Another look at coral feeding...

[shiftline]

So this makes me question if i should stop using chemipure blue as its my only real non natural filtration!
Another video i watched was comparing running a skimmer 6/12/24h and the tank that ran it 6h had the best growth.. which seems aligns with this article to an extent.. May be a good experiment to put it on a timer and only run it at night.

 

[Pete polyp]

Hey Scott, I remember having this conversation with you last week while I was there. You guys really should give KNo3 a shot to raise up the nitrate some. I know we also talked about the concern with the additional potassium because you're using the triton system, but I'm sure they could alter your dosing to compensate. It really is an excellent way too increase N without increasing P.

 

[hart24601]

I target fed a lot during the acro growout contest. Imo that was my secret to winning. But keep that quiet, lol.

 

[CORAL JUNKY]

Hey Scott great article and a really nice read . Especially for a newbie like myself . I feed my fish and corals whatever I can find at my LFS , which isn't much . I currently feed my fish everyday and alternate between a pellet food , hykari I think , and frozen mysis . For my corals , which consist of mainly LPS and softies , I do a mix of both target feeding and broadcast . I target feed my acans either the pellets or mysis every other day or every if they look hungry and broadcast Coral Frenzy 2 times a week for everything else . I'd like to start using some better food for both fish and corals but not real sure what to use . Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[debby]

I have found (myself) occasionally too focused on numbers (like PH and h20 tests) and not enough on the sessile and fish health. I think it's important to keep these things in mind as we get more visibility into the ecosystem of our environments. When I got my ph probe / apex, i got pretty neurotic about the numbers and had to remind myself not to get crazy or do anything as those readings were there even when I couldn't see them to the minute.

all that said, I'm going thru some new-tank syndrome having recently transitioned (thank u NY Aquarium service) from a 220 that was deep (31") and not very reef-oriented to a 180 custom designed (Coast to Coast) that is. It seems that my tank is almost self sustaining with the algae bloom post set up.

debby

 

[uniquecorals]

We have a lot of people ask us about our opinion of biopellets with coral systems, specifically with Triton, and I am honestly at a sort of loss about the topic. Biopellets seem to work well for some people, not so well for others, and I've never really played with them. IMHO, the best strategy is often the most simple...If biopellets work for you, I suppose I'd continue to use them...I'm all about feeding (as most of you are), so I think perhaps biopellets could be somewhat counter-productive if you're trying to accumulate a little nutrient load? Perhaps? Opening the flood gates here, but I'm curious...

-Scott

 

[swk]

I often consider removing my fuge in hopes of accumulating more nitrate. Most macros are far more effective in nitrate uptake than phosphate, by ratio. I'm thinking I might see the increase in no3 I'm always trying to achieve?

Anyone have any real life experience with such a thing?

 

[shiftline]

Is it worth removing phosphate removers such as chemipure?

 

[Reefermadness73]

We have a lot of people ask us about our opinion of biopellets with coral systems, specifically with Triton, and I am honestly at a sort of loss about the topic. Biopellets seem to work well for some people, not so well for others, and I've never really played with them. IMHO, the best strategy is often the most simple...If biopellets work for you, I suppose I'd continue to use them...I'm all about feeding (as most of you are), so I think perhaps biopellets could be somewhat counter-productive if you're trying to accumulate a little nutrient load? Perhaps? Opening the flood gates here, but I'm curious...

-Scott

I went into my new build knowing I was gonna use bio pellets and an oversized skimmer to strip my water clean. I was always struggling with nutrients and algae in my previous tank because I like to feed a lot , so it sounded like a good match for me. It allows me to add more fish and feed my tank at will with very little impact on nutrient levels. I dose aminos as well as a little potassium weekly, I will admit it took me the better part of this last year to get it down but I like what I see as of today

 

[TJ's Reef]

Yet another GREAT topic and sorry to jump in so late here Scott, been super busy with 'life' lately and not much time on the Forum. Having ran mostly ultra high bio-load Reeftanks for many years now without really ever needing to specifically or target feed any Corals including LPS relying only on my Fish to re-disperse their abundant food I supply. Now if I only could figure out a way for them (Fish) to poop Calcium and Alk with a touch of Mg I'd have the PERFECT setup... lol

Cheers, Todd

 

[Rjedreski]

I'm running small amount of NL biopellets 300ml on 100 gal. Seeing basically 0 to .75 no3 and 0 phos. Also running 10 gallon fudge with chaeto and Triton system . Changing my 100 micron sock filter more frequently and skimmer pulling lots of waste . Feed heavy fish and varieties of coral food . The only thing I
Struggle with is some cyno with varying degrees . So what do you think the cyno is from ? excessive feeding ? i have really good flow also.
Also run charcoal and GFO and UV ,now that I write it all down maybe I'm going over board and have to many filtration systems running
Anybody running all these types of filtration or perhaps I have to many things doing the same thing . Thoughts ?
Rob

 

[BigMike81]

I just got my first coral last week and am learning what to do. What is a good way to feed them as I was told they were a filter feeder. It is a zoa and looks beautiful in the tank. I have 0 phosphates and about 10ppm nitrate. I am doing a 10 gal. a week water change on a 75 gal. system with 20 gal. sump.

 

[uniquecorals]

I'm running small amount of NL biopellets 300ml on 100 gal. Seeing basically 0 to .75 no3 and 0 phos. Also running 10 gallon fudge with chaeto and Triton system . Changing my 100 micron sock filter more frequently and skimmer pulling lots of waste . Feed heavy fish and varieties of coral food . The only thing I
Struggle with is some cyno with varying degrees . So what do you think the cyno is from ? excessive feeding ? i have really good flow also.
Also run charcoal and GFO and UV ,now that I write it all down maybe I'm going over board and have to many filtration systems running
Anybody running all these types of filtration or perhaps I have to many things doing the same thing . Thoughts ?
Rob

So many possible causes of cyan, ranging from locally-distributed nutrient sources to temperature, to flow, to who-knows-what? Over the years I've learned that cyano seems to be self-limiting...in other words, when it exhausts whatever it is that it needs, it seems to vanish as quickly as it comes...You bring up a fun point about having "too many" things going on...I suppose you never can be too careful, but you can go overboard. Even with high tech testing like Triton, our reliance is on simple, time-tested methods, like protein skimming, activated carbon, macro algae refugee, etc. IMHO, simple is often best, just like the old sayings goes!