Learn how to grow organic Spirulina at home and gain a reliable source of fresh protein, minerals and other beneficial nutrients right on your windowsill! Its fun, easy and cost-effective, so lets get started!
How to Grow Spirulina At Home- A step by Step Tutorial
1.
2. What is Spirulina
A spiral-shaped micro algae from the
blue-green algae family
One of the earliest life forms known on
earth
Assumed to be the most nutritious of
all food plants known to man
Traditionally used by the Aztecs for its
many nutritional and health benefits
3. Why Grow Spirulina at Home?
Easier to grow than any other food plant
Healthier, cheaper and better for the environment than
dried, boxed Spirulina
An important knowledge to preserve for times of war and
struggle
Potential source of income and lots of fun!
4. Did You Know…
Spirulina grows by 25% of its own weight EVERY
DAY!!!
5g per day is enough to cover all of your daily
nutritional intake
Spirulina is both food and medicine, that’s why its
called SUPER FOOD!
Can also be used to make soap, face masks and other
natural cosmetics
5. Nutritional Benefits of Spirulina
Spirulina is 60-70% protein, about 3 times more
protein than in meat
50 times more iron than Spinach
15 times more vitamin A than carrots
25 additional vitamins and minerals
Anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic
and anti-oxidant
6. What do I need to get started?
A nice sunny spot with 50% shade during the day
A large container or aquarium+ cover
Water pump for circulation
Air pump for agitation
Electric water heater
PH meter
Thermometer
Additional LED lighting if needed
7. And one more thing…
A DIY Secchi Disk
“The Secchi disk… is a plain
white, circular disk 30 cm (12
in) in diameter used to measure
water transparency in bodies of
water. The disc is mounted on a
pole or line, and lowered slowly
down in the water…”
(Wikipedia)
How to use it?
• Place it in the water to check the
culture’s density
• Mark the 3cm point on the pole
or string
• Only add culture
medium/harvest If the disk is
3cm deep and is impossible to see
through the water
• If disk is 3cm deep and still
visible, culture is not dense
enough to harvest or to add
culture medium
8. Seeding
Find a good source of Live Spirulina culture from spirally
strands- check in microscope
Place culture in a smaller container and agitate manually
until volume is increased
Prepare the culture medium from clean water, baking soda,
salt, iron, ash and urine
Get precise measurements here
Add culture medium every 2-3 days, or when Secchi disk is
invisible at 3cm
Leave about 1/3 of the tank empty for air
When tank is full, let the concentration rise to 2cm before
harvesting
9. How to Harvest
You will need:
Framed 30-50 microns mesh
Polyester filtration cloths
10L Bucket
Weighing device (in micrograms)
Microscope (ideally x400 focus)
• For best results, harvest 25% of the culture in
the early morning
• Filter on a framed 30-50 microns mesh
• Place filter above tank and scrape gently
• Press the filtration cloth to squeeze any excess
liquid
10. Harvesting Tips
Although edible, it is NOT recommended to harvest
the floating layer of Spirulina. Doing so will decrease
the percentage of Spiraled filaments and leave mostly
straight filaments- which is lower in quality.
When the biomass is too sticky, for instance 100 %
straight filaments, it may not be possible to dewater it,
in such case, it must be washed.
11. Feeding After the Harvest
Weigh your harvest to indicate how much culture
medium to add
Wash filtration cloth in clean water in a bucket
Add urine and iron mixture to the bucket (precise
measurements here)
Mix well and add to the tank
All culture medium ingredients can be fed every
month or so, but urine (or urea) has to be fed daily,
based on the average production expected.
12. Health Care
Issue Solution
When starting a new tank,
Spirulina turns yellowbrown
and clumps at the bottom
Culture doesn’t grow and stays
pale green
Culture suddenly (within 24
hours) turns yellow and thin,
and clumps appear
Culture slowly becomes yellow,
clumps and doesn’t grow
Clumps appear, either floating in
your tank or stick to its sides
Foam starts forming at the top
Wrong water source used or
temperature is too high/low Or
wrong nutrient proportions
Inadequate light, or a lesser version
of the above problems
An extreme weather event has
occurred- balance temperature by
adjusting your water heater
Medium is old or imbalanced-
renew it immediately
Remove clumps with a strainer.
Check temperature. If culture thins
dramatically, you may need to
empty and clean your tank.
Add more ash water
13. Health Care
Issue Solution
Culture groups like gelatin, forming a
skin on the top, and is difficult to
mix
Culture is military green and smells
like ammonium
Culture is lime green
Culture is thin and Spirulina hides at
the bottom of the tank
There are a lot more brown bits than
usual
Strands are short (in microscope
observation) and pass through the
filter more than usual
Culture is thick and jelly-like
She's looking great and healthy
Spirulina is low on nitrogen and
needs more urine (or urea)
Too much urine has been used.
Dilute with 1cm of fresh water and
stir well.
She's had too much light and may
need more nutrients.
Culture is too cold at night, or
mixing wasn’t done properly.
Tap water has too much calcium,
dilute with fresh spring or rain water.
Too much agitation- lower pump
volume. Make sure you have been
feeding her properly.
Harvest more often.
She's happy . Fill a bottle with
culture and keep it in reserve.
14. Want to learn more?
Visit us at
Grow-Organic-Spirulina.com
Buy our eBook to support
our cause and get growing!
For questions and feedback
please write to us!