We haven't done it in some time, but our local club use to get together to make Eric Borneman's fish food/coral food recipe. Here it is:
Fish food and coral food (coral food is liquefied)
Ingredients
- a whole fresh sea fish
- 10 whole shrimp - I squeeze the heads
- 1 pound fresh mussels - cracked and scraped out
- 1 pound fresh clams including clam juice
- 1 8 oz container fresh oysters
- 1-2 fresh or frozen squid, whole
- 1 package frozen sea urchin cubes
- 1 12 oz package artemia (brine shrimp, frozen), thawed
- 6 types of dried seaweed Nori, Wakame, Hijiki, Dulse, Ano, etc.) - available at Whole Foods market, health food stores, Asian markets.
about 2 g. powdered sea greens/antioxidants or immune boost complex
- 2 tbsp. marine flake
- 2 tbsp. VibraGro
- 2 tbsp. powdered spirulina
- 1 tbsp Super Selco
Optional (found frozen in Asian markets)
- ark shells
- periwinkles, etc...
Method
- Blend coarse ingredients in food processor
- Mix in fine ingredients (Artemia, powders, flake, Selco)
- Freeze in flats
Preparation
- Soak the seaweeds in fresh (declorinated) water until soft.
- Thaw all of the frozen ingredients in a bowl.
- Remove shells from all seafood.
- Crush all dry ingedients into a powder. A mortar and pestle is best, but various other kitchen implements (2 spoons, 1 spoon and a -
small plate) can be used.
- Add liquid vitamins to the powdered ingredients.
- Liquify all of the ingredients in a blender.
- Freeze in Ziplock bags in thin flats or in small compartment ice cube trays (cut pieces in half, or quarters for feeding convenience and
store in Ziplock bags after frozen).
Feeding Recommendations
Start by feeding small amounts (1/2 tsp per 50 gallons of system water per day) to begin with. You can gradually increase the amount, until you start to see water quality problems, then back off on the quantity a bit. The food can be administered at night (when most corals actively feed) or with the use of a turkey baster (dissolve the ration in a container of tank water and inject directly onto the corals).
This coral food is pure, high potency nutrition for your corals. Using a high powered protein skimmer in your tank will greatly assist you in keeping the accumulation of uneaten food to a safe level.
This makes a LOT of food...approximately 10-12 quart size Ziploc flats.
