How does everyone feed there tank?

Wrenchedup · Sep 7, 2013

Ok I wanna hear everybody's opinions on feeding there tanks,
Foods
Times
Feeding corals and fish
Amount of food
I am trying to see what's the best amount and types of food to feed a mixed reef tank to get the best possible growth and health
At this time I use a mix between 3 different pellets 1tsp twice a day, frozen brine w/2 drops of garlic and vitamins once a week for fish, and a mix between coral frenzy and reef chilli and cyclopeids once a night for coral
A long time ago before I was really into coral I would feed frozen and live brine and mysis twice a day until the tank was overloaded with amonia and phosphates since then I have got it under control but would love to hear everyone's opinions thanks

lookingsexual · Sep 7, 2013

I usually feed my tank twice every week. usually on monday and friday night. i use mysis shrimp and coral frenzy mix in a half cup of tank water. and target feed all my corals with a turkey baster.

Paul B · Sep 7, 2013

Live black worms, live white worms, new born brine shrimp and fresh clams. All once or twice a day with a baster. I don't feed the corals except for the giant mushrooms.

pam0630 · Sep 7, 2013

i feed my fish aquadine flake/pellet food...new life spectrum sinking pellets....mysis..cyclops....dried green nori

was feeding everyday now every other day.....

Palting · Sep 7, 2013

IMO, there is no "best" that will work for all tanks. As an example, FOWLR and tanks with mostly softies and fish require higher nutrient levels. Mostly SPS or SPS dominated tanks require a cleaner tank with lower nutrient levels.

I have an SPS dominated mixed reef tank. So, I feed my fish once a day with gel food, flakes, and pellets, and my coral once a week or less with coral frenzy.

One person I know has a very beautiful tank with mostly colorful softies and LPS. She feed the fish 3X a day, and the coral 2-3X a week.

If I did to my tank what she does to hers, I would likely kill off my SPS. If she did to her tank what I do to mine, she would starve her softies.

Spartachris · Sep 7, 2013

I feed usually 1-2x per day. I use my own blend-o-matic chum some days, others days frozen mysis or brine. A second feeding is usally micro pellets, but just a little. I've got a 125g and use an algae scrubber, so not as worried about high nutrients (Nitrates .2 right now). But I have to admit PaulB is my hero, so eventually I want to start raising live food for them.

Eienna · Sep 7, 2013

I'll weigh in here, though what I do might be considered a bit maverick.

I feed small to medium amounts 4 times daily, and target feed my corals almost daily. I don't rinse my frozens because my goniopora will accept the "juice." Most of my feedings consist of NLS Small Fish pellets, but I do use various frozens such as mysis, Rod's, SFB bloodworms, rotifers (for the goni), and Emerald Entree.

Now, normally that would blast nitrate and phosphate levels through the roof, but I built up slowly and used Dr. Tim's bacterial supplements to bolster the ability of the system to handle it. Believe it or not, my nitrate is down to 0 without a skimmer, and my phosphate (while a bit high...gotta work in that) is less than you'd expect, sitting at .5. I also have a voracious cleanup crew.

Little tip: If your shrimps steal food from your corals, as my skunk tends to do, squirt some food their way first.

Wrenchedup · Sep 8, 2013

Great posts guys this is exactly what I wanted to see ,now that i see that people feed to keep there nutrients low for Sps and high for lps and soft now what I wanna know is if you have for an example
Bowsers,Cali blue tort and fish
It's hard to keep things in a happy median

MHG · Sep 8, 2013

Pellets on a timer 5 times a day. Just a pinch... A big squirt of various rods food once a day....I like my nitrates around 1-2 for good growth and color....

Eienna · Sep 8, 2013

Update: The bacteria is apparently catching up with the phosphate. My last reading of .5 is getting replaced with a .25 today, with no water changes or dosing other than some calcium because that was getting low. Woot!!

Paul B · Sep 8, 2013

But I have to admit PaulB is my hero, so eventually I want to start raising live food for them.

I am not speaking to him

Spartachris · Sep 8, 2013

Lol.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

Palting · Sep 8, 2013

Wrenchedup said:
Great posts guys this is exactly what I wanted to see ,now that i see that people feed to keep there nutrients low for Sps and high for lps and soft now what I wanna know is if you have for an example
Bowsers,Cali blue tort and fish
It's hard to keep things in a happy median

You are absolutely right. Finding that happy medium is the challenge for a mixed reef. An additional challenge is that the happy medium changes with tank maturity. Each tank is different, obviously, and you'll have to define your own happy medium. But, here's an example from my experience. Early in the life of my SPS dominated mixed reef, I fed fish very sparingly once a day, and no coral feeding at all. Under that regimen, both SPS and softies seemed happy. So, that was the happy medium for my young tank. As the tank approached the 2 year mark, I noticed the softies had stopped growing. As it matured even further, now almost 2 1/2 years, the zoas started to decrease in number. I slowly increased the amount of food for the fish, and started coral feeding. I eventually got to the regimen I posted above, and that seems to be the happy medium for my SPS dominated mixed reef tank of now over 3 years .