In my opinion, do-it-yourself homemade frozen foods are a great way to feed all of the picky fish in your tank, and it also offers a way to find something that all of them like. So, I thought I would write something up and show how I make mine.

I will start by suggesting you find as much fresh seafood as you can from the seafood market at better grocery stores. Some of the frozen stuff has a lot of extra additives that I just don't feel comfortable with, so I typically avoid using any of that.

Here is what is in mine:

From the seafood department at a grocery store-

• Salmon
• Scallops
• Halibut
• Shrimp
• Oysters
• Mussels
• Squid
• Clams

Already frozen prepared food-

• Brine shrimp
• Mysis
• Silversides
• Bloodworms
• Formula 1
• Formula 2
• Prime Reef

Dry foods-

• Formula 1 pellets
• Formula 1 flakes
• Formula 2 pellets
• Formula 2 flakes
• Prime reef flakes
• Brine shrimp flakes
• Marine complete pellets
• Marine grow flakes
• Jullian Sprung's algae
• 3 different types of Spirulina: red, green & brown

I also add-

• Phytoplankton
• Garlic
• Vitachem^®

Throw all of this in the food processor and blend away, trying not to make it into mush. Just blend it enough to get all the pieces so that they are very small. I then take a couple of large cookie sheets, and cut a piece of eggcrate to fit into the cookie sheet, then spread out the food and press it into all of the squares on the eggcrate. Throw it all in the freezer, then take it out the next day, and press out all the new "cubes." I usually put them in bags of 20 and keep them in the freezer.

My fish seem to love it and they eat everything!

This month we are featuring the beautiful 180-gallon mixed reef aquarium of Mark Poletti from Sacramento, California. Learn how he has created this beautiful system. Read more...

Recommended marine emergency kit

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Nothing worse than being caught short---especially on a holiday weekend.
I've been at this a few years: here's what I recommend you have on hand...in order of price,versus benefit, versus likelihood of need.

1. Enough salt to replace 50% of the water in your tank. You never know when you will have an accident.
2. Carbon and bags or ladies kneehigh nylons: carbon can remove ammonia, among many other things, and save your tank. When something bad has happened, you will not go wrong running carbon as a first try at fixing it.
3. Alkalinity test: do this weekly: your reading should be between 7 and 11. IMHO, this is an important test for all tanks, FOWLR to reef.
4. Test strips for ammonia/nitrate
5. A bottle of Amquel or equivalent. Read the instructions, you don't have to use this, but it is good to have it just in case. I use it in the kitchen, when I've gotten bleach on my hands. It's good for that.
6. A stack of old towels: when you need one, you will be glad you have them!
7. Enough polystyrene 5 gallon buckets to replace half the water in your tank.
8. A mixing pump, or powerhead: the Maxi-Jet 1200 is good choice.
9. Some Gutterguard(from Lowe's or Home Depot) or some plastic needlepoint canvas(from hobby store) AND plastic sewing thread or fishing line.
10. A sheet of white lighting grid/eggcrate(found in the Lowes or Home Depot lighting department).
11. A spare thermometer for a fast crosscheck (I stick mine onto the sump).
12. Spare hose of every diameter. Couplers(hose barbs) for these sizes: no reefer ever has too many varieties of hose.
13. If you can afford, it/employ it---a backup generator; or at very least a plan. I have kept fish alive for 3 days with a hand squeeze bulb...this is how basic you can get if you are stuck for a solution, and do NOT over-stock your tank: you never know when ice or wind is going to hand you an 8-hour power-outage, or worse.
14. Also, if you can afford it, a spare main pump. Your tank can live without lights for a week, easy; without a skimmer for a week, easy; but without the main pump, you are in increasing trouble after a few hours.

Brought to you courtesy of Sk8r

Things that may seem difficult for us to replicate in our closed systems, happen in nature quite regularly. Check out what one Australian reefkeeper found in his back yard...

How Rare is This?

This month we are featuring the beautiful 160-gallon SPS-dominated reef aquarium of Ferdinando D'Amora. Learn how he has created this beautiful system. Read more...

The Marinelife Aquarium Society of Michigan is pleased to announce The MASM Breeder's Workshop! Please join us for an exciting afternoon with two of the brightest stars in the marine breeding realm: Matthew Wittenrich and Matt Pedersen.

Matthew Wittenrich is a marine biologist who has been deeply involved with the aquarium world since the age of 15. He is currently pursuing his doctorate at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne Florida, with research projects centered in the Philippines. Matthew has successfully raised over 56 species of marine fish and shrimp. His research focuses on the development of feeding abilities in early stage larvae of coral reef fishes.

Matt Pedersen currently resides in Duluth, MN, and has been a marine aquarist for 23 years and an aquarist for 28 years. Matt's current area of interest is marine fish breeding. He has currently spawned 17 species of marine fish, successfully raising five of them, including one worldwide first (the Harlequin filefish, Oxymonacanthus longirostris). Matt Pedersen is credited with starting MOFIB and writes for multiple publications. Matt was awarded "Aquarist of the Year" honors by both IMAC West and MASNA in 2009 in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions to the marine aquarium hobby.

In an effort to support and encourage captive breeding, MASM has designed a workshop that will both inspire and assist anyone that is interested in captive breeding.

This workshop is part of the larger MASM Breeding Initiative: http://www.masm.org/mForums/tt.aspx?forumid=88

The workshop will begin with presentations relating to the captive breeding of marine organisms by both speakers. After a short break, attendees will have plenty of "one on one" time to ask questions and discuss their own, personal, breeding efforts.

The workshop will be held at the Cranbrook Institute of Science on Saturday, March 13, 2010, starting at 1pm.
Admission is free to MASM members. Non-members can purchase tickets in advance for $5, or at the door for $10

For more information please visit The MASM Breeder's Workshop.

Manhattan Reefs has a beautifully produced quarterly publication, Reefs Magazine, and the site has some interesting articles for reefkeepers.

Check out the latest issue:

• Diving the Reefs of Anilao, Philippines by J. Charles Delbeek
• Epic Fail – the Anatomy of a Disaster by Richard Ross
• Moving A Saltwater Aquarium by Lissa Mann
• Reef Disturbance and Resilience by Chris Jury
• Interview with Rob Toonen
• Fish Tales by Christine Williams

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes before your local fish store or online vendor gets their livestock? In this video, provided by Jim Stines of LA Fishguys, you'll be able to take a tour of a coral/fish wholesaler in Los Angeles, CA. Jim has quite a library of interesting videos available, ranging from the basics of setting up a reef tank to following him as he makes his rounds in his professional capacity as he maintains various customers' aquariums.

Visit a Fish - Coral Wholesaler

View the rest of his video library here.

Hi all!

We thought it would be a good idea to share a great thread that helps answer some questions about fish compatibility for your new saltwater fish tank.

PLEASE, check out your intended fish purchases here first!

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1445390