Is Feed Mode just a gimmick?

[AlexG]

Do you think feed mode is just a gimmick?

I always thought about the origins of feed mode and if it is just a gimmick that was just added one day to equipment that caught on so all the vendors offer it now. It makes me wonder just how many reef keepers out there actually use feed mode on their equipment when feeding their fish and corals. I personally never use it when I am feeding my fish and corals, but I am interested to know what everyone else is doing with feed mode and if I am missing out on some benefits I have not considered.

A few reasons behind my choice for not using feed mode (turning flow off or slowing it down) while feeding.

• I started reef keeping before a dedicated feed mode was around on equipment and always found that when feeding an aquarium that it was important to let the flow carry the food around the tank
• Broadcast feeding into the current allows the fish to spread out and minimize feeding aggression
  • Even with the current on full blast in my big fish tank the initial rush of all the fish to the food can cause some bite injuries every now and then. I know having the flow reduced or off would cause more serious injuries.
• Feeding with the full flow on allows the fish and corals to be fed at the same time and any food leftovers are handled by the cleanup crew
• I can still target feed with the flow on

 

[TheHarold]

I thought it was pretty clear what feed modes do..... but here is a recap.

The primary purpose of a feed mode as it applies to return pumps is to turn off the return pump temporarily, so food doesn’t get pulled into filtration where it is unused and breaks down. That applies to both fish food and coral broadcast food.


In high flow tanks, slowing down powerheads allows fish get more food before it gets lost in rockwork. In addition, it lets you spot feed LPS corals and anemones.

reefing 101!

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Without feed mode I could not feed some of my more shy inhabitants. And until my mandarin discover the new feeder, feed mode is essential for me to keep them from starving. My mandarin will not chase food, I literally have to drop it on their heads with no other competition near by

 

[windemerejack]

Not quite sure its a gimmick as such, more clever marketing, telling us its something we need when in actual fact we don't. Ive never used it and ive never lost a fish from starvation, ive never had high nitrates or phosphates, Ive never lost a coral because ive never used it, in fact ive never.... anything because I don't use it.

 

[DancingShark]

I used to use feed mode when feeding fish.
I am forgetful as well. Without it I would walk away and forget to turn on the flow. I have since gotten a wifi smart plug that will turn them off from my phone and will notify me when I forget to turn it back on.

 

[Indytraveler83]

While I know it won't be a popular opinion, I'm going to agree with the OP for a few reasons specific to my system:

1) I would have similar issues with fish not eating. My anthias and wrasse hit the surface of the water hard, and would likely eat everything before my marine betta, Cardinals or dartfish ever got food if there was no current.

2) I love inverts and keep a more than neccisary amount for CuC (don't ask me to count the crabs in my system...). If some food didn't make it down in the rockwork, they'd likely starve.

That said, I can see why feed mode would benefit other types of systems, and it may have much more to do with tank dynamics than a one size fits all approach.

 

[nkyreef]

All 4 feed modes on my apex serve a certain function including a "maintenance mode".

The main purpose of feed mode is to shut down the return pump so the food stays in the tank and doesn't go down the overflow.

10 minutes after the start of one feed mode my powerheads turn on to allow food thats settled to be stirred up and eaten. After that period the return pump starts to return to normal.

Another 10 minute feed mode keeps the powerheads on for when I dose aminos. I'll feed at the same time. Then 10 minutes after that everything returns to normal.

 

[dank reefer]

I use feed mode when broadcast feeding my corals, but not when feeding fish only. If I'd just have to worry about shutting off the return pump it wouldn't be a big deal is it was a DC pump. But I shut off my skimmer, ATO, heaters, Calcium reactor when feed using feed mode to feed corals. That would be a lot of switches to shut off f i had DJ power bar, or a lot of unplugging outlets. And then the same goes for plugging/switching everything back on. The other reason I use feed mode is because I have the option on my Apex and also just in case I forget to turn all my hardware back on, the Apex takes care of that for me.

 

[Amado]

Feed mode is a great tool.
I have an apex and it shuts down the wav pumps in the tank Every time the AFS feed automatically feeds the tanks.
I also have a feed mode (a) set to 20min so that I can feed direct to different corals.
the apex turns the pumps back to normal.

 

[ROB2005]

Feed mode for the win. Helps cut down on uneaten food headed to the sump, and humorously triggers all my fish inhabitants to start floating up to the top of the tank because they know a bounty of food is coming!!

Also helps a bit when target feeding my corals.

 

[Cstar_BC]

I like feed mode . It means I can distract the boisterous clowns with food in one corner and then sprinkle food in a different spot for my firefish and tang .

