the point is this, anyone can do it. my wifw has probably spent more on indoor plants

and everyone wathching is looking for the free ticket. how do you grow it, what do you feed it, shit people all that was figured out eveyone is lazy. what you all want to do is grow it in the gas tank of your car.

[Epicx1984]

I'm sure he would use sunlight as well... interesting experiment to keep the algae growing at night though..... some of you have unreal expectations for homemade experimental algae grow facilities. Sir who made the video, I commend you!

[TheSymone98]

I would pay for you to teach me how to grow this green gold

[datzfast]

@TheSymone98 buy a fish tank add fish and dont clean it. with in a week you self taught yourself to grow algae.

[datzfast]

@TheSymone98 buy a fish tank add fish and dont clean it. with in a week you self taught yourself to grow algae.send me my fucking check.

[TheSymone98]

how much wouid you charge to teach this to me in a week

[MrMbeckelhymer]

Well its been a year , how is the set up working ? what have you learned ? are you still working on this ? what improvements have you made . Thanks for sharing this , I think its cool . have anice day and keep working

[isreasontaboo]

There is a flaw in your logic. you are using electric light which consumes more energy than you will store chemically through the photo-synthesis of the algea. I also heard a gas engine running which leads me to think you are redirecting the CO2 from it into the tanks. Again more energy input than output. Zero-sum game at work.

[autopsi]

There is a flaw in your logic. The tanks receive sunlight during the day. So in the end, the algae may power the light at night from the sun in the day.

[rhensontollhouse]

My 31 years experience mass producing algae leave me with one major question: why? This is a very inefficient method for growing algae. Why is it being done? What would the algae be used for?

[deimosbg]

Could not agree more. This is nothing better than an ugly fish/algae tank.

[melrobRTF]

it would obviosly be yoused for biofuel. you sir, completely missed the point. and you have 31 years of experience? there is probably something wrong with you then.

[ChemicalMikeUK]

you should add some more surface area in the tank for the algae to grow on to. cool vid.

[sorsa1249]

oh wow, thats really something interseting.

Sorry to ask a stupid question but The older algae is darker than the newer grown algae right?

[Judderdonkey]

Yes and No,

The older algae is the same colour. But as the culture ages the number of algae cells increaces, this makes the tanks look darker and become less transparent. Darker tanks have more algae.

[sorsa1249]

oooh i understand now.

thankyou.

[quarantined88]

i dun quite get y do the containers get brighter as the algae mature?

[chriscmgerards]

they don't; the series is in the process of maturing...

[melrobRTF]

they indeed dont, as the algue dublicate the concentration af algue grows and so the density of algue in thewater is higher stopping more light from escaping the tank.

[crossvain12]

Well this unit appears to be on his roof... so he obviously just provides the artificial light a few hours in the night and lets the sunlight do the rest

but I'm no expert so don't thrash me please :)

[crossvain12]

Sorry not the roof... but out in the sunlight none the less

[roidroid]

very nice.

[razorx71]

Alot of things wrong here. Light can only penetrate algae by about an inch. Using totes isn't going to produce any more than using plastic bottles. Artificial light is mostly wasted.

Anyway good luck and hope you work out the kinks.

[Sillybillydilly]

You know that you waste a lot of energy providing light, because light sources are inefficient compared to direct electricity? Probably 98% waste. Then life converts light to bioenergy/biofuel with 0.05%-1.5% efficiency, meaning another 98% waste. You get .02*.02=0.0004, or 0.04% energy efficiency max as biofuel megajoules compared to the megajoules of electric energy input. Sunlight is free, and life converts it at less than 1% efficiency to biofuels. You make your own light, you lose.

[HomeDistiller]

you know these tanks arnt uv stable? and why are they all balloned out like that?

[rx1ton]

iv been thinking of this myself i really wish ppl would updat their prodjects

[cheaphardwarez]

What you are doing is great! Its good to see normal ppl and normal off the shelf parts working with this cutting edge technology!

[scanzew]

i just curious about algae cultivation under artificial light..it's yield same as natural sunlight?

what type ur use lamp..maybe algae need certain type light density?

[awol09]

you will get higher yields, because you can have the light on all day, providing many more photo periods than with just natural sunlight.

[buda3d2007]

post an update on your progress, and let me know if your power bill is through the roof, I think what you have here is great, early days in a industry that has all the ingredients to energy independents allot sooner than hydrogen anyway

[iminaccess]

chris,

great stuff man, what are you doing if your not make fuel from it?

[MCH1984]

I hear it's quite good on toast!

[bogustube]

how much for a pool full of algae

[ZED74]

I like it , try making the fuel !!

Good job *****

[christo930]

Have you actually made any fuel from this? What is your energy return on investment? Wouldn't it be better to use natural sunlight instead of electric sunlight which would lower you energy ROI?

[chriscmgerards]

The tanks are transparent and allow sunlight during the day. photo bioreactors are build to optimize growth with a 24 hr light cycle. no, i have not made any fuel, this machine is built just to grow algae.

[jgizzy]

You said 'this machine is built just to grow algae' -- what do you plan to do with the algae than, other than to harvest it?

[SolarWebsite]

I don't understand why your comment is modded -1. This movie is very cool (although I am not so sure it is a good idea, energy-wise, to use artificial light) but I am wondering: what does one do with algae?

[julescicle]

and again someone thumbs down rated this when a valid question is asked. come on folks

[BigBraLover]

Good Going, your heading the direction.