👥 Group Spotlight: Microalgae/phytoplankton

This post is the first in a new series featuring groups on the AIE. We’ll be speaking with the group organizers and sometimes members about what their group does and what their plans for the future are. In this edition, we spoke with Barley Dunne about his microalgae/phytoplankton culture group, what current challenges in the industry are, and his recommendations for people just starting out.

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AIE: What inspired you to start this group, and what do you hope members will gain from participating?

Barley: Put simply, I had a related question and the group didn’t exist so I wanted to get it going!  I hope members can come with questions and get them answered in a timely manner by others with related experience.  There’s a great resource of folks with experience connected to this site so the more activity it sees the better.

AIE: Who is this group for, and what kinds of discussions or resources can members expect?

Barley: It’s for anyone producing, or wanting to learn how to produce, microalgae.  There are a lot of new technologies out in recent years from bioreactors to continuous bag cultures, and some of us that are still using 40+ year old kalwall tech.  I would hope that one can get any and all questions/concerns answered in a timely manner.

AIE: What are some of the biggest challenges or advancements in microalgae/phytoplankton culture that you find most exciting right now?

Barley: One of the biggest challenges seems to be (with a few exceptions I’m sure) having enough food in one’s hatchery during late spring when the hatchery is chock full of animals but the ambient water is too cold to move them outside. 

One of the things I’m most interested in learning about is the best option for LED lighting.  Until last year we were still using fluorescents on our algae cultures and just switched to white LED.  I’d like to learn more about the color spectrum options in LED and what is working best for people.

AIE: How do you see this group contributing to the AIE?

Barley: Another related group on the site with some robust discussion is always an asset in my opinion.  I have been looking forward to a forum-based site like this for years and want to participate as much as possible to help make it a source for growers, researchers, students, even hobbyists.

AIE: For those new to microalgae culture, what are some key resources or first steps you would recommend?

Barley: I would recommend visiting sites that are growing microalgae, and visit as many as you can so you can see different systems and techniques.  If that is not an option, the second best is to probably scour the internet for videos and other resources to visualize the process.  Finally, if possible, take Gary Wikfors’ Microalgae course.  Think for most, visualization and some hands-on experience will be key.