Reef Flourish Super Concentrate – Solve Common Reef Tank Problems

Your corals are fed on schedule and your water parameters are clean, but something in the tank still feels static. Polyp extension is inconsistent. The refugium copepod population rises and falls. Filter feeders are active for a day or two after dosing, then quiet down again. The gap is usually the food web base.

Most reef keepers who dose phytoplankton do so inconsistently - a large addition every few days when they remember, then nothing for a week. The food web that builds around a reliable phytoplankton supply cannot sustain itself on that pattern. Copepod populations fluctuate, corals feed in bursts rather than continuously, and the steady biological rhythm that makes a reef feel alive never quite settles.

Reef Flourish Super Concentrate is a five-species phytoplankton blend produced fresh in our Welsh facility at approximately 2 billion cells per millilitre, covering a particle size range of 4 to 20 microns. The five species - Nannochloropsis oculata, Tetraselmis, Isochrysis, Pavlova and Thalassiosira weissflogii - provide protein, DHA, EPA and ArA across the full particle size range that corals, filter feeders and copepods require. Dry biomass analysis confirms 52% protein, 16% lipids and 22% carbohydrate. The liquid product carries over 4% protein and over 1.2% lipids, with microbial testing confirming negative Salmonella and negative known pathogenic marine bacteria. At 1 to 4 drops per 265 litres daily, it is concentrated enough that the dosing habit takes seconds rather than minutes, and a 30ml bottle provides months of continuous supply for a typical reef system.

A consistent daily dose changes the biological baseline of the tank. Copepod populations hold their density rather than peaking and crashing. Filter feeders remain extended throughout the week. Coral polyps intercept planktonic cells on every feeding cycle rather than only on dosing days. The tank shifts from a system that responds to occasional input to one that runs on a reliable, functioning food web.

Reefphyto has been culturing phytoplankton from our specialist facility in Wales since 2008. Every batch of Reef Flourish is produced fresh and dispatched at peak cell density, not preserved, not heat-treated - a genuinely live culture with an 18+ year production pedigree behind it. Darren is available personally if you want guidance on the right dose for your system.

If daily phytoplankton dosing has felt like too much effort to sustain, this is the format that changes that.

Reef Flourish Super Concentrated Phytoplankton UK - Daily Five-Species Dosing Made Simple

The science behind phytoplankton dosing is well understood. A five-species blend covering the full particle size and fatty acid range feeds corals, sustains copepod populations, nourishes filter feeders, and contributes to the biological balance that keeps nuisance algae and dinoflagellates from gaining a foothold. What is less often discussed is the practical reality of making daily dosing stick. Reef Flourish Super Concentrated Phytoplankton is Reefphyto's answer to that problem: the same five-species blend produced at our specialist Wales facility, in a super-concentrated format that reduces daily dosing to a matter of drops rather than millilitres. Consistent supply made genuinely effortless.

What Makes Reef Flourish Different from Standard Phytoplankton

The species composition of Reef Flourish is identical to the 5 Species Phytoplankton blend: Nannochloropsis oculata, Tetraselmis, Isochrysis, Pavlova, and Thalassiosira weissflogii in a balanced ratio covering particle sizes from 1 to 20 microns and a broad range of essential fatty acids, amino acids, and micronutrients. The difference is concentration and format.

Standard phytoplankton products are dosed in millilitre quantities per litre of tank volume. This works well for keepers who want to dose larger amounts, who run high filter feeder density systems, or who prefer to stock larger volumes less frequently. Reef Flourish is formulated for daily precision dosing in drops. At 1 to 4 drops per 265 litres daily, a 30ml bottle provides several months of continuous supply for a typical reef system. A 100ml bottle, used consistently, can last the better part of a year.

This is not a diluted product at high price. It is a genuinely concentrated culture produced to the same freshness and cell density standards as all Reefphyto phytoplankton, in a format designed around the practical reality of daily reef maintenance rather than periodic large-volume additions.

