acro food

[ollski]

just wondering if you all feed your acros anything special?, I feed cyclop-eeze at the moment but was wondering if if things like roti-feast and coral vibrance were worth a shot aswell?

[GOTAREEFTOKEEP]

I'm having a go with fauna marina system at the moment but not added the zeoltie, as from what i have picked up is this part of the system is to aid reaching a 0ppm no3 & p04 via having a high enough level of bacteria to consume all n03 and as my tank is running this way dont see why i should change this, i'm seeing better polyp extenction and an improved color in some corals at the mo but early days only been feeding for two weeks but i HAVE seen a diffrence.

The one thing i am thinking of changing is ca mag & alk addition, if i can get my head around the chemistry and addition rates i'm thinking of changing to the balling method as seems a much better and accurate way of keeping these levels at NSW levels.

Matt

[Tony B]

I feed nothing at all. Dose iodine after fragging (not all the time) but that's it.

[ickypimp]

I have been using coral vibrance for about a year now... very happy with it, the most profound effect is on my LPS they all go insane when it hits the water

[maroonclown]

have a bash with phyto it should help any filter feeders??

[wavey]

An SPS in the wild can get over 80% of its energy from the food it can capture, so feeding is really essential to replicate nature.

When choosing food, go for a really small particle, although cyclopeeze triggers a feeding response, the polyp isnt really designed for something this big. Look at phyto, bacteria, and the liquid feeds, IMO.

[Tony B]

imo a well planned system will provide much of the food required for sps - live rock is the key. Good live rock will help seed the whole system/sand beds with all sorts of pods, shrimps and numerous micro life that will all help create a mini eco-system with a food chain.

When I look in my sump there's loads of pods and shrimps, clinging to the live rock and algaes, side of the glass etc.

Not saying don't feed - there's too many people out there that do and apparently get good results.

[wavey]

Completely agree Tony, to a point, SPS polyps and there gut are not designed for anything that big. Bacteria, single cell phyto and liquid foods are much better in size.

Pods and the like are ideal for LPS though:)

[simon garratt]

I think this area is still very much open to debate to be honest, and i dont think there is any diffinative right or wrong way of doing it.

Much like Tony, if at all possible I aim for as diverse a system as possible and rely on the system 'itself' to internally generate food by way of its own waste recycling. Add to this the fine particulates inevitablely added with most frozen , flake and pellet foods, plus not forgetting to mention fish feaces.

We know this method works admirably and has done for many for years. so if your inclined towards a heavyer fish load and consequencially high food input, then its obviously more than adequate judging by the rates of coral growth and colouration many have.

But going on Ians comments, Im deffinately in agreement that less established systems, or those running a low fish/low input regime may be significantly better off if they are supplimented with dedicated coral food.
An importnt factor to remember is that food input of the wrong type can be just as damaging to a systems stability/free nutrient levels as 'over feeding.

There are alot of instances of high nitrates in less established systems that are being fed heavy doses of phyto etc whilst not being stocked to a level, or with the right types of coral to warrant that input.

regards

Si.

[wavey]

Sure agree with that, if feeding corals, use bigger skimmer than normal, REGULAR water changes (minimum 10% weekly) and only use the dosage on the packet/bottle. Never over dose coral foods.

[arrows]

feed salifert coral food and i also have got some frozen and liquidizded it (Spelling is not my strong point) and put this into the flow so that they also get somne food that way, coral vibrance is also good, i think it pays to use more then one type, like us we do not like eating the same all the time so why would your corals.