MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

A handful of dried grass in water yields some microbes (ciliates and rotifers). But sometimes bacteria really increase and the microbes begin to die out within a week or. That's where I am now.

Don,

I am glad to see the new dry grass is working out.
Some people supplement their grass with a little yeast.
Maybe a dilute drop of live yogurt to increase the organic
materials

Gerard

You might try subculturing since you already have protists.
The question is whether the oxygen is too low because of all the bacterial growth or is it running out of gas.

I tried adding nutrient at one point and that greatly speeded the bacterial count and quickly killed all the protists. I think it just runs out of oxygen after a time or the bacteria destroy the protists.

Perhaps setup a culture that has just aged water and a little yogurt or yeast, then add some water containing the protists. That way oxygen would be more controlled

Good idea.
Actually I like to observe the cycle: relative populations of protists and bacteria. I added these photos today.