The present invention provides a photobioreactor for a phototrophic microorganism and culture medium therefor. The photobioreactor for a phototrophic microorganism and culture medium may include an elongated capsule having a flexible polymer film that is at least partially transparent to light of a wavelength that is photosynthetically active in a phototrophic microorganism. The elongated capsule can be divided widthwise into a plurality of adjacent channels, each channel being comprised of the flexible polymer film and having in a plurality of positions distributed along a length of the channel a reinforced material bonded with the channel, the reinforced material surrounding part or the entire perimeter of the channel, independently, in the each of the plurality of positions.
