The composition of nutrient media for recultivation of cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis and Spirulina subsalsa after their long-term cryopreservation was investigated. The effect of various macro- and microelements on cyanobacteria growth and biosynthetic activity(biomass production, phenolic compounds, lipids, protein and carbohydrate contents) was evaluated. The addition of whey retentate to diluted Zarrouk’s medium promoted the increase in the biomass of A. platensis (8.4 vs. 25.5 %) & S. subsalsa (5.2 vs. 28.7 %)after cryopreservation compared to cultivation in diluted Zarrouk’s medium without whey retentate. With these culture conditions, the content of phenolic compounds increased in both S. subsalsa (1.4–1.8‑fold) and A. platensis (1.8–2.4‑fold). The lipid content varied in S. subsalsa from 9.67 % to 15.39 % and in A. platensis from 11.01 to 13.01 % when original or modified whey retentate were used. The application of modified whey retentate increased the content of total protein and carbohydrate by 14.67 and 4.69 % in S. subsalsa and by 11.99 and 9.16 % in A. platensis, respectively, compared to the results with original retentate. It was concluded that diluted Zarrouk’s medium with the addition of 2.0 % of either modified or original whey retentate can be used for re-cultivation of cyanobacteria after cryopreservation.