Continuous feeding NPS filter feeders - Page 2

GreshamH · 12/28/2009, 12:50 PM

One week of the above recipe or your old recipe?

uhuru · 12/28/2009, 04:34 PM

The old recipe... starting to dose new recipe today. I'll let you all know how it goes!

uhuru · 12/29/2009, 01:26 AM

After dosing some of the new food mix, I noticed some of my gorgs were capturing the bubbles in the water and ingesting them. They suck in each tentacle one at a time like a sea apple. I am wondering if the bubble is coated with the food, especially the Ultra Min D or Ultra Pac. Now sometimes they catch stuff in the water they don't want, and they just release it. They don't ingest it. Why do they ingest the bubbles, if they are even bubbles? Look close in some of the polyps and you will see. You will also see some "licking" each tentacle.

C. Schuhmacher · 12/30/2009, 04:05 AM

HI

You can try to add some ascorbin acid in your mix
then the reaction of the food in the reactor will go slower

1 week is ok if you see on the temperature of the mix

rgds claude

C. Schuhmacher · 12/30/2009, 04:12 AM

HI

The bubbles are small food particles with the right
"surface" so they will eat it.
That what you see is that the polyps get a full ammount of concentrated food
good for your coral

rgds claude

ari5736 · 12/30/2009, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uhuru

If you just want to dose Shellfish Diet or Roti-Feast I think the syringe pump works best.

Why?

aninjaatemyshoe · 12/30/2009, 09:59 AM

Roti-Feast and Shellfish Diet are pretty thick solutions, Shelfish Diet in particular. The options for continuous dosing are syringe pump, a drip bucket of some sort, or a peristaltic dosing pump. A drip bucket would give you very little control of the dosing rate. The problem with a peristaltic dosing pump is that the tubing will start to clog with these rather thick solutions. With a peristaltic dosing pump, you would have to frequently run water through the tubing to keep it from gunking up. A syringe pump is a very simple device, doesn't have the potential for clogging that a peristaltic pump has, and can pump very thick and highly viscous solutions with relative ease at a precise dosing rate.

aninjaatemyshoe · 12/30/2009, 10:07 AM

Btw, I posted about syringe pumps awhile ago in case anyone wanted to know more about them.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1364391

This is in an old tank that is no longer running, but I still use the same basic setup on my current tank.

GreshamH · 12/30/2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aninjaatemyshoe

Roti-Feast and Shellfish Diet are pretty thick solutions, Shelfish Diet in particular. The options for continuous dosing are syringe pump, a drip bucket of some sort, or a peristaltic dosing pump. A drip bucket would give you very little control of the dosing rate. The problem with a peristaltic dosing pump is that the tubing will start to clog with these rather thick solutions. With a peristaltic dosing pump, you would have to frequently run water through the tubing to keep it from gunking up. A syringe pump is a very simple device, doesn't have the potential for clogging that a peristaltic pump has, and can pump very thick and highly viscous solutions with relative ease at a precise dosing rate.

Is this your experience or what you've been told?

The only clogging I have experienced is the tip of the output tubing. We run our IA 9SD and others) product through a peri. pump and it never really clogs. RF will clog at the tip where if it comes in contact with air. Easy solution to that is to submerge it

aninjaatemyshoe · 12/30/2009, 12:04 PM

This is actually my experience. Perhaps, you're using a better peristaltic pump than I did though. It was definitely more of an issue with Shellfish diet.

So you don't need to clean the peristaltic tubing frequently?

In any case, I've found syringe pumps to be easier to deal with and control in terms of precise dosing amounts, especially when dealing with smaller dosing amounts. If you're dosing a good amount of RF or SD, then perhaps a good peristaltic pump would be better.

aninjaatemyshoe · 01/05/2010, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreshamH

The Reef Nutrition products (most of them) have alginate in them which keeps them in suspension and acts as a minor carbon source (very minor as there is not much alginate in the media)

What is the concentration of alginate in say Rotifeast?

Bonta · 01/06/2010, 06:57 PM

I have a Phosban reactor lieing around and was wondering could I use it instead of a kalf reactor ?

muzzler · 01/07/2010, 09:59 AM

Please tell, me your water parameters.

