[chriss]

I'd like to extend a warm welcome to a new site sponsor Aqualabs, specialising in fish and coral nutrition. Welcome aboard Marcus!

Chris

[ben]

this is new to me, tell us about your business marcus and welcome.

[dave14]

Welcome Marcus
If your products are good enough for Jas and Linds then I will give them a try.
How do we get hold of them, fom Jas or direct from you? can't see any ordering info on your site

[SLAPPY]

Welcome aboard Marcus

Not come across the products before. However, judging by the website and photos on there, you must be a cornish based company even though there are no ordering and contact information on there.

I'm assuming that you are the same Marcus as in Marcus Watts on this forum?

[Marcus Watts]

Hi Guys and thanks for the kind comments.

Yes its Marcus Watts from the forum. Just a bit of background info; I'm Cornish based and manufacture just over 300 tons of fish food a year that is primarily used as bait, some used on fishfarms etc. Originally I went to Hampshire College of Agriculture for 3 years studying Fish farming and fishery management, and after leaving there intensively farmed ornamental fish for the pet trade, both breeding in the uk and importing/ growing on.

Having bought various products for my own tanks over the last couple of years I realised they were mostly using very basic ingredients, and that I had the same and far more advanced products at work already. Formulating marine fish farming diets commands huge investment intoresearch, nutrition and into using 'clean' protiens that maximise growth returns while keeping pollution to a minimum. The marine reef tank is not a lot different to a fish farm senario, just smaller and more critical to keep pollution free, but the guidelines are the same - maintaining a population of fish in a small environment. (closly linked to halibut and turbot farming in tanks, rather than bass & sea bream farming in pens)

Reasearching coral nutrition found them not a lot different from fish - they have a need for specific proteins, with a list of 'essential' amino acids - (those are aminos that must be supplied directly to the coral in the pure form), all others needed are synthasised within the coral from the other aminos within the diet. Once the nutritional qualities required were set down it was a case of balancing the various ingredients to make the food.

Supply wise jason has free samples of POlyp+ SPS, Polyp+ LPS and Clam+ going out with all boxes. Each sample will feed 1000 gallons of water (feed daily if heavily stocked, every other or 3rd day for light to medium stocking). I have always believed in supporting the trade where ever possible so my aim is to supply Aqualabs products through shops, long term I'd like to work with a wholesaler/distributer. Timescale wise the products are lined up to be ready by the end of the month - just the final packaging items & labels need to arrive. Jason is stockist number one , and as its a new & specialised product (plus as a thankyou for their support) he has an exclusive deal for a radius around him. The aqualab web site will have a shopping option for customers without a stockist close by, and I will use fleabay in the early days as a promotional tool, as the feeds and website will get large coverage from a few well placed aution-adds.

The launch will be these three feeds, followed by 2 liquid 'ready mixed' feeds. The current product i'm working on is a pellet made from the Polyp+ LPS ingredients.

Thanks again,

Marcus

[TrevC]

Well done Marcus, nice to see such enthusiasm.
I look forward to seeing your products on the shelf.

[lindsay]

Welcome Marcus .

[ANDYG]

marcus as trev said nice to see such enthusiasm in the hobby, i'm sure aqualabs will go from strenght to strength speak soon.

[pt1000]

Good luck Marcus with it , i will give it a go when i get some more bits from Jason