Experimenting with this hobby?

[Neoz]

Wondering if fellow reefers do any sort experimenting with your systems or do you just run tried and true methods that are proven to work?

A couple of experiments I have ran over the last 40 days...

1) Awhile ago I read in the SPS forums about placing a small powerhead in the sump area to keep detruis kicked up. I always thought my sump was pretty clean because I vacuum it when I do my weekly water changes. I decided to place a small powerhead in the middle section of my sump with my skimmer. Been running it that way for 40 days. Can't say its been good or bad for the tank but I definitely see a difference in my skimate. Much thicker and more of it. When I first placed the powerhead in the sump I couldn't believe all the crude swirling around in there with the rocks. Thinking I might keep that going. Thoughts?

2) Food. Been researching some food and was quite surprised just visually the difference I was seeing. Below are a couple of pictures of different frozen food. Both are completely thawed and I used RODI water. Take a look..

First picture is PE MYSIS

2nd picture is Hakari Marine

I know some people rinse there frozen food but just from comparing the two I would think the Hakari would be better? Any thoughts?

So closing this out what experiments have other members run? Successful or not feel free to shoot some ideas out.

 

[DBR_reef]

Hey Dave,
I like the idea of a small powerhead in the sump- I might have to do that- do you think it would disrupt pods? I throw all my rock rubble in the sump as a safe haven for pods. Obviously your no expert on this, but your opinion would do

As far as the frozen food, PE mysis is just mysis and water- the freezing process is a little hard on them (they could invest in a better freezing process), so the bodies don't always stay pristine, which is the gunk in the water.

The Hikari has a binding agent in it, which is why it looks so much cleaner, it actually has a ton more junk in it (not that that is a bad thing- it means your fish is getting a more varied diet). It does mean those smaller particles don't get spread around the tank, which has it's own pros and cons. If you could get the binder to dissolve (I think you would have to really heat it up), I would guess the water would be much "dirtier." I feed both brands.

If you were considering rinsing- I've posted it a million times, but the amount of phosphate/nitrate in frozen foods is negligible, and therefor rinsing is a waste of time- and all those small particles are good coral food.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I switched to Hikari several years ago. I like it.
RandyO made the same switch and reports no difference in yields of Amphiprion larvae.

I don't rinse anything except shampoo from my hair

 

[Neoz]

DBR thanks for the info on the food. The powerhead I have in my 24 gallon sump is small. Just enough to kick up the crude and keep it suspended in the water until my skimmer pulls it in. I have it positioned to carry around the outside edges of my sump and pushes the detrius towards the skimmer. Have not seen any decrease or harm to my pod population so far. I also have two large pieces of Pukani rock in my sump for the pods.

Gary for what its worth I have not rinsed any of my frozen food so far. I also feed Hikari and TDO pellets by APBreed which I got from Tom at ARC. I like the results but nobody around here sells it. So I'll be purchasing more online or another excuse to go make a large purchase from ARC

 

[tmz]

A few things:

PE mysis are a freshwater species ;the manufacturer touts it's richness in fats and lipids which is not necessarily a good thing or a bad one depending on the overall feeding regimen and species involved .The Hikari mysis are a brackishwater species;the manufacurer notes gut loading and an extensive sterilization process with "bio encapsulated vitamins" but no binders are noted and I can't find anything to back upo the assertion that they are used; if there is information on that I' appreciate seeing it.

http://www.hikariusa.com/diets/mysis-shrimp/

http://www.mysis.com/about/what_is/

I've tried both and prefer the hikari, paticulary so for seahorses which didn't seem to handle the extra fats well.

Rinsing removes a miniscule amount of nutrients but when done with chlorinated tap water which is what I choose to do , it's another defense against vibrio bacteria which are common in most frozen foods.

After years of trying different things , I prefer a mix of: hikari mysis,coral gumbo and enriched brine shrimp, with occasional additions of: siprulina flake ;prime reef flake , nori and a few bloodworms for my system which houses a variety of fish and corals . I think diversity in foods is helpful.