Feed Amounts

[Travis Stewart]

Hey everyone! I have about a 3 month old system and know that ugly stages will happen and will continue to learn how to handles these different nutrient levels. Just want to know everyone’s take on feeding amounts when you are already having algae growth.

Doing normal weekly water changes to help, but what’s good advice for this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jason mack]

If you can keep your po4 (0.03-0.08) and no3 (5-10ppm)at normal levels , then a good cuc ( clean up crew) will help too combat any algae issues you have

 

[Travis Stewart]

Well I can never get accurate readings because algae consumes it...

 

[Travis Stewart]

doesn’t anyone adjust the way they feed when they see algae in their tank?

 

[Jason mack]

When I feed my fish I feed enough what they can consume in say like 45 seconds .. the food won’t even hit the floor before it’s gone .. that way I know I’m not feeding the algae .. and with a good clean up crew in to keep the rest in check .. but I don’t have algae in my tank expect a little on the back wall maybe that I like too keep for my snails and fish to pick at .. if your no3 and po4 are in check you won’t have problems with it

 

[Travis Stewart]

When I feed my fish I feed enough what they can consume in say like 45 seconds .. the food won’t even hit the floor before it’s gone .. that way I know I’m not feeding the algae .. and with a good clean up crew in to keep the rest in check .. but I don’t have algae in my tank expect a little on the back wall maybe that I like too keep for my snails and fish to pick at .. if your no3 and po4 are in check you won’t have problems with it

I feed the same way with pumps off. It’s all consumed, but still have some little spots. Levels are in check. Just wondering if the cause is feeding or what else’s could generate the nutrients for fish growth. Obv fish poop, but anything else?

 

[408Dartfish]

I feed on average what the fish can eat in a few minutes, not just dump food all at once. How long do you leave your lights on during the day. On my 2+month old tank overstocked w/fish I do about 8hrs day. My Po4 about .04 and nitrates hover around 5-10ppm. I hardly get any algae am also running a GFO/Carbon reactor and a large skimmer. Dustin

 

[Travis Stewart]

I feed on average what the fish can eat in a few minutes, not just dump food all at once. How long do you leave your lights on during the day. On my 2+month old tank overstocked w/fish I do about 8hrs day. My Po4 about .04 and nitrates hover around 5-10ppm. I hardly get any algae am also running a GFO/Carbon reactor and a large skimmer. Dustin

Dustin,

I feed the same way and run a fuge and adaquete skimmer.

 

[Travis Stewart]

I feed on average what the fish can eat in a few minutes, not just dump food all at once. How long do you leave your lights on during the day. On my 2+month old tank overstocked w/fish I do about 8hrs day. My Po4 about .04 and nitrates hover around 5-10ppm. I hardly get any algae am also running a GFO/Carbon reactor and a large skimmer. Dustin

I would say my tank is understocked

 

[Travis Stewart]

I guess my question is how do you get your coral to outcompete algae for the nutrients present in your tank.
@dbl

 

[oceanrider]

if you have nitrates and phos in your tank the coral will get to it. HOwever, they do not process it directly , and the speed is much slower than absorptioin by the algaes.

In nature, there will always be algae to help control and cycle nutrients .

Yes, change water, make sure you use water with no nutrients. Cleanup crew is fine, but make sure they have food to eat, because after you have no algae, the cleanup crew may die, thus reintroducing nutrients and starting algae bloom again.

i would decrease white daylight inside my display area, to maybe 3 to 5 hours per day, and use mainly actinic or blue lights for maybe 7 to 10 hours. per day.

When I scuba, i notice that most colors from white spectrum is already getting filtered out at 10 feet, and by the time i get to bottom where most corals and livestock is at, it is mainly blue colors.

exception to this is acroporas and montis that are near surface and require higher stronger light. Place those higher up and in center of your tank. But i think 4 to 6 hours is already plenty as the sun directly shines on them maybe that long.


this will slightly decrease growlth of algae in your display area.


increase bright daylight in your refugium, if you have one, so the algae grows strongly there, .

