How much and how often do you feed? (1 Viewer)

[Clownfish Chris]

I hand feed a 6"x6" sheet of nori throughout the day. I just tare off a strip, fold it up, and hold it under the surface of the water. All of my fish that dont live on the sendbed will take food from my hand. I also supplement with frozen when I think about it. There are so many pods in the substrate and rocks that the carnivores would probably be fine for a few weeks without feeding. As far as calling the Tang Police, my tank is 7'x2'x2'. My Vlamingi is comfortable in it now but he will outgrow it quickly. He lets me pet him.The sailfin, Yellow, and Naso are fine. Anyone want to donate a bigger tank to my tang?

 

[Reefahholic]

Webster, how big is that tank. You sure have a lot of beautiful fish. You running pellets like ATX?

 

[webster1234]

Webster, how big is that tank. You sure have a lot of beautiful fish. You running pellets like ATX?

Thanks. Tank is 400g (8'x3'x25"). I run Reef Octopus biospheres in an Aquamaxx biopellet reactor. That's all I use for nutrient control.

 

[FarmerTy]

I have an auto-feeder feeding pellet food 4X a day plus if I'm around frozen food 2-3X (all pretty small servings), and 2X 2" square bits of Nori. I have 1 Foxface, 2 clowns, 2 anthias. My nitrates always come out zero, and my phosphates are ~0.1 - 0.2. I keep mostly LPS.

When I had no fish, and fed the tank ~once a month, my tank was anemic and the two acro's I had did not grow for ~5+ years. Once I started feeding the SPS started growing. Although my rocks are very green, I have minimal nuisance algae, my corals are well colored and growing, so I'm continuing this strategy.

I'd at least check that nitrate test reading by taking a sample to a LFS that will test it for you e.g. Oceanlife.

(Oh technical clarification, denitrification takes place sub-oxically. Anoxically you have sulfate reduction.)

Nice! I appreciate the correction on the degree of oxygen deficiency is required for denitrification. You learn something new everyday. [emoji106]

 

[FarmerTy]

Besides, how could you walk past all these pathetic starving fishes and not want to give them something, even if it is only a few table scraps....

https://youtu.be/UmKguO1_NcY

https://youtu.be/uiDAEYLUAZU

P.S. please don't call the tang police

Nice, is that a dussumieri I spy?

 

[webster1234]

Nice, is that a dussumieri I spy?

Thanks! That is a fowleri you spy One of my fav's.

 

[FarmerTy]

Sweet! Definitely a stunner!

 

[FarmerTy]

My duss from last year... I rehomed him to someone with a bigger tank. It was a sad day.

 

[webster1234]

AW, that's a bummer. I've always told myself that if my fish get to big for my tank, I'm getting a bigger tank. I'm sure you were attached. Wish I'd know you then. I would have made a nice home for him and sent you regular videos so you could see how he's doing. That's a pretty fish.

 

[FarmerTy]

AW, that's a bummer. I've always told myself that if my fish get to big for my tank, I'm getting a bigger tank. I'm sure you were attached. Wish I'd know you then. I would have made a nice home for him and sent you regular videos so you could see how he's doing. That's a pretty fish.

Haha, I told myself that too but then my wife came into the picture and busted my bubble. [emoji4]

Funny thing is, when I rehomed him, 2 months later he got full adult colors in his new home. I was steamed! [emoji36]

 

[tinman]

I feed pellets with the autofeeder and 6 cubes of mixed frozen & home made food daily for the fish and amino acid once a week for the corals. My nitrate is between 5 and 10. I only use skimmer and fuge (chaeto) for nutrients export.

 

[flipside]

Tin,

You are the exception. NO ONE follow his advice because your fish will suffer from obesity. LOL

 

[tinman]

Lol . Happy fish happy reef

 

[Mark L.]

I feed M-F and typically don't feed at all on Saturday & Sunday.

Morning I put a sheet of nori in cut in strips.

Evening I feed all frozen.

I have pretty much stopped feeding any flake/pellet food. I have a bunch left over and I'm slowly working through it but I probably won't buy any more once this is gone. While the protein is very high in pellet food compared to frozen, it's phosphates are also. Here's a great article on phosphates in fish food (I know you mentioned nitrates but its good to watch PO3 as well).

Aquarium Chemistry: Phosphate And Math: Yes You Need To Understand Both — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

Because pellet food is very concentrated, it is easy to overfeed and over nitrate/phosphate your tank. Notice the ratio between proteinhosphorus is basically the same in pellet and frozen. It's just that because pellet is concentrated you get much more protein and phosphorus per serving.