Coral Feeding Questions

[schooleyosis]

I am curious to how, how often, when, and what you feed your corals?

For me I broadcast feed something every morning when I wake up. I target feed a few times per month.

I do feed something different every day. I rotate between phytoplankton, zooplankton, reef snow, reef chili, reef plus (I know it's not a food and actually add this twice a week), and micro-vert.

The days I spot feed I use a mixture of brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, Rotifers, reef chili, reef frenzy, and Cyclopeze what ever I have thawed out at the time that in decide to spot feed.

What is your schedule/routine???

 

[.AcroKiller.]

If you have plenty of flow on your tank there is no reason to feed your corals. But one think is you do have to feed your fish I think the most important part of a reef tank is feeding your fish people often under feed so they don't get nutrients but the thing is you do have to feed fish a lot but you need the filtration for it. I feed NLS pellets 4 times a day and 1 cube of misid, Cyclopes and brine everyday.

 

[Dowtish]

I am curious to how, how often, when, and what you feed your corals?

For me I broadcast feed something every morning when I wake up. I target feed a few times per month.

I do feed something different every day. I rotate between phytoplankton, zooplankton, reef snow, reef chili, reef plus (I know it's not a food and actually add this twice a week), and micro-vert.

The days I spot feed I use a mixture of brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, Rotifers, reef chili, reef frenzy, and Cyclopeze what ever I have thawed out at the time that in decide to spot feed.

What is your schedule/routine???

Ryan, I would keep doing what you are doing except change the feeding of the corals to night time instead of in the morning. All corals have the most the PE at night with no lights on in the tank. Typically this is the way it works in the ocean as well. My dragon soul and pot of gold favia, trachy, and wellso never show their PE until the lights are off. And more times than not most Acros dont have a lot of PE during the day in the ocean and they come out at night only. The fact we run bio pellets is why we see so much PE during the day IMO. You will get better growth and coloration this way.

here is my feeding schedule:

Fish: 3 pinches of Pellets and flakes around noon from my wife. At 5pm I feed some nori on the clip. At 6-7pm I feed a mixture of frozen cyclopeze, 2 various cubes of frozen, mysis, and rods fish eggs.

Coral: 10pm when the lights have gone out. I broadcast feed a mixture of oyster feast, cyclopeze, warner marine amino, and reef chili.

 

[Raymondzmarshall]

Solid advice thanks guys

 

[gmoney243]

I just feed fish exept my new rbta i got been feeding it when i feed fish and its getting big.

 

[bknapp]

I've read (believe it was Advanced Aquarist) that feeding Stoney corals (ie SPS) is best during the day as feeding after lights off slows or stops calcification which is the opposite of what you're wanting to do. And when feeding corals (in my opinion) it's best to feed with high quality coral foods.

But if its working for you, showing good growth and coloration keep doing what you're doing. Just remember any foods to put IN must also come OUT so proper filtration and husbandry habits are still important.

 

[Dowtish]

I've read (believe it was Advanced Aquarist) that feeding Stoney corals (ie SPS) is best during the day as feeding after lights off slows or stops calcification which is the opposite of what you're wanting to do. And when feeding corals (in my opinion) it's best to feed with high quality coral foods.

But if its working for you, showing good growth and coloration keep doing what you're doing. Just remember any foods to put IN must also come OUT so proper filtration and husbandry habits are still important.

I would love to read that link.

 

[gmoney243]

Ive read that as well.

 

[pickupman66]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/12/corals2

HMmmmmmm...

 

[poolkeeper1]

Fish Poo is IMO the best, no one feeds them in the ocean except Fish Poo JMHO
Bill

 

[.AcroKiller.]

Fish Poo is IMO the best, no one feeds them in the ocean except Fish Poo JMHO
Bill

Yeap.

 

[angrycubano]

Fish poop bro. Corals get color from light and growth from calcium as in alk, cal, mag and other minor supplements. Not really sold on foods as it sounds like a bunch of marketing gimmicks.

Of course flow, water conditions, etc. are very important but I don't think "food" products do much.

 

[angrycubano]

Fish Poo is IMO the best, no one feeds them in the ocean except Fish Poo JMHO
Bill

Sorry for repeat Bill. It looks like we replied at same time.

 

[Dowtish]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/12/corals2

HMmmmmmm...

Thanks for posting it Lindsey. Its definitely an interesting article. But when it comes to feeding my lps. Some of them never feed when the lights are on. So I'm sticking to my routine as I really can't complain about my growth overall.

 

[.AcroKiller.]

Thanks for posting it Lindsey. Its definitely an interesting article. But when it comes to feeding my lps. Some of them never feed when the lights are on. So I'm sticking to my routine as I really can't complain about my growth overall.

Non wrong with that Chris that's what's working no reason to change it.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Two Heads are better than one, especially when they agree...
Bill

 

[schooleyosis]

Thanks everyone for your input. I was curious to what everyone does and I've gotten some good responses. When I feed in the a.m. it's at 5a.m. when the lights are out and I see most of the feeders out on a lot of the corals. Not sure if what I am referring to as "feeders/feed tentacles" is the same as PE or not though.