How often to feed nano tank?

[TheReefDiary]

How often should I be feeding my fish and corals in my 13.5g tank. Definitely having some nitrate creep up as a result of what I assume has been overfeeding on my part.

Has been difficult for me to figure out what the proper amount of feeding should be.

I also have my first corals arriving on Thursday and would love to know how yall go about feeding your corals. I have red sea ab+ and reef roids. I also have Brine Shrimp which I feed to my fish every once and a while.

 

[fishski13]

What are you feeding currently? And how often?

For feeding fish, it all depends on what kind of fish based on activity. Like anthias you have to feed multiple times a day, while a goby could be once a day or even everyother day.

And as for coral, for my nano build, I used to feed reef roids however my nitrate and phosphate was up there. I decided not to feed coral anymore and now my nitrate is consistently between 5 and 10 ppm.

 

[TheReefDiary]

What are you feeding currently? And how often?

For feeding fish, it all depends on what kind of fish based on activity. Like anthias you have to feed multiple times a day, while a goby could be once a day or even everyother day.

And as for coral, for my nano build, I used to feed reef roids however my nitrate and phosphate was up there. I decided not to feed coral anymore and now my nitrate is consistently between 5 and 10 ppm.

How often do you do water changes/what percentage?

I have 2 clownfish, 1 watchman goby, and 1 firefish. currently switching feeding between Hikari Pellets, Flake food, and Brine Shrimp. I was feeding twice a day, what seems to me to be a small amount. Nitrate was still creeping up a bit more than I'd like.

 

[fishski13]

So you have a decently big bioload for a 13.5 gallon tank which is probably why your assessment of feeding small amount is not small for that tank. The other thing is with pellets and flakes they are so nutrient dense that the pieces that dont get eaten breakdown and cause nutrient problems. Thats partially the reason why throughout all my tanks I only feed frozen, liquid, and nori based foods.

In my 10 gallon tank I do a 10-20% water change either every weekend or every other weekend depending on how everything is looking and what my parameters are mainly nitrate and alkalinity.

 

[JoJosReef]

How often do you do water changes/what percentage?

I have 2 clownfish, 1 watchman goby, and 1 firefish. currently switching feeding between Hikari Pellets, Flake food, and Brine Shrimp. I was feeding twice a day, what seems to me to be a small amount. Nitrate was still creeping up a bit more than I'd like.

I think 4 fish in an Evo is bound to have higher NO3/PO4. I have 2 clowns in my Evo and feed NLS pellets once a day. Trying to make sure most of the pellets make it into their mouths, which means dropping them one at a time, throw away whatever is left when they start to watch pellets fall. The rest of the food I feed are for the corals and inverts: catfish pellets for the starfish/saron shrimp/pom pom crab and mix of Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, R.O.E., Mysis and Phyto (50 - 75 microliters each, depending on how high my nutrients are running). Last check was 10-20ppm NO3 and around 0.1ppm PO4, which is on the higher side but not out of the park.

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Its not how often you feed its the amount. You already have a lot of fish in a small tank so I would decrease the total amount not the frequency. It could be argued feeding smaller meals twice a day would be better. I have 7 fish in a 90 gallon I feed 1 cube and a small pinch of flakes or pellets a day if that puts it in perspective. 3 of my fish are pretty good sizes all 4 inches or larger.

 

[GoReefin]

In my stand alone evo I feed once a day with frozen mini mysis. Just keep an eye on your nutrients and can do Water change if needed. I've not done a single water change in 6 months. Have 2 fish a yellow banded possum wrasse and a pink streak wrasse. Nutrients are present but corals are happy and healthy.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Its not how often you feed its the amount. You already have a lot of fish in a small tank so I would decrease the total amount not the frequency. It could be argued feeding smaller meals twice a day would be better. I have 7 fish in a 90 gallon I feed 1 cube and a small pinch of flakes or pellets a day if that puts it in perspective. 3 of my fish are pretty good sizes all 4 inches or larger.

Yeah I think quantity wise I'm putting too much in. I also see too much of it fall the sandbed. Have a few more snails coming to help with cleaning that up.

My levels aren't out of control, I've just noticed that they're creeping up a bit.

 

[TheReefDiary]

I think 4 fish in an Evo is bound to have higher NO3/PO4. I have 2 clowns in my Evo and feed NLS pellets once a day. Trying to make sure most of the pellets make it into their mouths, which means dropping them one at a time, throw away whatever is left when they start to watch pellets fall. The rest of the food I feed are for the corals and inverts: catfish pellets for the starfish/saron shrimp/pom pom crab and mix of Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, R.O.E., Mysis and Phyto (50 - 75 microliters each, depending on how high my nutrients are running). Last check was 10-20ppm NO3 and around 0.1ppm PO4, which is on the higher side but not out of the park.

Yeah I'm clearly feeding too much then. The biolad is high but I have good filtration. I need to take your recommendation into account and try individually dropping Pellets. My problem is getting food to my goby who's rarely ventures far away from his hide.

 

[TheReefDiary]

So you have a decently big bioload for a 13.5 gallon tank which is probably why your assessment of feeding small amount is not small for that tank. The other thing is with pellets and flakes they are so nutrient dense that the pieces that dont get eaten breakdown and cause nutrient problems. Thats partially the reason why throughout all my tanks I only feed frozen, liquid, and nori based foods.