GreshamH · 01/07/2010, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonta

I have a Phosban reactor lieing around and was wondering could I use it instead of a kalf reactor ?

A phos reactor only has one pump that keeps it mixed and acts as the flow through. A kalk reactor has either two pumps, or one pump and a mixer. Both are independent of each other so you can keep mixing while not feeding.

GreshamH · 01/07/2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aninjaatemyshoe

This is actually my experience. Perhaps, you're using a better peristaltic pump than I did though. It was definitely more of an issue with Shellfish diet.

So you don't need to clean the peristaltic tubing frequently?

In any case, I've found syringe pumps to be easier to deal with and control in terms of precise dosing amounts, especially when dealing with smaller dosing amounts. If you're dosing a good amount of RF or SD, then perhaps a good peristaltic pump would be better.

The tubing dia. is crucial in this respect. I suspect your using a large dia, like maybe 1/8? or 1/4"? We use really fine stuff.

We rarely need to clean them but then again I bet we feed a LOT more then you do. We're growing massive amounts of rotifers.

I need to double check my memory with one of our scientists on the alginate question. I seem to remember the amount of it in a 6oz bottle is less then could fit on a pinhead. It doesn't take much to achieve what we need.

GreshamH · 01/07/2010, 05:43 PM

I was wrong about the amount. that's why we have scientists here.. and I'm not one of them

I can't post the amount though, it's a trade secret, sorry

aninjaatemyshoe · 01/07/2010, 06:24 PM

I was afraid of that. Can't blame me for trying.

GreshamH · 01/07/2010, 07:28 PM

Why do you want to know at any rate? Just curious or do you think it will effect something (negative or positive)?

aninjaatemyshoe · 01/07/2010, 07:39 PM

Nah, I'm trying to replicate the effects for keeping other foods from settling. I'll just have to go with trial and error.

aninjaatemyshoe · 01/09/2010, 05:23 PM

Ok, different question for Gresham. I know we shouldn't mix Reef Nutrition products together or dilute them as that will affect their shelf-life. However, is there a problem with mixing dry food into Rotifeast? Would that have some kind of negative effect?

uhuru · 01/09/2010, 05:51 PM

I've been thinking of doing the same with the alginate ninja. Please share what you come up with (if it works out).

aninjaatemyshoe · 01/09/2010, 06:47 PM

I tried it with the Fauna Marin food. I tried it both in saltwater and RO water. The amount of alginate needed to keep the food suspended seems like more than I would want to add. I have another idea for using something else. I'll update if it works.

The Fauna Marin food will stay suspended in Rotifeast, so they must do something special...

GreshamH · 01/09/2010, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aninjaatemyshoe

Ok, different question for Gresham. I know we shouldn't mix Reef Nutrition products together or dilute them as that will affect their shelf-life. However, is there a problem with mixing dry food into Rotifeast? Would that have some kind of negative effect?

Sure would. The mix is designed for a certain "bio-load" and by increasing it you defeat the longevity of the mix.

GreshamH · 01/09/2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aninjaatemyshoe

The Fauna Marin food will stay suspended in Rotifeast, so they must do something special...

Ingredients are just one aspect of a given recipe.

ari5736 · 01/11/2010, 03:51 PM

My continuous feeding filter gets awfully smelly by the end of a week, and needs a scrub down. I am wondering if a bottle with a air line for suspension and peristaltic pump for dosing would not be less maintenance and stench? Any thoughts, tips? My guess is this is one of the reasons you switched to syringe dosing pumps.

12/28/2009, 12:50 PM	#26
GreshamH Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 9,474	One week of the above recipe or your old recipe? __________________ Gresham _______________________________ Feeding your reef...one polyp at a time

12/30/2009, 09:59 AM	#32
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	Roti-Feast and Shellfish Diet are pretty thick solutions, Shelfish Diet in particular. The options for continuous dosing are syringe pump, a drip bucket of some sort, or a peristaltic dosing pump. A drip bucket would give you very little control of the dosing rate. The problem with a peristaltic dosing pump is that the tubing will start to clog with these rather thick solutions. With a peristaltic dosing pump, you would have to frequently run water through the tubing to keep it from gunking up. A syringe pump is a very simple device, doesn't have the potential for clogging that a peristaltic pump has, and can pump very thick and highly viscous solutions with relative ease at a precise dosing rate. __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

