Rinsing Frozen Fish Food Question
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SeahorseKeeper
Where's the mysis?
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Get a small fish net that is very fine. Some stores may call it a brine shrimp net. I rinse it with tap water until the food is thawed and just the food is left.
ritter6788
Coral Fraud Private Eye
I never noticed any difference so I quit rinsing my frozen foods. Plus I don't loose any small particles that the corals can catch.
Pkunk35
Valuable Member
I stopped too after I read this:
Aquarium Chemistry: Phosphate And Math: Yes You Need To Understand Both — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
"
Rinsing Foods and the Effect on Phosphate
Now that we have some information on the phosphate in foods, we can critically examine the concern that many aquarists have about foods, and specifically their rinsing of frozen foods before use. A typical test you see is someone taking a cube of fish food, thawing it, and putting it into a half cup of water. They then test that water for phosphate and find it "off the charts". Let's assume that means 1 ppm phosphate, which would give a very dark blue color in many phosphate tests. Bear in mind this is a thought problem, not an actual measured value, but it is typical of what people think the answer is.
Is that a lot of phosphate? Well, there are two ways to think of the answer.
The first way is as a portion of the total phosphate in that food. A half cup of water at 1 ppm (1 mg/L) phosphate contains a total of 0.12 mg of phosphate. A cube of Formula 2 contains about 11.2 mg of phosphate. So the hypothetical rinsing step has removed about 1 percent of the phosphate in that food. Not really worthwhile, in my opinion, but that decision is one every aquarist can make for themselves.
The second way to look at this rinsing is with respect to how much it reduces the boost to the aquarium phosphate concentration. Using the same calculation as above of 0.12 mg of phosphate, and adding that to 100 gallons total water volume, we find that phosphate that was rinsed away would have boosted the "in tank" phosphate concentration by 0.12 mg/379 L = 0.0003 ppm. That amount washed away does not seem significant with respect to the "in tank" target level of about 50-100 times that level (say, 0.015 to 0.03 ppm), nor does it seem significant relative to the total amount of phosphate actually added each day in foods (which is perhaps 50-1000 times as much, based on input rates from Table 4. Again, the conclusion I make is that rinsing is not really worthwhile, in my opinion."
Of course if you are feeding a lot of food or have algae problems it probably wouldn't hurt to cut down on phosphate introduction where you can even if it is by tiny amounts here and there (like rinsing your foods). I think a habit of good target feeding is probably more valuable than rinsing foods.
Aquarium Chemistry: Phosphate And Math: Yes You Need To Understand Both — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
"
Rinsing Foods and the Effect on Phosphate
Now that we have some information on the phosphate in foods, we can critically examine the concern that many aquarists have about foods, and specifically their rinsing of frozen foods before use. A typical test you see is someone taking a cube of fish food, thawing it, and putting it into a half cup of water. They then test that water for phosphate and find it "off the charts". Let's assume that means 1 ppm phosphate, which would give a very dark blue color in many phosphate tests. Bear in mind this is a thought problem, not an actual measured value, but it is typical of what people think the answer is.
Is that a lot of phosphate? Well, there are two ways to think of the answer.
The first way is as a portion of the total phosphate in that food. A half cup of water at 1 ppm (1 mg/L) phosphate contains a total of 0.12 mg of phosphate. A cube of Formula 2 contains about 11.2 mg of phosphate. So the hypothetical rinsing step has removed about 1 percent of the phosphate in that food. Not really worthwhile, in my opinion, but that decision is one every aquarist can make for themselves.
The second way to look at this rinsing is with respect to how much it reduces the boost to the aquarium phosphate concentration. Using the same calculation as above of 0.12 mg of phosphate, and adding that to 100 gallons total water volume, we find that phosphate that was rinsed away would have boosted the "in tank" phosphate concentration by 0.12 mg/379 L = 0.0003 ppm. That amount washed away does not seem significant with respect to the "in tank" target level of about 50-100 times that level (say, 0.015 to 0.03 ppm), nor does it seem significant relative to the total amount of phosphate actually added each day in foods (which is perhaps 50-1000 times as much, based on input rates from Table 4. Again, the conclusion I make is that rinsing is not really worthwhile, in my opinion."
