What is SpirulinaA spiral-shaped micro algae

from the blue-green algae familyOne of the earliest life forms

known on earthAssumed to be the most

nutritious of all food plants known to man

Traditionally used by the Aztecs for its many nutritional and health benefits

Why Grow Spirulina at Home?Easier to grow than any other food plantHealthier, cheaper and better for the

environment than dried, boxed SpirulinaAn important knowledge to preserve for times

of war and strugglePotential source of income and lots of fun!

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 intakeSpirulina 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

Nutritional Benefits of SpirulinaSpirulina is 60-70% protein, about 3 times

more protein than in meat50 times more iron than Spinach15 times more vitamin A than carrots25 additional vitamins and mineralsAnti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic and anti-oxidant

What do I need to get started?A nice sunny spot with 50% shade during the

dayA large container or aquarium+ coverWater pump for circulationAir pump for agitationElectric water heaterPH meterThermometer Additional LED lighting if needed

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

SeedingFind a good source of Live Spirulina culture from

spirally strands- check in microscopePlace culture in a smaller container and agitate

manually until volume is increasedPrepare the culture medium from clean water, baking

soda, salt, iron, ash and urineGet precise measurements hereAdd culture medium every 2-3 days, or when Secchi

disk is invisible at 3cm Leave about 1/3 of the tank empty for airWhen tank is full, let the concentration rise to 2cm

before harvesting

How to Harvest

You will need:Framed 30-50 microns meshPolyester filtration cloths10L 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

Harvesting TipsAlthough 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.

Feeding After the HarvestWeigh your harvest to indicate how much

culture medium to addWash filtration cloth in clean water in a bucketAdd urine and iron mixture to the bucket (

precise measurements here)Mix well and add to the tankAll 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.

Health CareIssue Solution

When starting a new tank, Spirulina turns yellow\brown 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

Health CareIssue 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 greenCulture is thin and Spirulina

hides at the bottom of the tankThere are a lot more brown bits

than usualStrands are short (in microscope

observation) and pass through the filter more than usual

Culture is thick and jelly-likeShe'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.

Want to learn more?Visit us at

Grow-Organic-Spirulina.comBuy our eBook to support

our cause and get growing!

For questions and feedback please write to us!