12/30/2009, 10:07 AM	#33
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	Btw, I posted about syringe pumps awhile ago in case anyone wanted to know more about them. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1364391 This is in an old tank that is no longer running, but I still use the same basic setup on my current tank. __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

12/30/2009, 12:04 PM	#35
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	This is actually my experience. Perhaps, you're using a better peristaltic pump than I did though. It was definitely more of an issue with Shellfish diet. So you don't need to clean the peristaltic tubing frequently? In any case, I've found syringe pumps to be easier to deal with and control in terms of precise dosing amounts, especially when dealing with smaller dosing amounts. If you're dosing a good amount of RF or SD, then perhaps a good peristaltic pump would be better. __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

01/06/2010, 06:57 PM	#37
Bonta Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: California Posts: 453	I have a Phosban reactor lieing around and was wondering could I use it instead of a kalf reactor ? __________________ I sometimes talk to my fish when no ones around. Current Tank Info: 60g

12/28/2009, 04:34 PM	#27
uhuru Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbus Posts: 2,949	The old recipe... starting to dose new recipe today. I'll let you all know how it goes!

12/29/2009, 01:26 AM	#28
uhuru Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbus Posts: 2,949	After dosing some of the new food mix, I noticed some of my gorgs were capturing the bubbles in the water and ingesting them. They suck in each tentacle one at a time like a sea apple. I am wondering if the bubble is coated with the food, especially the Ultra Min D or Ultra Pac. Now sometimes they catch stuff in the water they don't want, and they just release it. They don't ingest it. Why do they ingest the bubbles, if they are even bubbles? Look close in some of the polyps and you will see. You will also see some "licking" each tentacle.

12/30/2009, 04:05 AM	#29
C. Schuhmacher Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Stuttgart Germany Posts: 187	HI You can try to add some ascorbin acid in your mix then the reaction of the food in the reactor will go slower 1 week is ok if you see on the temperature of the mix rgds claude

12/30/2009, 04:12 AM	#30
C. Schuhmacher Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Stuttgart Germany Posts: 187	HI The bubbles are small food particles with the right "surface" so they will eat it. That what you see is that the polyps get a full ammount of concentrated food good for your coral rgds claude

01/07/2010, 09:59 AM	#38
muzzler Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Russia Posts: 24	Please tell, me your water parameters.

01/07/2010, 05:43 PM	#41
GreshamH Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 9,474	I was wrong about the amount. that's why we have scientists here.. and I'm not one of them I can't post the amount though, it's a trade secret, sorry __________________ Gresham _______________________________ Feeding your reef...one polyp at a time

01/07/2010, 06:24 PM	#42
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	I was afraid of that. Can't blame me for trying. __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

01/07/2010, 07:28 PM	#43
GreshamH Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 9,474	Why do you want to know at any rate? Just curious or do you think it will effect something (negative or positive)? __________________ Gresham _______________________________ Feeding your reef...one polyp at a time

01/07/2010, 07:39 PM	#44
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	Nah, I'm trying to replicate the effects for keeping other foods from settling. I'll just have to go with trial and error. __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

01/09/2010, 05:23 PM	#45
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	Ok, different question for Gresham. I know we shouldn't mix Reef Nutrition products together or dilute them as that will affect their shelf-life. However, is there a problem with mixing dry food into Rotifeast? Would that have some kind of negative effect? __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

01/09/2010, 05:51 PM	#46
uhuru Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbus Posts: 2,949	I've been thinking of doing the same with the alginate ninja. Please share what you come up with (if it works out).

01/09/2010, 06:47 PM	#47
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	I tried it with the Fauna Marin food. I tried it both in saltwater and RO water. The amount of alginate needed to keep the food suspended seems like more than I would want to add. I have another idea for using something else. I'll update if it works. The Fauna Marin food will stay suspended in Rotifeast, so they must do something special... __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

01/11/2010, 03:51 PM	#50
ari5736 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 447	My continuous feeding filter gets awfully smelly by the end of a week, and needs a scrub down. I am wondering if a bottle with a air line for suspension and peristaltic pump for dosing would not be less maintenance and stench? Any thoughts, tips? My guess is this is one of the reasons you switched to syringe dosing pumps.