Coral - Aquaculture or mariculture - What is your preference?

[ScottB]

Possibly your referring to the quick raise in DKH levels but if not…

That’s odd I run 12 DKH solid. I don’t look for 8.5 or 9 DKH.
I use Red Sea coral sea salt which is primed at 12 DKH.
I have 80% maricultured (wild coral) in my tank. Everything lives, puffy, swinging and growing.

Interesting experience. Isn't natural sea water in the 7-7.5 dkh range?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Interesting experience. Isn't natural sea water in the 7-7.5 dkh range?

8-9

 

[Tuna Melt]

It drives me nuts when a vendor uses the cache of "Aquaculture" in their business name, but still is just a chop shop selling imported wild coral frags.

Amen!

What vendors do you like for true aquaculture?

 

[ReefEco]

Amen!

What vendors do you like for true aquaculture?

Here's my rating card for Cherry Corals - one of my favorites. They actually have a toggle filter switch to only view aquacultured corals - which is the only site I know of that uses it. They got 69/100 - which is pretty high on the scale so far.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Here's my rating card for Cherry Corals - one of my favorites. They actually have a toggle filter switch to only view aquacultured corals - which is the only site I know of that uses it. They got 69/100 - which is pretty high on the scale so far.

Very nice scorecard system here. I did notice that you gave them 5 points for being licensed, but it says No for the answer. I'm guessing it should either be yes then the score is correct on No then the actual score would be 64/100. It's nice that they have the slider/filter to show only Aquacultured corals. We do not need that as all of our corals on the site currently are Aquacultured.

 

[ReefEco]

MIght be a typo or carry over on the template - I haven't published these yet, still need proofing : )

I like the tone of your website - very funny. Do you import anything at all? I see you have rock flowers - I've never known those to be aquacultured in-house but usually are imported - are you able to tank raise those?

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

MIght be a typo or carry over on the template - I haven't published these yet, still need proofing : )

I like the tone of your website - very funny. Do you import anything at all? I see you have rock flowers - I've never known those to be aquacultured in-house but usually are imported - are you able to tank raise those?

Yes we do import occasionally to add to our brood stock. When we receive imported colonies, they are Quarantined and dipped weekly for 8 weeks. They are then moved into observation for another 4 months. From there (assuming they are in good health) A large frag will be cut to start a new mother colony. That colony is the colony that we would eventually frag from after it has been in our systems for at least 1 year.

We initially imported the RFA's and found that they reproduce in our systems quite easily. It does take a long time for them to get large enough to sell which is why we are out of stock on them right now. We have quite a few mothers and tons of babies, but it will be a while until they are uploaded to the site. Of course with everything that has gone on in Florida and the Caribbean this past summer, RFA's are not available to import at this time, so aquaculture may be their best future too.

Thank you for the kind words. I try not to take things too seriously. We are a fully licensed Arizona Aquaculture Facility so we would get the 5 points!

 

[ReefEco]

LOL - indeed - I'll have to add you to my review list : ) I know it is not important to every buyer, but I would encourage you to bump up the language and details on the level of your aquaculture vs. import activities. For most people it is a real plus, and adds a layer of transparency that is really appreciated. For those that know and care, they realize how aquaculture corals (especially acros) are normally much hardier over maricultured or wild collected, keep their colors, and can have far fewer pests. Keep up the farming!

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

LOL - indeed - I'll have to add you to my review list : ) I know it is not important to every buyer, but I would encourage you to bump up the language and details on the level of your aquaculture vs. import activities. For most people it is a real plus, and adds a layer of transparency that is really appreciated. For those that know and care, they realize how aquaculture corals (especially acros) are normally much hardier over maricultured or wild collected, keep their colors, and can have far fewer pests. Keep up the farming!

I agree. The website is always a work in progress LOL. I checked out your site, and you have some very cool products. I love the Float Mount! I might need to incorporate that into a future build!

 

[Big E]

Transperancey is huge for me......the more the better. Pics of an aquacultured mother colony under white and blue is nice.

The overall industry needs changes. Most people hack plugs off and dip new corals, which means you really don't need frags that are encrusted for 2 months.......more like 2 weeks.

I want frags from a mother colony and would be fine with a fresh cut and thrown in a bag. This is old school and it's always worked. Frags are light won't get damaged and this will cut down on a vendors cost quite a bit.

A lot of these type of changes can bring cost down that can be passed on to the buyer.

These wild and maricultured hacker vendors need to be weeded out of the industry.

 

[Derrick0580]

I prefer to buy something that is directly from someone else’s tank that has been there for as long as possible so I know it is accustomed to life in a glass box.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Transperancey is huge for me......the more the better. Pics of an aquacultured mother colony under white and blue is nice.

The overall industry needs changes. Most people hack plugs off and dip new corals, which means you really don't need frags that are encrusted for 2 months.......more like 2 weeks.

I want frags from a mother colony and would be fine with a fresh cut and thrown in a bag. This is old school and it's always worked. Frags are light won't get damaged and this will cut down on a vendors cost quite a bit.

A lot of these type of changes can bring cost down that can be passed on to the buyer.

These wild and maricultured hacker vendors need to be weeded out of the industry.

Agree. Back when I was shipping in the 90's we used to ship fresh cut frags in wet paper towels. Worked like a charm and was super cheap!

 

[ReefEco]

I agree. The website is always a work in progress LOL. I checked out your site, and you have some very cool products. I love the Float Mount! I might need to incorporate that into a future build!

Let me know, we could work out a barter for frags, LOL. Best, Peter