Now this is a thread I can certainly contribute to!
I have personally extruded almost all of the Optimal released in 2016. I can absolutely guarantee the formulation has not changed a bit over the course of the year (enter dads "if it aint broke dont fix it" quote). Just to quell any concerns, inconsistancies are absolutely not do to any formulation changes.
That being said, I do believe there might be some inconsistancies between bags... especially if purchased a month or so apart. Traditional feed mills have giant extruders that can pump out 10+ tons of feed per hour. Generally, they will produce a bunch of feed based on forcasts and then ship it out and wait for it to sell. Because it was all produced at the same time, it should all look nearly identical.
In our mission to produce the freshest and highest quality feeds available, we take a different approach. We have a small mill that produces around 1000 pounds per hour. Instead of making 6 months worth of feed at one time...we make fresh batches of feed quite regularly.
Extrusion is a very dynamic process. Running an extruder is less like operating a microwave and more like making pottery. Little changes can alter the size, shape, float, color, and even the smell of the feeds. Those nuances might be noticable when comparing a batch side by side, but I am confident the performance remains the same.
Historically, there has been a rift between feed suppliers and feed users. Feed suppliers just made feed with their ultimate focus being more on margins than the end-user's feedback. Optimal Fish Food is trying to heal that divide. Formats (like Pond Boss) allow a great opportunity to work together to create feed that not only works, but helps create all those special moments that make this Pond Boss community special. We truely want people to smile when they throw feed out to their eager fish boiling the surface of the water.
I cannot help much with how to create a pond, or how many fish to stock, or what all these crazy acronyms mean (i did find a handy guide;)...but I will happily answer questions on extruding fish feed, assessing feed performance, or anything Optimal!
