Ohio Reef
Reef Discussion => Do It Yourself => Topic started by: lazylivin on January 18, 2015, 04:54:08
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Thought I would share the Recipe I am using to feed Coral, Inverts, Fish & Macrofauna. I have been using this for past couple months and noticed some positive change; Increased pod population, enhanced coral growth, color and polyp extension and generally healthier looking fish. It probably isn't much different from what most are using today with the exception of some smaller micron ingredients for the smaller polyps stoney's and macrofauna.
These are the ingredients I used for today's batch. Ratio's may be different for you depending on your reef tanks inhabitants
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2476_zpsa9a6ed50.jpg&hash=01787fde04a90fd18d07dd5963a1229b21dc4725)
First thing I do is prep all the food. Cut up the NORI and remove the frozen food from it's packaging.
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2489_zps40c88d7f.jpg&hash=ce11d52ccc7ee81d2dabef7777cfee8a986e7570)
I put the Frozen food in a fish net and rinse under cold water to thaw out. Careful not to damage the mysis/krill as they can break open and all the good stuff will go down the drain. Copepods and Rotifers I just let thaw. They are so small that unless you have a specialty designed sieve they will all go through the net and down the drain. You can toss them in a ziplock and put it in your tank to thaw out quicker.
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2491_zpsd389a42a.jpg&hash=7c89836fb51ab25dc1051eae40f92eab1aad65c3)
This is what it looks like once everything is thawed and prepared for mixing.
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2492_zpsc3e40a69.jpg&hash=40a8c123d3b1772aedeb5c930fa77bf91e675c57)
At this point it is just a matter of mixing everything together
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2499_zps69a56e13.jpg&hash=02ec430fdfc88325f7d44f684f5fdcc11f1fb7c1) (https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2505_zps2e739650.jpg&hash=45fc5c77e784cc5bb3093de4881d24c13f49a84e)
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2506_zps47b0f526.jpg&hash=d6954c3101ae537562b49105d4bf4bad3d90bcbc) (https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2508_zps825b5725.jpg&hash=426eea2104f1dda4d3a8003b960bebffa0714ff1)
Last step is to pour it in a zip lock bag flatten it out and put it in the freezer.
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2514_zpse790e3c5.jpg&hash=90e1e9d15cc4bfecd048257db58c8d657bc196fa)
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi486.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr227%2Flazylivin%2FCoral%2520and%2520Fish%2520Food%2FIMG_2519_zps034066a4.jpg&hash=83d3f7a5c6e9aed90486d44099157e4c941d10c1)
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That's pretty easy.
Thanks for sharing, Brian
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Yum
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I do the same thing, but I do it on a smaller scale use an old reef nutrition bottle and keep it in the fridge so I just squirt a little in each tank. It normally lasts for a month or so before it starts smelling funky and I'll dump it. Another tip is, I use a metal coffee grind filter to rise my food off with works great.
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hey Lazy, have you tried any of the live food from Aquadic specialists in troy ? he has the aquagen brand copepods, rotifers, and phytoplankton i believe.
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It would probably take about 50 bottles of the live aquagen packaged pods to equal what is in a single frozen cube. However if buying a bottle to do a initial seed of a new tank that was setup with dry rock or to raise yourself to bolster the pod population would be good. If you ever want to raise your own live here is some info to get you started.
http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=14758.0
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-GrxkH09u50mM8uDCHbvYsOS0wlu4cnt8tFmxhDzX1U/
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So - does this mean ANOTHER magazine article is in your future?
:beee:
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Where did you get the frozen rotifer?
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You can get them at Brine Shrimp Direct. I will setup up a group buy if your are interested.
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I will setup up a group buy if your are interested.
That would be killer Brian. I am in need of Brine and Mysis.
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Am in
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+1 on the group buy. I dont mind helping out with sale if you need any.
Jeff
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I am interested in going in on this one as well
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They feedings have really enhanced the colors of some corals. Here is a pink lemonade in frag tank under LED lighting and Pearlberry from Display Tank under Metal Halide.
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Sweet pics Brian
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Great pics Brian, had to do a double take, thought the Pearlberry was an efflo.
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Nice, I have to add those to the collection someday. :) Let me know if you have any available.
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Do you recommend this for smaller tanks with 2 clowns, flame angel, and watchman goby? I also don't have a whole lot of corals yet.
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Do you recommend this for smaller tanks with 2 clowns, flame angel, and watchman goby? I also don't have a whole lot of corals yet.
I would recommend the heavier feedings to anyone with corals that has undetectable nitrates. Also recommend small micron foods for SPS corals.
Just thought I would share a Before and After pictures and thanks to TJ and Paul who helped me determine what was lacking in my reef causing poor coral colors. This is an ORA Chips. First picture is prior to feeding this nutrient rich small micron food. Second is after. Many of my corals have respond this well. Note the chalice to the left of the Chips as well. I will share a few more pictures.
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Here is Before/After only 10 days apart. It has still got a ways to go but it is getting there.
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Any idea when the next group buy will be through brine shrimp direct?
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Any idea when the next group buy will be through brine shrimp direct?
We have one getting ready to start in next week and delivery will be at the swap on the 21st. Here is link http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=19247
Even Anemone is showing improvement
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Here is some After pics of types of SSC. One is a Vivid and the other is Wild colony. The wild one has most improvement. It was pretty pale. Now it is starting to look as nice as the Vivid.
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Beautiful!!!
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Brian
can you tell us what the 5-50 micron bottle and 2 small tubes are that are in the ingredient picture? I would like to make this same thing with the group buy order.
thanks
Jeff
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http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/Original-Golden-Pearl-Diets-Active-Spheres-c11.html
That is the link to the 5 to 50 µm and other Micron. I think what was in those tubes were free samples they sent us of different micron. they were a bit larger for small fish and inverts. I think 5 to 50 is ideal for SPS. I also noticed see fans seem to like it and all their tentacles come out to feed
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Someone asked previously how long the food will last. all the food in the first picture of this thread is gone. I used the last of it last night. The entire time the skimmers been off so all would turn into nutrients in the water. I'm sure I won't be able to feed this much and run no skimmer indefinitely but perhaps another couple weeks or month. Then I will figure out how much I need to feed daily to keep nitrates steady at around 5ppm or whatever the sweet spot is, which is still an ongoing experiment.
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Someone asked previously how long the food will last. all the food in the first picture of this thread is gone. I used the last of it last night. The entire time the skimmers been off so all would turn into nutrients in the water. I'm sure I won't be able to feed this much and run no skimmer indefinitely but perhaps another couple weeks or month. Then I will figure out how much I need to feed daily to keep nitrates steady at around 5ppm or whatever the sweet spot is, which is still an ongoing experiment.
what test kit are you using to check nitrates ? If you don't mind me asking
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I am using Salifert for everything with exception of Phosphates & Salinity I use Hannah Meter.
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Thank you
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I made up my own batch of food the other day based on Brians ingredients. I have been waiting on getting our bulk food from bsd. I made mine with too much rotifers and pods, next batch will have more solids for the fish, but the feeding response from the corals is really cool to watch. several of my sps are extending thread like feeders about 1/2in long. Alot of other coral's polyps will capture food and retract. I have never fed the corals before so I am anxious to see the difference it will make. Thanks Lazy for posting this up for the great idea.
Jeff
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Glad it worked. Let us know if you see any benefits from feeding corals.
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Just sharing long term results of the heavy feeding. I am really pleased with the coral colors. If you have any questions about keeping SPS coral don't hesitate to ask.
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Looks like a box of colored crayons :laugh:
Jeff