What do you feed your corals?

[BlueDevil]

Josh's thread on a dry goods order got me thinking of this. There are so many schools of thought and opinions out there on coral feeding that I thought I might ask you guys what works/does not work for you, the positives/negatives etc... Only until very recently have I gotten interested in corals seriously to a point where I want to do the necessary research and incorporate things that will leads to continued success. My tank is predominantly euphyllia though I am starting to add more zoas and some other LPS/SPS corals which is why I am curious about feeding habits.

I'd be curious to see your responses to the following questions I have.

1. What corals do you have? (just the broad categories of Softies/LPS/SPS will work unless there is a specific type of coral within the category that requires special attention)

2. What products do you feed (if any)?

3. How often do you feed?

4. Positives you have noticed (color, growth etc...)

5. Negatives you have noticed (nitrates, algae, phosphates etc...)

6. If you use the Red Sea trace elements solutions, how often do you test for stuff like iodine, strontium etc...?

Thank you for taking the time to answer these. I'm sure it will help me tremendously.

Cheers!~
Yash

 

[joshkirkland83]

I have A LOT of lps and a few softies. I feed once a week with a mixture of reef frenzy, coralific delight and arctipods right before my weekly water change. Except for my nems, suncoral, and clam. They get fed everyother day. Ive tried a few foods, this combo ive had insane growth for a once a week feeding.

 

[BlueDevil]

I have A LOT of lps and a few softies. I feed once a week with a mixture of reef frenzy, coralific delight and arctipods right before my weekly water change. Except for my nems, suncoral, and clam. They get fed everyother day. Ive tried a few foods, this combo ive had insane growth for a once a week feeding.

Thanks Josh! How long do you let the food circulate before you start you water change. Have you noticed any spikes in bad water parameters?

 

[joshkirkland83]

Thanks Josh! How long do you let the food circulate before you start you water change. Have you noticed any spikes in bad water parameters?

I shut off EVERYTHING. Then target feed each coral, so about an hour. When i do my water change i siphon as much un eaten food as i can out.(this is why i dont do automated water changes) when im done my skimmer goes crazy for about 20 min and thats it. I havent noticed any spiking at all. Ive been doing this method for a year.

 

[CastAway]

1. What corals do you have?
Soft - Sympodium, anemone and zoas, etc..
LPS - Acans, blasto's, euphyllia, etc..
SPS - Acro's, monti's, etc..

2. What products do you feed (if any)?
Brine, Mysis, LRS Nano, Aqua-Vitro Fuel. I buy fresh little neck clams from my grocery, freeze them, and feed one couple weeks. Experimenting with a couple different dry foods for my goniopora.

3. How often do you feed?
Daily with Brine & Mysis, alternating with LRS Nano on occasion.
Every third day w/Fuel
Once a week nightly target feeding of bubble coral, trumpets, wall hammer, anemone and one of my more aggressive chalices. I also turkey baste my SPS with Mysis fluids on those occasions.

4. Positives you have noticed (color, growth etc...)
I swear by Aqua-Vitro Fuel, noticed a distinct color enhancement and better PE when I started.

5. Negatives you have noticed (nitrates, algae, phosphates etc...)
Started dosing vodka recently, just so I can keep my feedings up.

6. If you use the Red Sea trace elements solutions, how often do you test for stuff like iodine, strontium etc...?
None, I dose a little Mg and Ca on occasion, to supplement my Ca reactor (which seems to influence dKH more dramatically than anything else). Have been thinking about another supplement for SPS, but have not committed.

 

[BlueDevil]

CastAway - thank you very much for your response. Very detailed, and good food for thought!

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

I keeps mostly LPS,
I dose aqua vitro Fuel 3 x weekly... I swear by this stuff too. BTW I can get the gallon jug for 15.00 if anyone needs any. I feed Reef Chili from BRS, and I recently started using Coral Frenzy, and I like it as well.

As far as Red Sea, I buy the Reef supplement pack for like 14.00 and I use it mainly for the trace elements... But recently I have pretty much switched to SeaChem Aqua Vitro products, mainly because I can get them at great pricing. I have nothing but good things to say about them.

 

[Hawain_Rob]

I used some of my brothers reef frenzy and I have to say thats some good stuff. If I was a coral that's what I'd want..lol

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Where do you guys buy LRS reef frenzy?

 

[Hawain_Rob]

I know my lfs has it. I've never bought any. I steal it from my brother..lol.

 

[BlueDevil]

My fish too absolutely love Reef Frenzy! I might have to give coral frenzy a shot too.

 

[BlueDevil]

@CastAway - do you spot feed the brine and mysis or just broadcast feed? Little neck clams I assume are target fed to the larger mouthed corals?

 

[CastAway]

....BTW I can get the gallon jug for 15.00 if anyone needs any...

WOW. Done. I'll be in touch man.

 

[CastAway]

@CastAway - do you spot feed the brine and mysis or just broadcast feed? Little neck clams I assume are target fed to the larger mouthed corals?

I turn off all the flow after lights out, and spot feed mysis to my LPS, and the fluid (PE Mysis is so dirty) to my SPS. The only thing I broadcast is the Fuel, and, brine & mysis for the fish of course.

 

[cee]

Mostly feed them light here...

 

[BlueDevil]

I turn off all the flow after lights out, and spot feed mysis to my LPS, and the fluid (PE Mysis is so dirty) to my SPS. The only thing I broadcast is the Fuel, and, brine & mysis for the fish of course.

How long do you leave your flow off? I've read that some people who feed after lights out leave the pumps off overnight but that seems awfully counterintuitive to me. I guess I can program an extended feed cycle on my Apex where the pumps come back on an hour or two after I feed so I don't have to stay up.

 

[CastAway]

It takes me no more than an hour to feed, then I turn all the flow back on.

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

WOW. Done. I'll be in touch man.

Anytime. Just shoot me a PM.

 

[Jmcdaniel0]

WOW. Done. I'll be in touch man.

I mistyped that, it is the one liter jug. Still a killer price.

 

[ReefFrenzy]

Where do you guys buy LRS reef frenzy?

I hope this link helps you locate LRS Reef Frenzy® near you. http://www.larrysreefservices.com/where-to-buy-lrs.html

If that doesn't help you find a store nearby send me a PM and we can drop ship and/or reach out to your LFS. Shipping to FL via Fed Ex with dry ice and the cooler is nearly free with our volume discounts on shipping fees.