Does anyone filter their frozen food?

[Dominican]

I was doing some reading and found the following in an old 2007 article:

"The liquid from commercial frozen fish food cubes contains food particles too small for fish to eat. It just decomposes into nitrates. In fact, the packing juices contain more nitrogen compounds than the food itself. It is important to defrost and rinse frozen fish food through a net before feeding. If you have a persistent algae problem, this could be the answer."
Source: http://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/nitrates/

I'm assuming newer products are better than this, but the principle is plausible. Does anyone take the step of straining out their frozen cube liquids?

[Big_Pun]

if your tank is stable and your not over feeding the levels shouldnt be able to hurt your tank. why do we invest so much into skimmers and sumps for a lil food to worry us. IMO its too much trouble to rinse it plus i only feed a lil frozen, my fish love pellets

[Mr Cob]

Same as Chris.

When I had the 85g and 220g up and running together I did not worry about it...way too much water volume to be concerned with something so small. Now that I'm in the 29g I just don't feed frozen all the time. Maybe twice a week and daily pellets.

[350gt]

I have but havent lately.......

I feed heavily and every little bit helps..... It is a pain though like chris said, my wife hates when its time for me to do it.. lol

I like it cause I can mix the foods while doing it to give them a special blend, instead of just a solid cube.

does it make a difference?..... IDK, I never had any funky outbreaks while not doing it. But then again my skimmer is up too par for almost anything I throw at it....

I will continue to do it cause I hate having to cut up the little cubes in halves to give them a variety at feeding time....

[350gt]

If you want to try it......


I just get about half a pack in a plastic cup, or anything really but I like the small cups cause its easier to filter. I had some small micron bags in my garage, the type for carbon or gfo, and I fill the cup with RO water and let it site for awhile. I stir every once and awhile, then put the filter tightly over the top and tip it over into the sink(the part my wife hates) till theres barely anything dripping out, shaking a few times to make sure. I do that 2 maybe 3 times till its all defrosted, then place in a zip lock and press till its flat and has filled up most of the bag..... not too thick cause it is harder to break during feeding time. But after you have the bag filled and flat, place in the freezer.....

[Dominican]

I can see how it would maybe make a difference for a 29, Mr.Cobb. My skimmer is jumbo so I never worry about overfeeding, but had never really thought about how much "extra" nutrients are going into the tank with cubes..

I figure filter feeders and LPS need that extra nutrients (not consumed by the fish), unless you're targeting them with something else like cyclopeeze, rotifers, phyto, etc.. - in which case you're introducing as much, if not more, nutrients to the system..

[rrasco]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/3/chemistry


In considering whether sources of phosphate other than foods are important, one must carefully look to the actual amounts involved to determine whether other sources are even worth trying to minimize. It can be scary to learn that your purified fresh water has phosphate in it, or that your salt mix has detectable phosphate, or that your supplements or whatever have some phosphate. But just because you detect something, and maybe you even detect a concentration far higher than in your aquarium, that does not by any means imply that those sources are significant enough to warrant some sort of corrective action. Our analytical tools have become fairly sensitive, allowing us to detect things which might sound like trouble, but really aren't. We need to understand the various dilution issues involved as well as the overall phosphate balance in a reef aquarium to evaluate the importance of different measurements.

[Dominican]

You're right 350gt, that sounds like a pain. I already cry about waiting for the food to thaw! Lol. Sounds legit though, in that if you've got filter feeders or LPS, they should be fed using a more nutritious option than frozen food juice.. I might try it.

[Dominican]

@ Chris: trying to wean mine onto pellets. Not there yet though, unfortunately!

@ rrasco: Makes sense..

[350gt]

I do it cause like I said.... I get to make my own blend. I mix in mysis, brine, krill, blood worms, plankton, and whatever else I find.....
plus since its thinner, it thaws faster.....

[Tristan23]

if your tank is stable and your not over feeding the levels shouldnt be able to hurt your tank. why do we invest so much into skimmers and sumps for a lil food to worry us. IMO its too much trouble to rinse it plus i only feed a lil frozen, my fish love pellets

What kind of pellets do you feed your fish? I've been feeding mine with frozen food this whole entire time and it could be one that can contribute to my algae problem.

[350gt]

Try spectrum pellets...


how many times are you feeding? I doubt it's the food.

[Flyride95]

Yea this is turning into a good conversation. Right now I feed some marine quizine (mysis and brine cube) and blood worms. I alternate them. And I put a nori piece in every other day. I thought that feeding flakes or pellets would raise my nitrates but I'm learning I could be wrong.

[Gseclipse02]

I use to buy six or so pounds of food rinse it all and throw it all in a bucket then scoop it out into zip locks and freeze it now I just don't feed the fish and it makes thing easier .... Jkjk

[350gt]

Yea this is turning into a good conversation. Right now I feed some marine quizine (mysis and brine cube) and blood worms. I alternate them. And I put a nori piece in every other day. I thought that feeding flakes or pellets would raise my nitrates but I'm learning I could be wrong.


I feed a lot and often.... nori 2-3 times a day...... frozen/pellets/ flakes 2-3 times a day and I alternate between all three. I dont have a algae problem at all.....

I feel as long as my filtration is good enough I can feed as much as I like... been doing it all this time.

[350gt]

I use to buy six or so pounds of food rinse it all and throw it all in a bucket then scoop it out into zip locks and freeze it now I just don't feed the fish and it makes thing easier .... Jkjk


some reason, I think you are telling the truth....

[Flyride95]

Do you run bio pellets? How are your nitrates feeding this much?

[350gt]

Don't run any pellets, no gfo, nothing....... As far as nitrates... I've never tested before a few weeks ago and I honestly forgot what they were at..... I've never had issues so no care to test.... I'm lazy as can be... Lol

i can check my nitrates tonight or tomorrow.... Btw I was doing bi weekly 30 gallon water changes... I'm looking at doing smaller but more frequent changes soon...

[350gt]

A few can tell you my fish are fat and happy...

[Gseclipse02]

A few can tell you my fish are fat and happy...


tell every one the truth ... you feed your fish tacos lol thats why they are FAT

[Europhyllia]

I feed only frozen. No yucky pellets here. My tanks are small and I feed generously.
I rinse my frozen food through a brine shrimp net. That also thaws it at the same time for yummy, slightly warm, fresh food! :)

I make my own like 350gt -thin sheets in ziplock bags.

[Scutterborn]

Ditto. I've found that I lay the Baggie on the wire part in the freezer it makes it easier to section bits out. I'm feeding all frozen unless I go out of town. I'm using the recipe that was handed out in the February meeting. That stuff is awesome.


- Ben -

[LuckySingh]

i only feed 2cubes a day and 1/4 of a algae sheet 2twice a week.....every thing seems fat and happy..

[Andresm]

?s, i put about 5 cubes in tupper ware with water and put in the fridge a feed daily. it last awhile in the fridge. should i not do it this way or is ok? trying to do the best for my fish lol

[RayAllen]

I do not rinse it, but I also like making my own frozen food.

The last large aquarium I had I started making my own flat packs. I bought various fresh seafood from HEB.

Shrimp, clam, squid etc. Shell it, clean and blend with fresh garlic and a little of your tanks saltwater. Throw it into a large freezer bag and make a flat pack. Easy.

My fish loved it and I saved cash. I did not mind the little extra time I spend preparing. Felt like if I love the tank this much why not.