 

[Mkus]

I don't feed everyday and try to blow off detritus off rock work

 

[Travis Stewart]

if you have nitrates and phos in your tank the coral will get to it. HOwever, they do not process it directly , and the speed is much slower than absorptioin by the algaes.

In nature, there will always be algae to help control and cycle nutrients .

Yes, change water, make sure you use water with no nutrients. Cleanup crew is fine, but make sure they have food to eat, because after you have no algae, the cleanup crew may die, thus reintroducing nutrients and starting algae bloom again.

i would decrease white daylight inside my display area, to maybe 3 to 5 hours per day, and use mainly actinic or blue lights for maybe 7 to 10 hours. per day.

When I scuba, i notice that most colors from white spectrum is already getting filtered out at 10 feet, and by the time i get to bottom where most corals and livestock is at, it is mainly blue colors.

exception to this is acroporas and montis that are near surface and require higher stronger light. Place those higher up and in center of your tank. But i think 4 to 6 hours is already plenty as the sun directly shines on them maybe that long.


this will slightly decrease growlth of algae in your display area.


increase bright daylight in your refugium, if you have one, so the algae grows strongly there, .

This sounds so much like my style of husbandry. Attached is the lighting schedule I’ve been running.

 

[Antics]

I've never had much success trying to fight or pinpoint algae issues in a young aquariums, especially one at three months. I think an aquariums maturity goes a lot farther than husbandry enthusiasts might consider. I have a severely overstocked tank and I feed a ridiculous amount. 6+ cubes a day plus hourly pellet and flake alternating during the light cycle. I have an oversized skimmer and filter socks that I rotate every other day as the first line of defense. I don't have any hair algae or anything growing on my rocks or glass, just window film I need to clean once a week or so.

On the other hand, I don't have any coral in my tank. And while I don't have phosphate or nitrate issues in my tank, I don't know how that would change with the introduction of corals. I've never really thought of limited food as a solution to algae problems, but I suppose it works for many.

 

[Neo Jeo]

doesn’t anyone adjust the way they feed when they see algae in their tank?

Yes, When I start to see redish algae growing on my sand bed I will back down on the feeding for a few days and it seems to clear right up. It like I give the protein skimmer time to do its thang.....

 

[Travis Stewart]

I've never had much success trying to fight or pinpoint algae issues in a young aquariums, especially one at three months. I think an aquariums maturity goes a lot farther than husbandry enthusiasts might consider. I have a severely overstocked tank and I feed a ridiculous amount. 6+ cubes a day plus hourly pellet and flake alternating during the light cycle. I have an oversized skimmer and filter socks that I rotate every other day as the first line of defense. I don't have any hair algae or anything growing on my rocks or glass, just window film I need to clean once a week or so.

On the other hand, I don't have any coral in my tank. And while I don't have phosphate or nitrate issues in my tank, I don't know how that would change with the introduction of corals. I've never really thought of limited food as a solution to algae problems, but I suppose it works for many.

Adding coral would have no affect on nutrient availability, you’re right about that. I agree with the tank maturing and have also been front of mind. I’m wondering if any bucket or tub I’m using to do water changes is leaching PO4 into the water.

 

[lapin]

This is just my opinion
The odds of a tub leaching po4 is prob nil. Silicates maybe. Since you do not know what your po4 and nitrate levels are. I would test them right before and after you do a water change. After a few weeks this should let you know a trend. Keep up with the weekly 10% to 20% water change. These will normally keep everything in check over the long run.

 

[Travis Stewart]

This is just my opinion
The odds of a tub leaching po4 is prob nil. Silicates maybe. Since you do not know what your po4 and nitrate levels are. I would test them right before and after you do a water change. After a few weeks this should let you know a trend. Keep up with the weekly 10% to 20% water change. These will normally keep everything in check over the long run.

I show no signs of NO3 and PO4 via Hannah on both. I know these are being consumed by the small amounts of algae.