SPS Optimal Feeding Time?

[brian moran]

Is it better at night after lights go off or morning before lights go on, or does it not matter?

Thanks,

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Following..l would like to know the answer to this too. l would assume the night would be better because the feeder tentacles are out and the uneaten food would break down by the morning to supply no3 and po4 for the symbiotic algea to feed on.

 

[Scorpius]

Fish poop. All day every day.

 

[Coronus]

Feeding the fish , feeds the corals. As Spcorpius said above. I Never feed the corals. For me it does nothing but cause algae and add too many un wanted nutrients to my system.
Instead have a plentiful amount of fish in the System d feed them 2x a day.

 

[pga7602]

Feeding the fish , feeds the corals. As Spcorpius said above. I Never feed the corals. For me it does nothing but cause algae and add too many un wanted nutrients to my system.
Instead have a plentiful amount of fish in the System d feed them 2x a day.

So... you dont know the optimal feeding time?

 

[Scorpius]

So... you dont know the optimal feeding time?

A lot of sps have very small mouths that feed on bacteria and minute pieces of prey that we can't see. I can say that polyp extension is great on my Acropora at night about 1 hr after my lights go out.

I also remember a post made on R2R that a diver noticed at night that detritus would well up from the sea floor and shower corals with tasty morsels.

 

[TbyZ]

I also remember a post made on R2R that a diver noticed at night that detritus would well up from the sea floor and shower corals with tasty morsels.

I'd say the diver just noticed the particulates more because the narrow beam of light from his torch enhanced it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Depending on where the coral is from is the question.

For those that live near drop offs , the largest animal migration (zoo plankton) is every night.
Phyto plankton swells in the daytime.

For us, as long as the mechanical filtration isn't too great , there's organics in the water at all times.

I have nps , lps and sps, so I try to feed at about 7pm so there is food in the water in the evening for all of them. A bit later for me is better as some of the nps haven't opened yet.

Grab a flash light and go night hunting. See if you have more polyp extension and in what corals.

 

[Coronus]

Sps do not need to be separately feed. So the optimal feeding time for them to eat is when you feed your fish IMO. In the ocean things are def different.
Now feeding your fish causes the fish to poop and that feeds the corals. So feed your fish when ever you like.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I add a bit of RS reef energy and oyster feast whenever I remember. Once or twice a week. Usually in the afternoon. I have a 11am to 11pm light cycle, so that's almost mid day for the tank. Otherwise it's fish poop.

 

[TbyZ]

Is it better at night after lights go off or morning before lights go on, or does it not matter?

Thanks,

what type of corals are you specifically talking about?

sps
lps
softies
>>>>non photosynthisising corals???

 

[brian moran]

I have a 200 gallon. 40 or 50 acres, Some torches & some chalices, acans, zoos, & blastos...

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I have a 200 gallon. 40 or 50 acres, Some torches & some chalices, acans, zoos, & blastos...

Sounds cool. Can we all come hang out?

 

[Krzydmnd]

Sounds cool. Can we all come hang out?

Hahaha!

 

[Krzydmnd]

Hahaha!

I'll bring a tent

 

[TbyZ]

I have a 200 gallon. 40 or 50 acres, Some torches & some chalices, acans, zoos, & blastos...

They'll get most of their nutrition from their zooxanthallae.
The tiny mouthed ones will filter the water of tiny particulates - detritus - poop, fish food scraps, usually during the dark.
If a coral has a big mouth, like me, target feed them with stuff like mysis.

 

[brian moran]

Got a long driveway, nice & private place!

 

[TonapahNorth]

Getting some polyp extension and food, whether its amino acids or some type of food or reefroid or chili type, is best at the beginning of the photo period in my opinion. I like to get the polyps swelled up so they can get the most out of the light spectrum.

 

[Big E]

Everyone assumes polyps are out more at night so that's when they feed. I believe one big reason is for respiration........ever notice how the longest polyps are at the growth tips?

In nature the fish that eat coral polyps and nippers are asleep at night, so it's time to come out and play;Happy
We normally don't have predators in our reefs, so the corals will do what they need to do to flourish, which means plenty of extension during the day.

I don't put in coral foods but when I feed the fish the corals will put out filament nets or increase polyp extension.
They corals are opportunistic.............they'll eat whenever there is food to be had.

 

[BigJim]

I have noticed that corals seem to adapt to your feeding time if you are consistent with the time. Many of my corals are already extending their polyps around 6 PM every day because they know it is feeding time. Sometimes it takes months but they will adapt.