Back to: Seeding

The other option for inoculation is to seed spools directly within the culture tanks. This option is great, because it takes up little space and requires far less prep work than seeding in tubes. However, it requires a significant amount of spore solution, and may be difficult to chill. 

If you control the temperature of your tanks by chilling the air in your hatchery room, then you’re all set! If you use chillers, it is not recommended to run the pumps in your tanks during the 24 hour settling period, as the water flow may damage the spores or prevent settlement. As a work-around it’s possible to prechill the filtered seawater in your seeding tanks to 50°F/10°C the night before. The day of seeding, chill your room to the coldest setting (at GreenWave, we set our thermostat to between 55 and 60 °F). Just before you add spore solution to your tanks, turn off the pump and chillers. If possible turn off all lights and any possible heat sources in the room to prevent a significant increase in temperature. The ambient temperature may rise a few degrees over the settlement period, but the slow increase in temperature does not seem to be detrimental to settlement.

In our 20-gallon (75L) culture tanks, we can comfortably fit 18 two-inch spools for seeding. While seeding 18 spools in a single vessel makes things easier logistically, the ratio of the number of spools to the volume of water per spool is greater than in the seeding tubes. You will have to use significantly more solution with this method to achieve the same stocking density you would achieve using seeding tubes. If you do not have a good spore release, this may not be a good option. 

This video shows the process of seeding in culture tanks. Notice that we’re using a 1/2″ piece of PVC pipe to help encourage spore settlement throughout the entire tank’s water column—as opposed to pouring the solution on the surface of the tank and risking that spores only settle at the top of the spools. The PVC tube allows you to introduce spores throughout the tank with the goal of achieving even settlement across spool surfaces. At the end, we give the water one more mix around the spools for even distribution.

After your spools are inoculated with kelp spores, they should be kept at 50°F and in darkness for the next 24 hours to encourage proper spore settlement. If lights must be on in the same room as the tanks, wrap the tank in contractor bags to block out light.