Those who would like to get started right away growing their own algae can get quick starter kits and supplies in our new online store: http://www.algaelab.org/products-page/

We are algae experts here at Algae Lab, so if you want us to develop a product we don’t have, or need expert consulting, please let us know (we are friendly scientists): http://www.algaelab.org/contact/

We are working on writing a book on growing algae, algae science trends & technology, and aquaculture from micro to large scale. We teach workshops at various levels, from beginner to advanced. If you are interested in hosting and organizing workshops in your area or for your organization, please contact us. In the meantime you can request blog articles on general to exact algae topics as well.

http://99designs.com/logo-design/vote-dr2xq3

Best,
Aaron

We are very excited to soon be offering live online training sessions with our founder and NASA scientist, Dr. Aaron Wolf Baum! In addition to being able to see live visuals and hear the doctor speak, you will be able to chat (both text and audio), and a recording of each session will be made available after the class.

Planned topics include:
- Algae Basics: setting up your tank, growing up, harvest and maintenance
- Expanding Your Set-up: How to grow from kit-size to small farm scale
- Growing Up From a Test Tube: How to grow from a mail-order test tube sample to gallon size
- Photobioreactor Design Workshop
- Creating and Refining Algae Growth Media
etc.

Please write to us at contact@algaelab.org to express your interest, so we can keep you informed, and tell us what you would most like to learn about!

From the heart of the chloroplast,
The AlgaeLab Team

We’re a little late on this, but our founder and chief researcher, Dr. Aaron Wolf Baum, was featured in the January/February issue of the Stanford alumni magazine, with a very nice spread and two lovely photos!

Have a look:

We’ll be posting again soon; in the mean time, stay green!

Chlorophllically,
The AlgaeLab Team

AlgaeLab Home-Grow Algae Workshop

Including Hands-On Training with the Spirulina Kit!
Taught by AlgaeLab.org Founder and NASA Scientist Dr. Aaron Wolf Baum

Sunday, March 4th , 2012 11am-5pm
Ace Monster Toys (acemonstertoys.org)
6050 Lowell Street
Oakland, CA (near Berkeley and Emeryville) — MAP

Grow plentiful food and fuel in small spaces.
Algae reproduce exponentially, but do not require land, soil, or fresh water. They can be harvested every day, producing much more than land crops, and some of them (e.g. Spirulina) have amazing health benefits as food.
You can grow algae too — in your own home — and we will show you how!
Come to the Hands-On Home-Grow Algae workshop series. Go home with your own Personal Photo-BioReactor and everything you need to grow your own Spirulina superfood algae in your own home!
One personal algae photo-bioreactor in one sunny window can provide enough spirulina to significantly supplement the diet of one person every day. Larger installations can provide biofuel and organic fertilizer, and perform important services, such as cleaning up water, and eliminating greenhouse gases from exhaust.
In addition to an introduction to an overview of algae farming, and a discussion of the practicalities of setting up your own farm, we will have an extended hands-on section of the workshop where I will show you how to set up and run your personal photo-bioreactor kit — it’s easy!
Special offer: along with the workshop, all participants will be able to take home a one liter bottle of live spirulina culture to start your own tank or pond — this alone is worth the course fee…

Course Fees:
Special deal for workshop participants: Workshop plus complete 10-gallon home-grow kit for growing your own Spirulina. The kit includes tank, heater, air pump, air diffuser, air tubing, valves, starter and make-up nutrient powder mix, pH testing, harvesting tube, harvesting cloth, clips, plug timer, and 1 liter live spirulina – everything you need to get started growing your own superfood spirulina! $299 – save $50.
$99 for workshop only
Send payment via PayPal (payment@algaelab.org), or by mailing a check to:
ALGAELAB.ORG
420 Fairmount Ave
Oakland, CA 94611
To receive the personal photo-bioreactor at the workshop, be sure to pay at least a week before the course date so that materials can be ordered…
See you there!

If you have any questions, write us at contact@algaelab.org…

I am often asked, “How do you like to eat Spirulina? Do you have any recipes to share?” We are working on an AlgaeLab Spirulina recipe book, but here is a quick guide to how I do it myself:

The quick answer is, I mix Spirulina (both the live stuff I grow and the commercial powder stuff when I don’t have the live) into everything I can! The more algae I eat, the better I feel — calmer, more focused, stronger, and with much more stamina. Exercise is a lot more fun, and I get a lot more done without feeling stressed!

The easiest way to do it is in smoothies. I make four general kinds of smoothies — sweet & fruity, savory veggie, sweet veggie, and coconut creamy. The first three all include Spirulina. The live, fresh stuff has almost no taste, so it’s easy to combine with anything.

