Photon Systems Instruments FMT150 - Cultivation Guide; 6.1 Set-Up the Components

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6 CULTIVATION GUIDE

This section describes show to set up a standard Photobioreactor FMT150 and how to initiate cultivation of an algal culture

with a PBR software.

6.1 SET-UP THE COMPONENTS

1. First prepare the glass cultivation vessel and its lid. Follow the steps described in chapter 4.2.3 on page 26 to

assemble the vessel. Cover the lid of the vessel with aluminium foil and prepare these components for

autoclaving.

Important: Never close all three sensor holes with the screws or sensors. It is recommended to leave

one sensor hole empty and cover the lid completely with aluminium. Provided sensors can be

autoclaved but their lifetime is reduced.

2. Prepare the required medium for autoclaving (volume depends on the vessel capacity).

3. Prepare all silicone tubes and connectors necessary for gas inlet and gas/medium outlet for autoclaving.

4. Assemble bubble humidifier bottle as described on Fig. 18 on page 31 and prepare it for autoclaving.

5. Prepare glass or plastic funnel to be used for pouring of the autoclaved culture medium into the vessel for

autoclaving.

Optional: Other components need to be autoclaved prior to experiment initiation if other optional components

are used together with the standard PBR FMT150 set up. For example, sampling tube and sampling syringe;

additional medium for turbidostat mode; silicone tubes for peristaltic pump and/or magnetic stirring bar if

magnetic stirrer is used.

6. Autoclave all components at 120 °C for 20 minutes or according to user´s defined protocol.

6.2 SET-UP THE EXPERIMENT

1. Turn ON the PBR FMT150 main switch on the front panel.

2. Turn ON the PC and start the PBR client as described in PBR Software manual.

3. Connect the pH/temperature sensor with the PBR FMT150.

4. Before starting new experiment, it is recommended to perform pH sensor calibration with commercial pH

standards as described in chapter 4.3.2 or in PBR Software manual. Perform two point calibration with standard

pH 7 and pH 10.

Optionally: pH calibration can be performed also prior to the vessel autoclaving step. Sensor can be thus

autoclaved already inserted in the cultivation vessel.

5. Disconnect the pH/temperature sensor and place it together with the autoclaved cultivation vessel inside a sterile

flow hood.

6. Sterilize the pH electrode with hot or distilled water and mount it immediately in the autoclaved vessel. Other

options for sterilization: use 0.1 M HCl or ethanol rinse.

7. Add medium to the cultivation vessel through the open port for additional probe using sterilized funnel.