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Rod's vs Jan's vs ???

Djplus1

By Djplus1,
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Djplus1 Grandmaster Reefer

Djplus1

So, I've been looking at making some changes to my overall routine and tank. Part of which is food. I will have a feeding technique question in another thread, but this will focus on frozen. Since I've started my tank, I have primarily used Rod's food, multiple blends, as my main frozen go to. Also use(d) cyclopeeze, and Hikari angel food, before my angels died.

 

Does anyone have real world comparisons between Rod's and Jan's or something else that I should maybe try for a mixed reef? I assume that many will recommend Jan's for obvious reasons, but I am in Montgomery County, MD and I have yet to see Jan's food anywhere and the LFS's that are on the list are all too far for me to justify driving to for fish food, unless of course it is substantially cheaper. I currently pay about $23 for large package of Rod's (6oz I think) at Aquarium One in Rockville, but have taken advantage of a couple two for one deals over the last 10 months or so.

Jan

Jan

(edited)

I'll tell you the difference between my blends and others

- All ingredients are sustainable and sustainably sourced. We do not use any seafood's that are endangered or overfished and all seafood's are caught using safe catch methods

- Our blends do not contain preservatives or chemicals.

We do not use shrimp because most shrimp contains sodium triphosphate.

We do not use cyclopeeze because it contains a preservative that is also a pesticide, though safe according to the USDA.. 

- You get more for your money. Our mixed reef Blend sells for $20.00 per 15 oz bag. 

- Just like the other frozen raw foods if you use too much you will have issues with nitrates, but I'm sure you are aware of that from using other frozen blends. 

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that all of the seaweeds, nori and spirulina used in our blends are certified organic by the USDA. 

Edited by Jans Natural Reef Foods
sachabballi reef

sachabballi reef

rods has never spiked my phosphates or nitrates but I have had problems with Jans and stopped using.

I also use PE mysis (this is my fish favorite, but I rinse it before adding as it can cloud the tank), cyclopeeze, enriched brine, squid (my fish go nuts for squid), marine mix, mysis, chopped table shrimp live food...veggie blends....I rotate around I think the key is variety to be sure they are getting a diet that covers their needs

Coral Hind

Coral Hind

Variety is key. I think rotating between different foods and blends or offering a little of each type at every meal is good for the fish. You will need to try different blends out and just see which works best with your setup or livestock.

 

For me, most blends have too much fine stuff in them for my larger fish so it doesn't get eaten and just settles out to pollute the tank. If I had small fish and corals the fine stuff would be alright, just not with my current tank. I now feed mainly diced frozen shrimp, squid, silverside, and brine at every meal. Plus a sheet of the nori rubberbanded to a rock everyday.

Jan

Jan

(edited)

Making your own is a great idea but you must be careful because many fresh seafood's contain sodium triphosphates. STPP cannot be rinsed out once added to raw seafood's. It is absorbed into the seafood. It is used as a preservative and to add weight to shrimp and scallops.

 

Rod's uses seafood's with STPP - http://www.rodsfood.com/about.html

Edited by Jans Natural Reef Foods
sachabballi reef

sachabballi reef

Maybe I'm an idiot, but when I click on any of your links it just sends me back to this thread.

hmmmm works for me

Jan

Jan

Cheaper is not always better. Do your research. Finding vendors that are honest and sell chemical free seafood's is not an easy task in the fish industry. Many seafood's sold here are dipped or farmed. Many are imported from Mexico where regulations are practically non existent. Farmed seafood's are also imported many times and usually fed antibiotics.

Djplus1 Grandmaster Reefer

Djplus1

  • Author

great links!!

 

making your own works great and you can control your ingredients....and cheaper :)

Weird it still doesn't work from the original post, but clicking on the links from your post it works?!

Jan

Jan

Just do a search for making your own marine fish food. Wet web media has a recipe. Melevs reef has a recipe and members from several other clubs have posted their recipes too.  

Jan

Jan

Ethoxyquin is the name of the preservative in cyclo-peeze. It is also a pesticide but it is approved by the USDA or FDA for use as a preservative.

Sodium triphosphates (STPP), also used as a preservative is found in detergents and other cleaning fluids.   

Jan

Jan

Something else you should know is fish only need a variety of foods to get the daily nutrients they need. With the right blend you'll get those nutrients. Flake foods are high in ash. Pellet food, also higher in ash than fresh foods, are high in protein. There really is no substitute for fresh well balanced chemical free food.

Jason Rhoads

Jason Rhoads

I have been using Jan's since she traded me a pack for some lights, and I can say I really like the stuff and will buy more. I have not seen any increase in nitrates, but I do not feed it every day (probably 2x/week).

 

I have made my own, but cleaning the blender after making a batch really sucks :)

Sharkey18 Legendary Reefer

Sharkey18

I feed Jan's once a day and "something else" once a day. 

 

My nitrates and phosphates are both high but I tend to feed to much. Don;t think it matters what you feed, overfeeding will cause a spike in nutrients. 

 

I LOVE the small pieces in Jans food since i have a lot of planktivores and sometimes worry that the big fish get all the food. 

Djplus1 Grandmaster Reefer

Djplus1

  • Author

I feed Jan's once a day and "something else" once a day. 

 

My nitrates and phosphates are both high but I tend to feed to much. Don;t think it matters what you feed, overfeeding will cause a spike in nutrients. 

 

I LOVE the small pieces in Jans food since i have a lot of planktivores and sometimes worry that the big fish get all the food. 

A little off topic, but what are high nitrates/phosphates to you? I assume you have corals? No problems with unexplained deaths or slow growth, etc?

newtoreef

newtoreef

I am feeding my fish with Jan's food since she started and my fish and I love her food! I must say that I feed her food every other day just because I still do pellets and mysis only...

jaddc

jaddc

Jan -- Do you think it will be harder to maintain your standards as the demand for your food increases?

Jan

Jan

(edited)

My standards, like my reputation, is all I have. Changing them are not an option unless the change is for betterment. 

 

We are going to look into mfr plants in Florida which will help with demand. We will also have a larger variety of vendors and fresher sea foods to choose from.

 

Jan -- Do you think it will be harder to maintain your standards as the demand for your food increases?

Edited by Jans Natural Reef Foods
Djplus1 Grandmaster Reefer

Djplus1

  • Author

I've used both and I like Jan's blend much better. I feed 1 cube every other day. I haven't checked my water parameters in over 6 months :) Is that bad?

Ha, ha, ha. In all seriousness, yes. That's what's got me asking all of these dumb questions. I just checked on my salinity, alk, ca and mg for coral growth and ignored nitrate and phosphate over the last 6 months. Now my nitrates are through the roof and I'm trying to find ways to lower everything :mad:

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