Proper feeding of corals, etc

[newreefer_59]

My 148 gallon tank has been up for approx 6 months and at present have a few softies and a little LPS coral with the live rock. In general, will the coral obtain enough food to sustain them with just the live rock at this point or should be otherwise fed on a regular basis. LFS sold me 'Kent Phytomax' and 'Coral Frenzy' when I initially purchased the Blastomussa. I have used them, but unsure if I am over doing it or not.

Many thx......(the more I learn the less I seem to know - but love my tank)

[Myka]

Usually when you try to feed corals with a liquid or powdered food you end up polluting the tank more than feeding the corals. Neither of those foods are particularly great for the Blasto, and I would suggest you take those foods back to the vendor for a refund, and find a new LFS to go to that knows their stuff better and isn't just trying to sell you products you don't need. The best thing to feed Blastos (and many other LPS) is frozen mysis. Usually in the evening or just before the lights come on you will see the feeder tentacles come out. Get a little piece of mysis and gently put it on the tentacles and it will eat pull the food in and eat it.

Be sure when you are thawing frozen food that you thaw it in RODI water (assuming you use RODI for your tank), and that you pour off this dirty water once it's thawed. Don't ever pour that dirty water in the tank.

I have a turkey baster for my tank, and among its many uses I also use it for feeding. I have a piece of tubing that I cut that fits on the end, and after I drain the dirty water from the mysis I add some tank water to it, and use the turkey baster to suck it up, and then I can feed the corals and fish without putting my hands in the tank. There are also feeding tubes designed for this purpose that you can buy at the LFS.

[banditpowdercoat]

I beg to differ on the thawing of the Mysis. I use PE Mysis all the time. I have tried thawing and rinsing, and just thawing and pouring into tank. I havn't seen any difference in unwanted algae growth. Now, a different brand of Mysis may be different. Just sayin.

Also, I try feed Coral Frenzy once a week, Wendell recommended it and my corals seem to love it.

[Myka]

I use PE Mysis too. :)

I think feeding the water column is best done with heavily populated tanks, otherwise most of the food goes uneaten just to rot. I much prefer the Zeo coral foods to the various powdered foods on the market. I'd like to try some of the Fauna Marin foods.

[naesco]

In my case I shut off all the pumps and the skimmer.
I drop live phytoplankton about a cap-full directly over the coral I want to feed. I do this daily.
The phyto, which is thicker, slowly descends from the top of the tank and on to the coral. I agree with Myka's recommendation on the Blastomussa and other coral that require larger food.

[newreefer_59]

At this point, I have a clove polyp, Zoanthids and Blasto.

[Myka]

Just the Blastos for target feeding...