Am I over feeding?

[hkgar]

See my fish list below.

I have 2 Eheim auto feeders dropping flake food and pellets at 10:30, noon, 2:30 and 4. I feed 1/4 sheet of Nori at about 4:30 (Two Barred Rabbitfish eats 1/2 of it). At 6 PM I feed 2 cubes (6 grams) of home made frozen food.

NO3 5
PO4 .04
I run GFO, ATS, LifeReef Skimmer and dose a Vodka/vinegar mix (40/60 ratio)

 

[lifeoffaith]

This may depend on your stocking list, but that does seem like alot of food. The real test though is your parameters. If your levels are off, you are likely feeding too much.

 

[hkgar]

This is why I ask the question. Aren't the parameters a function of bioload and the ability of the live rock, etc to convert the food.

I am thinking that with a large fish population, see my signature line for the stocking list, the amount of food necessary to sustain the population will contribute to raising PO4 and NO3. Phosphate and Nitrate are going to get in the water column either from rotting food or fish poop.

Here is the stocking list in case you missed it
Kole, Purple & Caribbean Blue Tang, Matted File Fish, Percula Clown, Lubbocks, Red Head Salon and Hoevens Fairy, Whip Fin & Possum Wrasse, Two Barred RabbitFish, 3 Pajama Cardinals, Cherub Angel, Spotbreast Angel, Dispar Anthias, SPS Corals

 

[Squidmotron]

If your fish are healthy and your tank is not overrun with problem algae, then I'd say you're fine. However, that seems like more than I feed, and I'm curious if this continues to be sustainable. Continue checking back in.

 

[azjohnny]

IMO people over feed their fish. Think about fish in the wild, I am sure a lot of fish might go days without eating and with predatory fish it is good to have days of fasting. I feed my fish usually 3-4x a week

 

[madweazl]

Only you can answer that question; I see you're running GFO and carbon dosing so obviously there was an issue with the amount of food you were introducing at some point. If what you're doing now has that under control, there is little reason to change what you're doing if the rest of the inhabitants are well. Your nitrates and phosphate are what many consider to be good levels these days.

I feed three times daily; my personal belief is that it leads to much healthier fish than infrequent feedings.

 

[tzylak]

I had a stable tank for a year, feeding frozen and pellets. Then I added flakes, just for variety. Soon enough I had algae problems. I stopped with the flakes and the problem went away. . . . .
This does not mean that flakes are bad. In case of my tank's bio load the flake nutrients went towards algae growth.
Discontinue feeding flakes for two weeks and see what happens.

 

[scooter31707]

I agree, as long as your nirates and phosphates are in-check you should be fine.

 

[jayball]

The only thing I would ask is how much of that flake and pellet finds its way down the overflow and under the rocks. IMO 4 times a day does seem like a lot for dry, I bet you could cut one of those feedings without the fish going on strike.

I bet the ATS is super healthy.

 

[hkgar]

Actually I have cut the auto dry feed down to two.