Ohio Reef
Reef Discussion => Do It Yourself => Topic started by: Reefd Up on October 26, 2009, 17:10:57
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I realized my angels don't particularly like being fed food meant for nano fish...so it was time to make them some larger-sized fish food!
As some of you know, I feed pappone to my corals (mixture of shrimp, mussels, clams, oysters, sugar, and algae). It's dosed with amino acids.
Anyway, I needed a similar recipe for the angelfish.
I started with some scallops, shrimp, and oysters. The key is that they all need to be as fresh as possible!!
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi258.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh254%2FReef-d_Up%2FDIY%2F100_8640.jpg&hash=2b1d9a9a24ec77805661d279564c32c8d0c95cab)
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I then chopped them all into 1/4" pieces (still identifiable)
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I then made small icecube-sized portions and froze them.
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To make my coral food, I used the rest of the fresh seafood and placed it into a food processor and added Red, Brown, and Green Algae
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I usually add in whatever other foods (like cyclopeeze, spectrum, etc) that I got on sale or free from raffles
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You can add sugar, garlic, selcon, or many other additives
Everything goes into the processor for 5 min on, 2 min off, 5 min on, 2 min off, 5 min on
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Then, I place a heaping spoonful into ziploc bags and flatten them out. Makes it easy to tear off portions
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Then FREEZE! The recipe given below makes enough to feed all of my tanks for probably a couple of years (it always goes bad before I can use it all).
So, my recipe is as follows:
5 large shrimp, raw
1/4 lb scallops/mussels/clams or whichever is the freshest at the store (or all if available)
1/4 lb raw oysters
10g each of Red, Green, and Brown algae
1/2 tsp sugar
garlic
Whatever else I can add
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Great write-up Nikki!
Have you seen positive results from your coral food? I'll have to go to the Asian-food-store and pick up some stuff.
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Stickied this one too!!
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vary nice i will have to try that it also made me vary hunger lol
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Yeah, my fish eat better than I do!
I've been using the Blu Coral Method now for about 2 years. In my opinion, its one of the more "realistic" feeding scenarios. I'll write more when I'm not trying to get to bed. :) Basically, it's lots of food...and lots of skimming with dosing amino acids and sugar (I don't dose the human growth hormone.)
I get amazing colors...my corals are very bright (not pastel), and very fleshy. I do not personally like corals that have that pastel, tight flesh look...makes me think they're starving.
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Nicki - How much is one of the ziplock bags? I should ask first if you are selling it. ;D
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Nicki - How much is one of the ziplock bags? I should ask first if you are selling it. ;D
Hum...wasn't planning on it, but I do usually have to throw away about 3 bags since they just get freezer burn. Let me figure up the cost and I'll let you know for sure. They aren't cheap...seafood adds up quickly (I need to find one of those packs of just random seafood pieces...those are supposed to be cheaper.)
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Sounds good. Maybe you could make a second job(business) making and selling the food. I hear the black market on fish food is good right now. :)
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LOL...I couldn't stand the stench!!! My whole house STILL smells like seafood. Uggggggggh!!
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I could only imagine. I asked my wife if I could make my own and she said no b/c of the smell. LOL
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I think cleaning the food processor was by far the worst (tied with cutting up the oysters into chunks). The ground food is just a slimey mush. It got on everything...and just was awful to clean.
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I think cleaning the food processor was by far the worst (tied with cutting up the oysters into chunks). The ground food is just a slimey mush. It got on everything...and just was awful to clean.
Alright, so Rod's Reef it is then. lol
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LOL!! Yeah, it's not for the faint of heart (just look at the photo of the oysters!!)
If anyone is interested, I can probably spare 3 ziploc sandwich bags. They cost $7 to make each, so $7. (Total cost was $42 and made 6 bags...I'd rather sell 3 so it doesn't go bad.) Please keep in mind, this is primarily coral food, but will feed smaller fish. Larger fish will just get excited and then not see anything big enough to eat. :)
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i will take a bag nikki
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Nikki - Awesome article!! Luckily I don't have smellovision on my computer :-)
I will take 1-2 bags (whatever you have left). Thanks -Jeff
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jjw has first priority if he still wants a bag. One is promised to UD Justin, reefkeeper, you're next! One at least!
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I think cleaning the food processor was by far the worst (tied with cutting up the oysters into chunks). The ground food is just a slimey mush. It got on everything...and just was awful to clean.
My wife made me get my own blender for making food.
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LOL...good thing I'm the wifey & get to decide how my cooking utensils are used!
(Will used my vacuum as a shop vac to clean up wet dry-wall stuff...clogged it all up...he's banned from vacuuming...although he's probably happy about that.)
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(Will used my vacuum as a shop vac to clean up wet dry-wall stuff...clogged it all up...he's banned from vacuuming...although he's probably happy about that.)
Thats all it takes to be banned from vacuuming? I'll be back, I've got a date with some wet-sawdust...
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Hehehhehehehee...
Yeah, he tried to get himself banned from wedding-registry shopping. Didn't go so well for him.
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I do want a bag. I hope to make it to the meeting but I can also pick it up just about any time.
Thanks Nicki
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Hey how about a group buy on fish food DIY style? We can use my garage as the place to make it so no worries about the smell. I have plenty of space. All we need is the equpiment and food.
