Phytoplankton and copepods are the staples of our reef tank feeding regimens here at AlgaeBarn. Without a doubt, phyto and pods also serve as the base of the ocean’s food webs. And although this sounds very basic and repetitive, biodiversity is one of the most crucial aspects of reef keeping. Simply put, we don’t just want more food – we want more kinds of food. It’s exactly why we are expanding our live feeding system to include the Ultimate Galaxy Pack.
AlgaeBarn works hard to increase our understanding of reef nutrition. The Ultimate Galaxy Pack was inspired in the way. The products in this bundle include OceanMagik, Galaxy Pods, and PNS ProBio & YelloSno. So, we have more food but more importantly, more types of food. In this article, we are going to talk about the function of OceanMagik in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack.
Going green
The waters that surround tropical coral reefs are essentially nutrient poor. As a result, they have lower amounts of phytoplankton. This explains why the waters in these regions are gorgeous and crystal clear. Although there is a low quantity of phyto in reef waters, it is still a key portion of diets on coral reefs. Most of the phyto on the reef is carried in with the tides from offshore.
Since phyto is such an essential part of reef nutrition, we had to include OceanMagik in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack! Phyto has a high concentration of vital vitamins and fatty acids. In a fully stocked reef tank, phyto is quickly consumed. It needs be replenished on a frequent basis, just as it is on the reef.
OceanMagik is a unique combination of four live phyto species. It is designed to deliver the proper balance of fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and amino acids. Every living creature in the reef tank benefits from live phyto. This includes corals, inverts, pods, and filter-feeders.
Filter-feeders are common reef tank residents. They devour small (typically single-celled) algae from the water column known as phytoplankton. In nature, they frequently consume large amounts of it. Despite this, many are quite picky about the type and particle size they will accept. Sadly, filter-feeders were once destined to starve in captivity due to the lack of live phyto products available.
Most reef fishes that are adapted to captive life are not particular about the size of the foods they eat. This is especially true for captive-bred reef fish. But for the planktivorous filter-feeder, particle size is everything. Even though phyto is such a valuable resource, certain phytoplanktivores will only capture specific sized particles.
It is also worth noting that most phyto species have varied nutritional density. AlgaeBarn created the OceanMagik blend to address this issue. This live feed is a mix of phyto species that all bring something to the table! We selected them for their sizes as well as nutritional profiles:
Nannochloropsis gaditana – Nano – This microscopic green alga eats nitrogenous waste compounds such as ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Nano ranges in size from 1 – 5 microns
Tetraselmis sp. – Tetra – Tetraselmis provides a very nourishing diet for your marine life due to its rich and varied amino/fatty acid profile. Tetra ranges in size from 6 – 10 microns
Isochrysis galbana – Iso – Isochrysis is a complex brown alga that contains a high concentration of DHA and is frequently used to supplement zooplankton such as copepods and brine. Iso ranges in size from 10-14 microns.
Thalassiosira weissflogii – Thal – Thal is the largest phyto strain we culture. This alga is a friendly diatom, consumes silicates and helps to starve out dinoflagellates. Thal ranges in size from 5 – 32 microns.
One of the best things about The Ultimate Galaxy Pack is how OceanMagik works in this system.
These diverse phyto species work with the bacterioplankton to create a healthier reef tank ecosystem. The PNS ProBio and YelloSno work to promote the most efficient nutrient cycling (which we’ll talk more about in our next articles).
OceanMagic can makes a huge contribution to this live food system. Most reef keepers are aware that with continued live phyto use, the growth of film algae will be reduced. Live phyto provides a cleaner, healthier reef tank system by helping to regulate dissolved nutrient levels. This leads to the reduction of film and nuisance algae.
Advancements in live phyto culture has absolutely improved the way reef keepers feed their systems. OceanMagik is a synergetic blend of live phyto species that have some very crucial features. First, these phyto species grow quickly, which means they start eating up excess nutrients right away. We also designed OceanMagik to have a mix of particle sizes. This means OceanMagik is a more appealing food to a larger number of filter-feeders.
Why is live phyto important?
OceanMagik meets many of our feeding goals like no other phyto product ever has. In the earlier days of the hobby, our phyto options at the LFS were dismal. Reef keepers could choose between processed and dried phyto or a liquid product that certainly was not alive. Besides the lack of nutritional content, dosing dead phyto in the reef tank can lead to other problems.
Due to processing, compounds, lipids, and enzymes may be missing in dead phyto products. When dead phyto is added to the reef tank, many filter-feeders must be triggered to open so that they are prepared to capture their food. When live phyto are actively growing in the system, these same filter-feeders will always be ready to eat – no appetizers needed!
Live phyto stays suspended in the water column while dead foods either float to the surface or sink to the bottom. The waste associated with dead foods can considerably degrade water quality in the reef tank. This is why the Ultimate Galaxy Pack is more than just a combo pack. It truly is a living segment of the marine food web designed for the reef tank system.
Keeping corals and other planktivorous inverts in the reef tank is now easier than ever before. Aquaculture facilities have been breeding species that were thought to be impossible to keep only a decade ago. Some of the most significant advancements has been an increased quality and availability of live foods. Today, we have a much better understanding of the nutritional content of live food. This is something that AlgaeBarn is very proud to be at the forefront of!
The Ultimate Galaxy Pack contains more live food and most importantly, more kinds of food. And because these products are sold together, they can be marked down at a much lower price. This is fantastic because quality live foods are never cheap.
Conclusion
The Ultimate Galaxy Pack includes OceanMagik, Galaxy Pods, and PNS ProBio & YelloSno. It is designed to deliver the proper balance of fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and amino acids. Every living creature in the reef tank benefits from live phyto. AlgaeBarn’s OceanMagik blend is a mix of phyto species that all bring something to the table. These diverse phytoplanktivores work with the bacterioplankton to create a healthier reef tank ecosystem.
The PNS ProBio and YelloSno promote the most efficient nutrient cycling. The Ultimate Galaxy Pack contains more live food and most importantly, more kinds of food. Live phyto stays suspended in the water column while dead foods float to the surface or sink to the bottom. And because all these great products are bundled together, we can pass the savings onto you!
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