Thawing frozen food properly

[ianryd]

As the title says.....is there a "correct" way to thaw and distribute frozen foods (brine shrimp) for fish? I have always thawed a cube in a small glass of tank water, and squirted it in the tank with a turkey baster. The only thing I've questioned is the juice left behind in the water when the shrimp thaws. Its gotta be full of nutrients right? Does the juice become food for my corals? Food for unwanted algae? Should I be filtering this juice out somehow?

 

[saltyhog]

The amount of nutrients in the "juice" is insignificant compared to the nutrients in the actual food. There is no reason to be concerned about it. I just let my frozen thaw in a small plastic condiment cup and feed by hand most of the time. I do use a turkey baster some.

Just don't let it set to long once it's thawed.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Same, i let the food thaw out in some tank water, turn off all my pumps and dump it in

 

[Waters]

I strain the food only if my phosphates are on the higher side, even though it has been proven to not make any difference in any but the smallest of tanks. I did test the phosphates in that food juice though for the fun of it

 

[Crabs McJones]

I strain the food only if my phosphates are on the higher side, even though it has been proven to not make any difference in any but the smallest of tanks. I did test the phosphates in that food juice though for the fun of it

What food and what was the result?

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

Same, i let the food thaw out in some tank water, turn off all my pumps and dump it in

+1 to this

 

[Waters]

What food and what was the result?

I tested a Dixie cup full of the juice from a cube of PE Mysis mixed with tank water. Lets just say it was the darkest blue I have ever seen in a test kit lol.

 

[Burrito]

Same, i let the food thaw out in some tank water, turn off all my pumps and dump it in

this

 

[saintsreturn]

If i have a tank sitter, i have them drop a frozen cube into that magnetic thawing thing and just go about my business.

For me, i melt the cube in a small amount of tank water in a dixie cup or similar, then i pour it out into a net and use the net to feed.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

I just throw my cubes in the tank and let it thaw in the tank on my shrimp. There is a food I use that does not come apart after it thaws so that one I have a very very small bowl, Came from a restaurant that had mayo and mustard in it for food, and get some water from my DT and let it set in it and thaw. I break it up and then feed with it.

 

[Captain Quint]

Correct way? Many of us vary our feeding and not so sure there is an actual correct method.

I use one cube of brine, two cubes of mysis, add three to four drops of Selcon and a hint of Garlic Guard into a clean clear glass and allow it to thaw naturally. Then stir well. Been doing it for at least 15 years this way and not one sick fish.

After it's thawed I put half in a different glass and add a small amount of one of the three pellet brands I use, stir again and then add to the DT putting my PH's on feed mode.

The other half I keep in the fridge for the evening meal and add a different pellet type to change things up.

 

[Jesterrace]

Same, i let the food thaw out in some tank water, turn off all my pumps and dump it in

Same here. I take a small cup of tank water and put in a small bit of food and mash it up with my turkey baster and then dump it in.

 

[reef lover]

Guess im weird...i put tank water in a clean medicine cap and add my cubes to a tea strainer that fits on top. Then i can simply remove the food and leave the juices...

 

[ca1ore]

I do rinse the PE Mysis as it's a particularly 'dirty' food, but otherwise just 'thaw and dump'. Never have seen the logic to turning off the pumps. I actually pour the thawed food into my MP60 so that it broadcasts to the tank and all fish get their share - not just the greedy ones.

 

[ianryd]

I guess I've been doing it "right" all along!

 

[jd371]

My fish get two feedings and no rinsing. A cube of regular Brine shrimp or Spirulina Brine shrimp in the morning that I thaw out in a cup of tank water. For the morning feed I just turn off the return pump for 10 min. but leave the PH's on so the shrimp are not filtered out right away. The evening feeding starts off with live Black worms followed by a cube of Mysis mixed with some LRS. The Mysis and LRS have been thawing in a cup in the fridge from the morning with a few drops of Selcon added. I shut off all the pumps for 3 min. to feed the worms but turn them on again to broadcast feed the Mysis and LRS mixture.

 

[action21]

I too use a turkey baster and let LRS food thaw before I feed. It appears I must have not let the entire portion as I was attempting to keep a few "chunkier" pieces for my Pink Tail Trigger. Unfortunately one of my juvenile Blue Throated Triggers gobbled it up. Found it dead this AM with swollen tummy.

 

[Pntbll687]

I make my own frozen with tilapia, shrimp, hikari pellets, flakes, and reef roids.

I thaw it out and just dump it in

 

[Fourstars]

I squirt the juicy fats on my mushrooms. Dont overdue it, just because that chunk is thawed, doesn’t mean it all needs to go in the tank.

 

[Mariette]

I put a bit of garlic guard and a vitamin supplement in a little jar (tiny ones meant for spices) to soak for a bit. Then add tank water. Squirt in tank w turkey baster. Great for spot feeding my watchman goby, pistol shrimp, and cleaner shrimp. I make enough to last 2 days. Unused portion goes in fridge w minimal water left in there. Next day, I fill w tank water (temp equalizes some because I left little water in the day before) and feed again. Been 2 yes. No issue w parameters. Had just about every other issue but not parameters lol