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I've got a nice food processor...but it tends to really heat up quickly (even with the giant cooling fans on it.) I can volunteer it.
Dorothy Lane usually carries the best seafood in the area, but the Meijer north of I-70 sometimes has decent seafood. I don't know about the new fancy Kroger yet.
There is a wholesale seafood place down in Centerville that is open to the public...might be a good option.
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Any particular brand of Amino Acid better than another? I can't seem to find the ZeoVit stuff, places I've check on-line are out or don't carry. Brightwell Aquatics has some but not sure if it is in stock.
Thanks,
- Rayk
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I honestly don't know. I haven't seen any studies on the different types of amino acids. In fact, there's not a lot of research in general on the effects of amino acids on corals...just something I personally do b/c I've seen great results (although it may be attributable to other things.) I only purchased the ZeoVit aminos since they were pretty much the only ones available in the aquarium market when I purchased them.
As far as I'm aware, none of our sponsors carry ZeoVit products. The nearest place I know of is Premium Aquatics (and they do sell the Zeo amino acids...but Zeo stuff is really pricey.) www.premiumaquatics.com (http://www.premiumaquatics.com)
Sorry I can't help more.
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Thanks for info. I use PremiumAquatics a bit, and tried to order some. They are out at the moment. - Rayk
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I have brightwells amino acids I got from Joel.
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OK its me the rookie again. What are Amino Acids? And how do you know how much to use? And what effect do they have on the corals or fish?
Thanks in advance. Ray
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It's always better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission
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Ray, sorry we all apparently missed this question (you just *had* to ask the day after Christmas, huh?...lol). Amino acids are comprised of proteins and act in corals similar to the way they act in people. For example, some corals have (and others are missing) a particular type of amino acid that basically acts as a "sunscreen" to protect themselves against UV radiation. Other amino acids are a food source for symbiotic bacteria in some corals.
Scientists don't know the exact requirements of each type of amino acids or how much aquatic life needs (carnivores require a diet higher in amino acids than herbivores though).
Part of the BluCoral feeding method (which is what I lazily do) is a high-protein => high nutrient environment. About an hour before the lights go off, I'll dose amino acids. This puts the corals almost into a "feeding frenzy". The polyps will extend further out, which will help them take in more food when fed (keep in mind though, that most corals get about 95% of their food from light though.) An hour after dosing the amino acids, I'll add in the food I specially make for them. The corals can take in as much food as they possibly can in this time (hence the high nutrient environment). This gives corals a more vibrant bright color (as opposed to the low-nutrient systems like Zeovit or Prodibio that give a pastel-color to the corals.) To prevent algae, there needs to be a good nutrient export system (like an oversized skimmer, etc.)
Right now, amino acids are just one of those things that some people get great results with...so they use it. Other people don't use it...still get great results though. There isn't enough research on it to be honest. I consider it just a food source...and one more bit of variety of food can't hurt IMO.
*shrug*
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thank you 4 the response..
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So when ru making this super food? Is it going to be a group buy? Can we buy or contribute ingredients? :laugh:
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LOL, I just made enough to last me the next year. I sold a few extra bags...but I need to keep the rest!
Mike and I are planning a "Ohio Reef Workshop" similar to Lonnie's Acrylic Workshop. DIY Food is on the list of ideas since it's easy and relatively cheap. Members would be able to purchase the items after watching a demo or even make it themselves.
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Important question here... Do you use the same blender for fish food as for people food? I mean, if I am visiting your house, and you offer me a smoothie, I would like to have all the information beforehand :)
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I want to do 2 types. The one Nikki made for mainly corals and 1 for fish. I am going to go price everything so we all have a good idea of the cost.
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Important question here... Do you use the same blender for fish food as for people food? I mean, if I am visiting your house, and you offer me a smoothie, I would like to have all the information beforehand :)
LOL! I use the same food processor that I use for making meatloaf (about the only thing it's good for). So, just avoid my meatloaf. :laugh: In all seriousness though, other than the fact it's raw seafood, it's quite safe for human consumption.
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I have an old food chopper thingy lol
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I never said I WOULDN'T, I just wanted to be informed :) My wife just got a Healthmaster (thing is freaking monstrous!), so our old blender is up for grabs. I might have to employ it once I get the tank stocked. I don't think she would let me use the magic bullet.
--Yeah, we buy infomercial kitchen utensils sometimes
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I never said I WOULDN'T, I just wanted to be informed :) My wife just got a Healthmaster (thing is freaking monstrous!), so our old blender is up for grabs. I might have to employ it once I get the tank stocked. I don't think she would let me use the magic bullet.
--Yeah, we buy infomercial kitchen utensils sometimes
but if u call in the next 15 min cuz we cant do this all day well double ur order lol
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Thank you, Ron Popeil!! Showtime Rotisserie rules!
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yup lol
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Nikki, Will gave me a little bit of this and my Neon's are going crazy for it! Well done, I'm down for some next time you make a batch!
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Did this workshop ever take off? Sounds like an interesting recipe... would be neat to try it..
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hey Boonjob here is a good site for making food
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We could do a work shop in July if everyone wanted to.
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I don't see the site pip, And I personally like that idea slandis, hopefully we can get something going.
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Sorry
http://www.melevsreef.com/food.html (http://www.melevsreef.com/food.html)