Of course if you are feeding a lot of food or have algae problems it probably wouldn't hurt to cut down on phosphate introduction where you can even if it is by tiny amounts here and there (like rinsing your foods). I think a habit of good target feeding is probably more valuable than rinsing foods.
I feed a good amount of PE Mysis which is very oily. I rinse it every time which keeps my skimmer running more efficiently. Without rinsing the foam head falls and builds back up in three to four hours, where as after rinsing the foam head builds back up within a half hour or so.
If I'm feeding foods like Rod's Food or Roggers then I do not rinse.
If I'm feeding foods like Rod's Food or Roggers then I do not rinse.
SPSjunky
Active Member
Thanks for the response everyone.After reading the article it seems like rinseing the food doesnt make that big of difference.It was just something I was thinking about and thought it may have had a bigger impact.
Dowtish
5000 Club Member
This is what I use. You can usually find these at bed bath and beyond.
Mystery Kitchen Implement #1 (Tea Strainer)
Mystery Kitchen Implement #1 (Tea Strainer)
Wesley42079
Valuable Member
I take a 100ml comtainer, its the smallest I have.
1. Place the frozen fish food (mysis) inside the container.
2. Pour some RO water into the container, maybe 20ml.
3. Shake the container until all the food thaws out.
4. Pour the excess water out.
1. Place the frozen fish food (mysis) inside the container.
2. Pour some RO water into the container, maybe 20ml.
3. Shake the container until all the food thaws out.
4. Pour the excess water out.
Trex
Valuable Member
When I am using cubes I run it under the tap for a second to make it easier to break up, with flat food ( Rod's food ) it goes right in the tank. I only rinse to make it easier for me, no other reason.
SPSjunky
Active Member
I usually defrost enough food for 1 whole week in a cup with the frozen food,tank water,and 2 drop of garlic extreme. Then I get little bathroom cups like the ones you use to rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth.Then I portion out the food in the small cups and refreeze the small cups.That way if I am not home I can just have my better half defrost one of the cups and feed it to the tank without any guess work.So far its been working well but im always looking for ways to improve husbandry skills and the health of my reef.
Rydogg420
Active Member
Some frozen foods are very cloudy when it thaws in water. I have noticed this with PE mysis but not hararki brand (spelling) mysis.. So what Il do is thaw out the PE mysis in a shot glass or whatever with my tank water. Then I take a pipette and draw in some cloudy food water and then feed a few corals with it and toss the rest or the water as I do not want to dump all that fine "cloudy food" into my tank every other day or so.. I think its just better to not get that much "waste" into my tank..
With the hararki (spelling) mysis, il just hold under water in my tank to feed or thaw it out in my shot glass using tank water then slowly add the food by pouring it in my tank so I can make sure all the fish get some and not let the food flow behind the rocks and rot....
So I guess it depends on the food you use and how you want to feed your fish/corals..
With the hararki (spelling) mysis, il just hold under water in my tank to feed or thaw it out in my shot glass using tank water then slowly add the food by pouring it in my tank so I can make sure all the fish get some and not let the food flow behind the rocks and rot....
So I guess it depends on the food you use and how you want to feed your fish/corals..
KoleTang
Valuable Member
I strain my frozen brine and Mysis so I can soak it in Garlic, Zoe, and Selcon.
Never rinse stuff like Rod's food which is designed to feed your corals and your fish. (if you rinse it you will lose all of the tiny coral food)
Never rinse stuff like Rod's food which is designed to feed your corals and your fish. (if you rinse it you will lose all of the tiny coral food)
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