In my 10 gallon tank I do a 10-20% water change either every weekend or every other weekend depending on how everything is looking and what my parameters are mainly nitrate and alkalinity.

Also, what foods do you feed? I have Hikari pellets, Flake, nori, and Brine Shrimp. Also about to start my phyto culture.

Again my parameters aren't completely our of hand, just could be better. Will definitely take into account t everything you all have said.

 

[TheReefDiary]

I think 4 fish in an Evo is bound to have higher NO3/PO4. I have 2 clowns in my Evo and feed NLS pellets once a day. Trying to make sure most of the pellets make it into their mouths, which means dropping them one at a time, throw away whatever is left when they start to watch pellets fall. The rest of the food I feed are for the corals and inverts: catfish pellets for the starfish/saron shrimp/pom pom crab and mix of Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, R.O.E., Mysis and Phyto (50 - 75 microliters each, depending on how high my nutrients are running). Last check was 10-20ppm NO3 and around 0.1ppm PO4, which is on the higher side but not out of the park.

My nitrates aren't much above yours at the moment. My p04 has been a bit high since I started the tank. Recently switched out chemi our blue for chemi pure elite to see if that helps eliminate some it through filtration.

 

[JoJosReef]

My nitrates aren't much above yours at the moment. My p04 has been a bit high since I started the tank. Recently switched out chemi our blue for chemi pure elite to see if that helps eliminate some it through filtration.

I used Phosguard for a bit when my 10g with gulf live rock was running PO4 around 0.5+ without doing anything--think it was just coming off the rocks. But once it dropped, I stopped using the Phosguard and instead put a bunch of macros in the display and they seem to keep the NO3 and PO4 in manageable range. Brotycladia and Codium are the workhorses. Pom Pom Gracilaria was going well until snails tore it apart. Galaxaura wasn't doing anything that I could tell, just catching ulva and getting smothered by it (ulva is gone thanks to a wild limpet that I watched mowing it down). Between Broty and Codium, I'm trimming off stalks/handfuls every two weeks or so for nutrient export. Plus it's purty.

 

[doubleshot00]

I have the same tank. Tailspot Blenny, possum wrasse, pistol shrimp and cleaner shrimp.

Feed once a day; tiny pinch of flakes and 4-5 pieces or mysis srimp. Yes i pick them out with tweezers.

And i feel like im over feeding. I have to dose nitrate and phos.

 

[Reef.]

My nitrates aren't much above yours at the moment. My p04 has been a bit high since I started the tank. Recently switched out chemi our blue for chemi pure elite to see if that helps eliminate some it through filtration.

Nitrate is easy to reduce, and is not that much of an issue even at higher lvls, I think your po4 is building up and will show its true lvl soon, as if,you have a nitrate issue, your po4 is going to be an issue too, especially when you were using chemi blue which does nothing for removing po4.

4 fish in that tank is going to be an issue and only going to get worse as they grow.

I would drop the chemi and go for pure gfo, add carbon if you want too, it’ll be more effective than the chemi elite and cheaper too, your po4 is probably building up in your rocks and sand, probably a lot higher than you think.

 

[Reef Jockey]

i have 2 good sized clowns in my Evo and feed only once a day. I do run Phosguard/Purigen and have a DIY algae scrubber. My No3 and Po4 are undectecable on my Salifert test kits.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Nitrate is easy to reduce, and is not that much of an issue even at higher lvls, I think your po4 is building up and will show its true lvl soon, as if,you have a nitrate issue, your po4 is going to be an issue too, especially when you were using chemi blue which does nothing for removing po4.

4 fish in that tank is going to be an issue and only going to get worse as they grow.

I would drop the chemi and go for pure gfo, add carbon if you want too, it’ll be more effective than the chemi elite and cheaper too, your po4 is probably building up in your rocks and sand, probably a lot higher than you think.

My po4 tested at .12 today on my Hanna test. My nitrate is at 15-20 or so on salifert. Po4 has been going down since adding an algae reactor.

 

[Reef.]

My po4 tested at .12 today on my Hanna test. My nitrate is at 15-20 or so on salifert. Po4 has been going down since adding an algae reactor.

0.12 is high, your nitrate is in a good range, a little lower would be good, but not an issue.

I would not even think about feeding your corals, coral food is extremely high in po4, and most corals don’t need feeding anyway.

If you really want to feed your corals, move to frozen food, your fish will love it, the frozen doesn’t lay on the sand bed like pellets do and your corals will benefit too from the tiny bits of food that break off.

 

[uhgster1]

I have the same tank, no fish, just coral and inverts. I feed reef roofs and reef Chile 3 times a week. I have matrix in the second chamber, almost full. My nitrates and phosphate levels are undetectable. Give it a try.

 

[Reef.]

I have the same tank, no fish, just coral and inverts. I feed reef roofs and reef Chile 3 times a week. I have matrix in the second chamber, almost full. My nitrates and phosphate levels are undetectable. Give it a try.

He has 4 fish, bio media is not going to overcome that.

Nice tank.