Favorite fish/coral food

[los.tejanos83]

I would imagine most of us work full-time, whether at home or outside the home. I'm impressed on how many of you feed several times per day. My lights are off and fish are sleeping when i'm out the door by 7 am and home by 5 pm. That doesnt leave many awake hrs before this old man goes to bed.

Also, nobody else appears to be feeding with liquid plankton such as ChromaPlex...you experienced reefers must not see much value in these types of products...am i wrong?

To reduce the amount of food waste into the overflow boxes, when i drop flakes and pellets into tank i submerge my hand about 6-8 inches in the water and then release the flakes and pellets. Plus i attach nori strips to my small mag-floats with rubberbands.

Angelo

[Europhyllia]

Also, nobody else appears to be feeding with liquid plankton such as ChromaPlex...you experienced reefers must not see much value in these types of products...am i wrong?

To reduce the amount of food waste into the overflow boxes, when i drop flakes and pellets into tank i submerge my hand about 6-8 inches in the water and then release the flakes and pellets.

liquid supplements like that are not live. They immediately decay if not eaten and contribute to pollution while live phytoplankton (in theory)actually takes up some of the nitrogen or at least doesn't immediately decay.

When I dose phyto I shut off the return pump so it doesn't go in the overflow.

[los.tejanos83]

Karin, since i'm still learning product names and/or dont always know what to look for on the web or at LFS, what are the names of the live phyto stuff your buying?

Angelo

[Europhyllia]

DT's

[allan]

We recently had a "make your own food" at our monthly meetings, it would be interesting to have a "several ways to feed your tank" with a Q&A afterwards. Maybe two differing experts relating their own processes?

it may also make for an interesting article for the newsletter.

[Europhyllia]

I'd be interested in that! Maybe 3rd coast or one of the sponsors could speak (Dts, Reef Nutrition, etc.)? (unless you have more experty experts in mind. If the sponsors speak they might bring samples ;) )

[allan]

I've spoken to Jason at AD about six months ago asking him why he doesn't attend the meetings for visibility and marketing (trying to put my mba to work).

His response was along the lines that the meetings are often on sunday's and that's a busy day for him.

But unless I miss my guess/recollection, the gentleman showing us how to mix food standing next to Steve (Big Bird) was a sponsor from Austin (???). But I do agree that it would be very interesting, much as this (now somewhat hijacked) thread has been to me.

[Mr Cob]

liquid supplements like that are not live. They immediately decay if not eaten and contribute to pollution while live phytoplankton (in theory)actually takes up some of the nitrogen or at least doesn't immediately decay.

Yep...I'm also not a big fan of adding supplements to the tank. I found it makes it difficult to keep a stable system inless of course you use a dosing system and keep it steady all the time.

I feed once a day...skim...use a refugium, top off water and change about 5 gallons of water a week. That's it. No fancy stuff for me. No UV, no reactors...no dosing....etc...etc... I went down that route once before and for me it was very difficult to keep a stable system. Something was always causing an inbalance. Some do it well...but it didn't work for me. Simplicity and consistency have been the best techniques for me personally.

[los.tejanos83]

Rob,

I figured the Chromaplex, although a "supplement", was more of a food product vs other additives such as iodine, trace elements, etc., as being a tank supplement. I also like your 5 gl min water change and simplicity mantra.

Again, good info as i progress down the path of becoming an experience reefer (i hope).