Some of my anemones will close right up when presented with food - others do a languid slow close up . Nice to know they are getting the food and it’s not blown away before they get a chance

 

[waleedreef]

auto feeder is good when you go for vacation as a temporary solution. if you are at home, you can switch it off.

Auto feeder start and gyres and return pump switched off to stop food going to overflow box.

Im not convinced about direct feeding coral or fish. when you go to sea, no body is diving down and feeding each coral and they thrive without any issue. why then we direct feeding? this is my opinion.

 

[homer1475]

I would agree with the OP.

While I don't turn anything off during feed mode, I do use it to kick everything into 100% after feeding to push any uneaten food into my filtration. More of a backwards feed mode.

I also use a feed mode as a maintenance mode to turn everything off during my WC.

 

[NS Mike D]

I too have a mandarin, and since they are the slowest eaters on earth, and I supplement the pods with brrine and mysis. Plus I spot feed. So I want all pumps off for about 15 minutes. Then I have my power heads turn on to kick everything back into the water column for the fish and corals. The 15 minutes later, the sumps come back on.

This keeps food going into the filters at a minimum and serves to ensure different types of eaters get fed.

Given the rats nest of wires to plug and unplug, feed mode on a controller is a game changer.

 

[shred5]

Do you think feed mode is just a gimmick?

I always thought about the origins of feed mode and if it is just a gimmick that was just added one day to equipment that caught on so all the vendors offer it now. It makes me wonder just how many reef keepers out there actually use feed mode on their equipment when feeding their fish and corals. I personally never use it when I am feeding my fish and corals, but I am interested to know what everyone else is doing with feed mode and if I am missing out on some benefits I have not considered.

A few reasons behind my choice for not using feed mode (turning flow off or slowing it down) while feeding.

• I started reef keeping before a dedicated feed mode was around on equipment and always found that when feeding an aquarium that it was important to let the flow carry the food around the tank
• Broadcast feeding into the current allows the fish to spread out and minimize feeding aggression
  • Even with the current on full blast in my big fish tank the initial rush of all the fish to the food can cause some bite injuries every now and then. I know having the flow reduced or off would cause more serious injuries.
• Feeding with the full flow on allows the fish and corals to be fed at the same time and any food leftovers are handled by the cleanup crew
• I can still target feed with the flow on

I used feed mode on my main pump because I do not want food going into my sump.. I still leave circulation pumps on in the main display.

I have allot of aquariums. I do shut off the circulation pumps when I feed goniopora because of the way I feed them.

 

[NS Mike D]

auto feeder is good when you go for vacation as a temporary solution. if you are at home, you can switch it off.

Auto feeder start and gyres and return pump switched off to stop food going to overflow box.

Im not convinced about direct feeding coral or fish. when you go to sea, no body is diving down and feeding each coral and they thrive without any issue. why then we direct feeding? this is my opinion.

for me, I don't get tired of watching corals feed when spot feeding.

 

[andrewkw]

It has many uses not just feeding, I use it to observe from the top down, or when I'm gluing a coral ect.

When I'm target feeding I prefer to turn EVERYTHING off though and I use an old school return pump so that requires unplugging. Plus most feed modes are only 10 or 20 minutes. When I do my weekly target feed I turn everything off for 1hour. That being said there are times I use the feed modes for less intense feeding.

 

[Thales]

It depends what animals you are feeding, what you are feeding them, and what feeding philosophy you are following. There is no one size fits all answer

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

auto feeder is good when you go for vacation as a temporary solution. if you are at home, you can switch it off.

Auto feeder start and gyres and return pump switched off to stop food going to overflow box.

Im not convinced about direct feeding coral or fish. when you go to sea, no body is diving down and feeding each coral and they thrive without any issue. why then we direct feeding? this is my opinion.

If you've ever gone on a night dive (or even a day dive) you would see the billions of tiny organisms that could be captured by many corals and thats excluding the microscopic stuff (although you can see the microscopic stuff if its gets thick enough- bad vis often means lots of plankton). Your right they aren't eating reef roids but there is a such plethora of food available to these animals constantly that we could hardly fathom the sight of it in our home aquaria. Also if there was nothing to eat the non photosynthetic corals and gorgonians would't exist.

 

[K7BMG]

I don't consider it a gimmick at all.
Its a good tool to have in the box.
Use it or not there are many benefits to having it there, and not just for feeding.

I for one don't like filling my filter socks with perfectly good food, to me that's a waste of money.

My feed mode button
Turns off return pump 30 min.
Turns off powerheads 10 min.
Skimmer for an hour.
Turns off ATO hour.