The Five Species in Reef Flourish and What Each One Does

Nannochloropsis oculata (20%) - EPA and Nutrient Export

At 1 to 5 microns, Nannochloropsis oculata is the finest particle in the blend and one of the most nutritionally studied marine microalgae in commercial aquaculture. Its EPA content is among the highest of any commonly cultured phytoplankton species, and its ability to absorb dissolved nutrients including ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and phosphates from the water column makes it a contributor to water quality as well as nutrition.

Tetraselmis (20%) - Lipids, Amino Acids, Copepod Enrichment

Tetraselmis is a flagellated green microalgae measuring approximately 10 to 14 microns, prized for its lipid and amino acid richness. Copepods fed on a Tetraselmis-containing phytoplankton diet produce nauplii with significantly greater nutritional density than those fed on single-species products. For reef systems running a refugium copepod population, the regular presence of Tetraselmis in the water column measurably improves the nutritional quality of every copepod the tank produces.

Isochrysis (25%) - DHA and Larval Nutrition

Isochrysis carries the highest DHA content of any species in the blend. DHA is the omega-3 fatty acid most critical for neurological development and sensory function in marine larvae and juvenile fish. In a mixed reef system, Isochrysis provides DHA to every filter feeder, coral, and zooplankton organism in the tank, improving the overall nutritional density of the ecosystem rather than targeting any single animal.

Pavlova (15%) - Sensitive Filter Feeder Support

Pavlova's balanced EPA, DHA, and sterol profile provides targeted nutritional support for the organisms that respond least well to simpler phytoplankton diets. Fan corals, feather duster worms, Christmas tree worms, and soft-bodied filter feeders that may show limited response to single-species phytoplankton products frequently respond more visibly to a blend that includes Pavlova as a component.

Thalassiosira weissflogii (20%) - Larger Filter Feeders and Benthic Invertebrates

The largest species in the blend at 5 to 20 microns, Thalassiosira weissflogii is the diatom component that makes the blend accessible to filter feeders that cannot efficiently process the smallest microalgae cells. Clams, larger invertebrates, and benthic organisms benefit disproportionately from the inclusion of a larger-celled diatom species, and its silica cell wall makes it more persistent in the water column than softer-celled species, giving slow-moving filter feeders more time to intercept it.

The Case for Daily Dosing Over Periodic Large Additions

Most reef keepers who dose phytoplankton do so inconsistently, a large addition every few days, or a weekly dose when they remember. This pattern produces a cycle of feast and famine for the organisms that depend on phytoplankton. Copepods, filter feeders, and corals experience a surge of nutrition followed by days of absence. Populations that build in response to an available food source then contract when it disappears.

A small, consistent daily dose produces a fundamentally different biological environment. The food chain base is reliably present at all times, which means copepod populations can maintain a steady density rather than fluctuating. Filter feeders remain continuously extended and active. Coral polyps intercept planktonic particles on every feeding cycle rather than responding only on the days a large dose is introduced.

The difference in tank behaviour between a weekly large-dose system and a daily small-dose system, applied over three months, is significant. Daily dosing produces a more stable, more biologically active reef with less variability in animal behaviour and appearance. Reef Flourish's concentrated format is specifically designed to make this daily habit as low-friction as possible, a few drops into a high-flow area takes less than thirty seconds.

How to Dose Reef Flourish

Add 1 to 4 drops per 265 litres of tank volume daily, directly into a high-flow area of the tank. Turn off your protein skimmer for one to two hours after dosing if possible to allow the phytoplankton cells to circulate and be consumed before removal. Dosing in the evening under reduced lighting helps preserve cell viability in the water column for longer before the skimmer is resumed.

Start at the lower end of the dosing range, 1 drop per 265 litres for the first two weeks and observe how your tank responds. If the water clears quickly and you want to increase biological activity, move to 2 to 3 drops. Heavily stocked systems with high coral and filter feeder density can dose towards the upper end of the range. If the water remains visibly tinted for more than a few hours after dosing, reduce the dose slightly until your filter feeding community builds to a level where it clears the cells more efficiently.

