I thought it would be a good idea in the Marine Newbie Forum to start a thread on feeding our reefs. It could cover everthing from what we feed, how often to how to prepare and store the food.
This is what I do...would be interested in knowing what everyone else does or do I have some feeding habits I need to correct. I try to do at least two feedings a day as much as they will consume in 5 min or less. So far..everyone is happy.
1) ready liquid: i have a "squirt bottle" that I purchase from my LFS that is a liquied preparation of cyclopeze. My clowns love it as well as the sun coral and the xenia. For what I purchase it is in a small bottle with a pump spout and I keep it in the fridge. Not sure what the shelf life is, but I go through one bottle every month. This is part of the morning feed.
2) frozen cubes/sheets: this seems to warrant some discussion on a couple of levels. When I first started in SW I would just thaw the cubes in a jar with some RO and then use my spot feeder to feed my fish and coral. Found out this wasn't a great thing to do becuase the water they use for the cubes many times as nasty bacteria (the lfs told me which one, I don't recall it though) and also (thanks GRINS) that it could raise the phosphates. I now thaw the cube or sheet of brine, krill or mysis in RO and then rinse it in RO. Put it back in the jar with a little RO and then use it as required to feed my fish. I don't thaw more than I can use in three days and keep it in the fridge between feedings. When I do the krill I only thaw a 1/2 a sheet becuase not all the fish go for it and it is mostly for my Torch and Sun Corals. This is the evening feed.
3) flake food: I am not as big a fan on this yet...but I did purchase some to try and provide a little variety for the fish. They will pick at it when it falls down through the water but not eagerly consume it.
4) seaweed sheets: I also use seaweed sheets in a clip every three days or so. I try not to put too much or all the snails seem to rush (as much as a snail can) over to it and it looks like a snail piggout. Think it is going to take some time for the fish to know it is for them.
5) frozen fish bits: like silversides for the anemone. I only thaw a few pieces since the anem only gets it every three days; and I follow the same thaw/rinse as frozen sheets.
This is what I do...would be interested in knowing what everyone else does or do I have some feeding habits I need to correct. I try to do at least two feedings a day as much as they will consume in 5 min or less. So far..everyone is happy.
1) ready liquid: i have a "squirt bottle" that I purchase from my LFS that is a liquied preparation of cyclopeze. My clowns love it as well as the sun coral and the xenia. For what I purchase it is in a small bottle with a pump spout and I keep it in the fridge. Not sure what the shelf life is, but I go through one bottle every month. This is part of the morning feed.
2) frozen cubes/sheets: this seems to warrant some discussion on a couple of levels. When I first started in SW I would just thaw the cubes in a jar with some RO and then use my spot feeder to feed my fish and coral. Found out this wasn't a great thing to do becuase the water they use for the cubes many times as nasty bacteria (the lfs told me which one, I don't recall it though) and also (thanks GRINS) that it could raise the phosphates. I now thaw the cube or sheet of brine, krill or mysis in RO and then rinse it in RO. Put it back in the jar with a little RO and then use it as required to feed my fish. I don't thaw more than I can use in three days and keep it in the fridge between feedings. When I do the krill I only thaw a 1/2 a sheet becuase not all the fish go for it and it is mostly for my Torch and Sun Corals. This is the evening feed.
3) flake food: I am not as big a fan on this yet...but I did purchase some to try and provide a little variety for the fish. They will pick at it when it falls down through the water but not eagerly consume it.
4) seaweed sheets: I also use seaweed sheets in a clip every three days or so. I try not to put too much or all the snails seem to rush (as much as a snail can) over to it and it looks like a snail piggout. Think it is going to take some time for the fish to know it is for them.
5) frozen fish bits: like silversides for the anemone. I only thaw a few pieces since the anem only gets it every three days; and I follow the same thaw/rinse as frozen sheets.
