Am I feeding too much?

[RKeenan]

Hey guys. After Velvet disaster wiped out 11 of the 14 fish I had I am just getting it back up and running after 8 weeks. Just 3 tangs (Hippo, Sailfin and Purple) 3-3.5 inches 2 Chromis and a couple of large Blood Shrimp so far but fixing to add more. Anyways been feeding them 2 cubes (PE) mysis, 1/4 sheet of nori and couple of turns of the AFS with Pellets daily. They do eat it up FAST but seems like a lot and my Nitrates already (2 weeks) starting to take off 16.9! Just added a ATS (Turbo Aquatics) today and still changing socks every 2 days and Nyos 120 skimmer collecting fine but algae starting to take off as well. So what do you guys think on amount being fed?

 

[Ricksreeefs]

Tank size?

 

[SchrutesReefs]

That’s too much IMO. But fish will act hungry all day long.

 

[Ricksreeefs]

Yeah it does seem like an awful lot considering you have three fish.

 

[SchrutesReefs]

That food is either going uneaten causing algae, or your fish poop all day long, causing a lot of detritus.

 

[RKeenan]

Tank is a RS 425XL. I do not think much of the food is going uneaten because in a couple of mins it is all gone but they probably are pooping too much. Think going to cut down to 1 cube a day and nori every other. Should be good for 5 fish.

 

[PeterC99]

I also have RSR425XL and feed 2 frozen cubes in the morning, 2 frozen cubes in the evening, and 1/2 sheet of nori midday. 12 fish - mostly tangs. My homemade refugium from egg create with chaeto keeps nitrates at 5 ppm.

 

[RKeenan]

Yeah that is what I was feeding before. Think these new guys are just pigs. Cut them down to one cube (plus the dbl turn on the pellets). We will see if the go on strike or not. Will be glad when scrubber gets going!

 

[Reef.]

Tank is a RS 425XL. I do not think much of the food is going uneaten because in a couple of mins it is all gone but they probably are pooping too much. Think going to cut down to 1 cube a day and nori every other. Should be good for 5 fish.

that size tank should be easily handling that much food, the amount of foods sounds reasonable to me for 5 fish, sounds more an issue with something else, nutrient export may need looking at, Nitrates at 16 IMO doesn't warrant halving the food, especially as those fish get big, if you are struggling now, they get a lot bigger!