I tend to use whole fruit over juice because it’s healthier and cheaper…

Sweet & Fruity:

Small handful of dates and/or 1 or 2 bananas.
Handful of walnuts or almonds
Chunk of ginger 3/4″ on a side
1/4 lemon
Heaping tablespoon of Spirulina, preferably live & fresh!
Big handful fresh spinach greens
2 cups frozen mixed berries
Optional: Teaspoon cacao nibs, tablespoon of coconut oil or butter, unrefined, 1/4 cup pomegranate juice.

Put the Spirulina, dates, ginger, and lemon in first so they’ll blend better. Top off with water and blend till smooth. This is what I drink every morning and it really gets me going… The lemon & ginger are essential — combine them with any fruit (or carrots) & they taste great! Their intense taste also covers any flavor from store-bought Spirulina powder.

Savory veggie smoothies are similar to gazpacho, using raw tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (sweet & spicy), onions, garlic, olives, zucchini, greens, lemon, and sea salt plus Spirulina (& water) to make an intensely refreshing and cleansing drink, especially good on a hot day!

Sweet veggie smoothies are based on sweet-ish veggies like raw peas, carrots, raw zucchini, raw or cooked squash or potatoes, almonds, and almond milk. This type of smoothie is warming and nourishing.

When I’m on a roll I can live almost exclusively on these types of smoothies, they give me great energy and vibrant health.

I can write up more detailed recipes if I get enough requests!

This page also has some useful tips & recipes…enjoy!

From deep in the green,
Aaron

P.S.:

Get Spirulina home-grow starter kits and supplies in our new online store: http://www.algaelab.org/products-page/

We are algae experts here at Algae Lab, so if you have any questions, want us to develop a product we don’t have, or need expert consulting, please let us know (we are friendly scientists): http://www.algaelab.org/contact/

From the heart of the chloroplast,
Algae Aaron

Ask questions of the Algae Lab, or join for free

Get supplies for growing at the Algae Store

From time to time I will solve specific algae conundrums, such as this one. See if you can figure it out, then at the end I’ll tell you the solution!

Best,
Aaron

Hello,

I am interested in growing my own spirulina platensis at home. I have constructed a 3 foot tall 6 inch diameter acrylic grow tube for this purpose. I recently ordered a small culture of spirulina platensis from the University of Texas. I did everything I could to maintain this highly diluted culture. I started with a very small quantity of distilled water based media, utilizing pro algae culture formulas parts a and b. I ran a 125 watt compact florescent grow light through the culture for 12 hours a day. The result was a sticky yellow algae that did not resemble the typical characteristics of healthy blue green Spirulina. I did run a slight stream of bubbles from the bottom of the tube 24 hours a day to stir the mix and provide carbon dioxide and I can confirm that there was no other algae contaminating this growing tube. Can you provide any insights into where I may have gone wrong. I am interested in purchasing a more robust culture from you at algaelab.org but I don’t want a repeat of my last efforts. Any info you can provide me would be extremely helpful.

p.s. I did keep the culture at an almost constant temperature of 82 degrees F

Chad

Hello Chad,

Cheers for giving it a go! Sorry to hear it didn’t work; those UTex cultures are pretty pricey. Glad you found us! I’m curious where you got your information about how to grow Spirulina, though; see if the below advice helps.

The Pro Algae culture formula, like all other general algae-growing media, is not very good for growing Spirulina, especially because it lacks carbonate and bicarbonate. The types of Spirulina grown for food thrive in natural soda lakes, the water of which is very rich in natron, a substance rich in both sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda ash). Spirulina medium always contains a lot of one of both of these ingredients; our starter mix provides 16 g of baking soda per liter of medium.

The soda pushes up the pH to 10+, which is the range that Spirulina likes best. You also made the situation worse by bubbling in carbon dioxide, which lowers pH. The addition of carbon dioxide to algae medium must be monitored closely using a pH meter.

And two more things that would have also impacted the growth of your little guys: the nutrient ratios in Pro Algae are not optimized for Spirulina, and 82 degrees is generally sub-optimal for Spirulina – they prefer higher temperatures, generally closer to body temperature (97F).

Hope this helps. If you do order a kit or bottle from us, you’ll get detailed instructions and recipes for our nutrient powders as well. We’ve gotten a lot of people going who have no experience at all, so I’m sure we can get you up and running!

From the heart of the chloroplast,
Aaron

Ask questions of the Algae Lab, or join for free

Get supplies for growing at the Algae Store

Check it out!

Best,
The AlgaeLab crew

Ask questions of the Algae Lab, or join for free

Get supplies for growing at the Algae Store

I thought I’d share with you a series of home-grown Spirulina success stories, to inspire all of you already in or considering joining the algae home-grow community!

This time we have Vicky who has been having great success growing our little blue-green buddies in North Carolina.

After just one month of growth she has harvested four ounces of live fresh Spirulina! The strong Carolina sun seems to be working well for her. Nice job Vicky!

Please send in your success stories for an AlgaeLab shout-out!

Best,
Aaron

Ask questions of the Algae Lab, or join for free

Get supplies for growing at the Algae Store