feeding time

[p7willm]

As far as I can tell when most people feed their fish they turn off or turn way down the circulation in the tank. It also seems like most of the fish get fed on a schedule, getting their meals at the same time each day.

Why? In the ocean the water moves around all the time and I thought most people tried to mimic the ocean. So, the water does not calm down for the fish to eat.

Also fish that eat small stuff tend to spend most of the day eating and those that eat larger stuff only eat when they catch something. Neither of the groups eat at 8 in the morning and again at 7 PM.

Wouldn't it be more natural to leave the circulation on and feed at random times?

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

I don't know if advantage or disadvantage, but I leave all my equipment on as well as not doing the same time. Mainly because life is hectic and hard to keep a solid schedule. Works well for past 2+ years.

 

[trevormass7]

I also leave everything on and feed at different times. I haven't had any problems

 

[Pife]

I leave my powerheads on but shut off my return pumps. The reason I do that is so that coral has a chance to eat and so that not as much food is sucked down the overflow and wasted.

 

[jenkinscrew2578]

I turn off my return. Unlike the ocean our tanks have drains [emoji16]
I turn off power heads for dry food and leave on for frozen. If you get them on a schedule they are more apt to eat the food right then instead of maybe they eat it maybe they don't. So that less that gets wasted to lay around and rot. Just my thinking...

 

[leahfiish]

I leave all my pumps on, I feel it's easier for the food to circulate to my while tank that way. Plus I don't have any pumps with "feeding mode" so I would have to remember to turn them back on and that's one more thing I would forget. So I like to avoid that possibility all together. I target feed the corals with a turkey baster or a pipette every week or so. I also feed usually 2-3 times a day, once in the morning before work, and once or twice after work. On days that I'm off and hanging out at home I'll feed the same amount of food, just spread out over 5-6 feedings, if possible. I am also experimenting with putting the food in at different places. I usually put it in front of the powerheads so it can blow across the tank and towards the bottom (for my jawfish) but am considering rearranging my flow setup to better suit my corals. I just want to make sure my jawfish still have a good current to deliver food to them.