Raise your own food?

Lyscer

New member
I've been seriously considering growing some of my own food for my tanks. Is it worth it? I can grow phytoplakton no problem, which seems to be the source for most of the food. I'm thinking about growing nanochloropsis to feed brine shrimp and copepods. I already have a ton of mysis living in my tank/fuge so I don't think I will do those.

What are your takes on growing your own food? Is there something that is easier than something else to raise? What does your setup look like(pics) ? I'm just trying to get a general feel. Thanks.
 
Sure you can grow anything you want. Live food can be nutritious. Fwiw, I only grow macroalgae for live food.

Ever try rotifers? They feed off of phytoplankton.
 
Growing your own food can be labour intensive if you want any significant amounts. Live food should only be a "part" of a varied feeding program. The greater the variety, the more chance there is that all nutritional needs will be met.
There are only two benefits that I can think of at the moment for feeding live foods and that is to give your fish exercise that they normally don't get going after frozen/flake foods, (they go into a feeding frenzy) and, you can gut load them with something they may not get any other way.
I raise mysids, and brine shrimp for my own use and for resale.
Mysids are too slow growing to be of any use other than for restocking depleted numbers in your reef.
Brine shrimp can be grown in great numbers, but it's a lot of work getting dense cultures to adult stage.
Low density growth doesn't require much effort, but then you don't have much to use for food.
If you are lucky there will be a store near you that sells live adult brine shrimp and save a lot of work.
RAISING BRINE SHRIMP TO ADULT
 
Re: Raise your own food?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8119896#post8119896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lyscer
I've been seriously considering growing some of my own food for my tanks. Is it worth it? I can grow phytoplakton no problem, which seems to be the source for most of the food. I'm thinking about growing nanochloropsis to feed brine shrimp and copepods. I already have a ton of mysis living in my tank/fuge so I don't think I will do those.

What are your takes on growing your own food? Is there something that is easier than something else to raise? What does your setup look like(pics) ? I'm just trying to get a general feel. Thanks.

Nanno is a bit small for most copepods unfortunatly.
 
Back
Top