Store refrigerated and use within three months of delivery. Shake gently before each use to redistribute settled cells. The concentrated format means even small movements of the dropper tip affect the dose, a consistent dropper technique helps maintain predictable daily input.

Reef Flourish vs 5 Species Phytoplankton - Which Is Right for You

Both products share the same five-species composition and the same freshness and quality standards. The right choice depends on how you prefer to manage your phytoplankton routine and the volume your system requires.

Reef Flourish is the better choice for keepers who want a daily micro-dosing habit, those who prefer a compact bottle that fits easily into a regular maintenance routine, systems where a few drops per day provides adequate planktonic input, and keepers who travel or whose dosing is likely to be intermittent and benefit from a longer shelf-life product.

The 5 Species Phytoplankton in standard concentration is the better choice for larger systems requiring higher daily volumes, keepers who prefer to dose every two to three days at higher quantities, systems with very high filter feeder density or large coral populations that consume phytoplankton rapidly, and those who want to feed copepod cultures at volume as well as dose the main tank.

Both products can be used together, Reef Flourish for daily maintenance dosing and the standard 5 Species for periodic larger additions or culture feeding, which is a common approach among keepers who run both a main display and a refugium culture programme.

Frequently Asked Questions About Reef Flourish

How long does a bottle last?

At a daily dose of 2 drops per 265 litres for a typical 200-litre reef system, a 30ml bottle provides approximately four to five months of continuous daily dosing. A 100ml bottle at the same dose extends to well over a year. The three-month refrigerated shelf life from delivery means the 30ml and 50ml sizes are the most practical for most home reef keepers, with larger sizes suited to systems requiring higher daily doses or keepers who want to minimise order frequency.

Can I use Reef Flourish to feed my copepod culture?

Yes, though for dedicated culture feeding, the standard 5 Species Phytoplankton or our specialist copepod feed is more practical at the volumes a culture requires. Reef Flourish works in a culture vessel but the concentrated format makes it less economical at the quantities needed to maintain a tinted culture. It works well as a daily top-up addition to a culture alongside a larger-volume phytoplankton feed.

Is the concentration safe for fish and invertebrates?

Yes. At the recommended dosing rates, the concentration of Reef Flourish in your tank water is well within safe limits for all marine fish, corals, and invertebrates. The cells disperse rapidly in the water column at these dosing rates and are consumed or exported before any accumulation occurs. If you accidentally overdose, a brief period of increased skimmer activity will remove any excess without harm to your animals.

Does it work for NPS corals and non-photosynthetic invertebrates?

Yes. Non-photosynthetic corals, sun corals, and other NPS species rely entirely on heterotrophic feeding rather than zooxanthellae, making regular planktonic input a core nutritional requirement rather than a supplement. Reef Flourish provides the phytoplankton component of NPS feeding needs, complementing targeted feeding of larger zooplankton particles. For NPS-dominant systems, daily dosing at the higher end of the range and combining Reef Flourish with regular Zoo-Shot or Live Zooplankton additions provides the most complete feeding approach.

Why is the shelf life shorter than some competitors?

Three months refrigerated reflects the freshness of the product at dispatch. Reef Flourish is a genuinely live phytoplankton culture, not a preserved or heat-treated product. Some competing products carry longer shelf lives because they are processed or preserved in ways that extend storage at the cost of cell viability and nutritional integrity. A three-month shelf life from a fresh dispatch date is a quality indicator, not a limitation, you are receiving a living product at peak condition rather than a stable shelf product of uncertain cell viability.

Build Your Complete Daily Feeding Routine

Reef Flourish works most effectively as the phytoplankton component of a complete daily live food routine. Paired with regular live copepod additions or a home culture programme, it sustains the refugium population that feeds your fish continuously. Combined with Zoo-Shot or Live Zooplankton for coral and filter feeder feeding, it completes the food web from the phytoplankton base upwards. For keepers new to phytoplankton who want to experience the full food web impact before committing to a larger routine, the Zooplankton Live Food Mix includes a phytoplankton Reef Shot alongside copepod and rotifer pouches in a single introductory order.