Best food for SPS in mixed reef?

[Rod Buehler]

The reason why Rods food comes apart a lot quicker is they use more water in their food. Rogger's food uses less R/O water and that is why it is so dense. The Complete Blend Plus when add spirulina it also makes the food very dense too. If you like feeding your fishing using a feeding tube or pouring it in then add some tank water and let it thaw out. Takes a few minutes, use your fingers to break apart and then feed your fish. I personally like using Rogger's Food mesh to feed my fishes.

not true. We use no water in our foods. I guess what makes our food "fall apart" quicker is all of the coral foods in our original blend that contain moisture and/or the smaller particle sizes of those coral foods such as the live freshly hatched rotifers and baby brine, and the oyster eggs, and the cyclope-eeze, and the golden pearls, etc ( It is a complete reef food) and the fact that we dont use any binders. Again, there is no water added to our food with the exception of a tiny bit in our coral blend, and only our coral blend.

Maybe the aloe -vera that Rogger uses has binding abilities like gel binders. I dont know

 

[sobes94]

Rods or Roggers + filter feeder formula is what I use

 

[juicesay]

I have Cyclops, Plankton, Reef Plankton and Oyster Eggs.

Oyster Eggs and Kalkwasser seem to work best.

It's good enough to make their polyps extend out far enough to grab you by your neck and tell you, " I WANT MORE!. "

 

[Allmost]

sooo ? anyone ?

seems like noone knows why they are feeding their SPS !

what effects if you stop feeding ?

 

[Baros]

It's been known for many years that corals need to be fed.
There are many articles on the subject, here are just a few examples.

http://www.coralscience.org/main/articles/nutrition-5/how-corals-feed

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-08/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-10/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/eb/index.php

 

[Allmost]

It's been known for many years that corals need to be fed.
There are many articles on the subject, here are just a few examples.

http://www.coralscience.org/main/articles/nutrition-5/how-corals-feed

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-08/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-10/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/eb/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/eb/index.php

my question was not if corals eat or not, but rather why you guys are feeding them, when you have all the nutrition (GOOD live nutrition) in your tank already ?

SPS consume Zooplanktons, those are in our tanks, so why add extra food ?

I personally, would not feed a happy coral ! if it fades colors, or something else happens and I feel like it is NOT getting enough nutrition, then I will feed (even with full Zeovit system)

 

[Baros]

my question was not if corals eat or not, but rather why you guys are feeding them, when you have all the nutrition (GOOD live nutrition) in your tank already ?

SPS consume Zooplanktons, those are in our tanks, so why add extra food ?

I personally, would not feed a happy coral ! if it fades colors, or something else happens and I feel like it is NOT getting enough nutrition, then I will feed (even with full Zeovit system)

Sorry, but what you've just posted is complete and utter nonsense, I won't even bother telling you why.
If you are really interested in HOW and WHY corals feed then I suggest you read the articles I've posted or better yet, ask Eric Borneman.

 

[Allmost]

Sorry, but what you've just posted is complete and utter nonsense, I won't even bother telling you why.
If you are really interested in HOW and WHY corals feed then I suggest you read the articles I've posted or better yet, ask Eric Borneman.

I understand how you did not understand my wording

I apologize for trying to guide you on the right path ...

see you when u make a thread asking why your SPS are browning out while u are feeding them

for others, if there is ALOT of food in ure tank already for corals to eat, why add more ?
if nutritions in our tanks were ZERO, then yes, we would feed corals, but they are not ZERO not even in a fuill zeovit system

u can always stop feeding and observe what will happen
for me, I need to have a reason to add food to my tank, if no reason, I wont dose or add


anyways, sorry to all for changing the path of thread

 

[sobes94]

sorry, but what you've just posted is complete and utter nonsense, i won't even bother telling you why.
If you are really interested in how and why corals feed then i suggest you read the articles i've posted or better yet, ask eric borneman.

+1

 

[Allmost]

+1

you post +1 yet failed to tell me what your reason for feeding your SPS is

did you fee like it was not getting enough food ? if so, how did u feel the need to add more food for them ?

 

[Baros]

I understand how you did not understand my wording

I apologize for trying to guide you on the right path ...

see you when u make a thread asking why your SPS are browning out while u are feeding them

for others, if there is ALOT of food in ure tank already for corals to eat, why add more ?
if nutritions in our tanks were ZERO, then yes, we would feed corals, but they are not ZERO not even in a fuill zeovit system

u can always stop feeding and observe what will happen
for me, I need to have a reason to add food to my tank, if no reason, I wont dose or add


anyways, sorry to all for changing the path of thread

No need to apologize

If I ever start a thread on my corals 'Browning out' then of course I'd be more than grateful for your 'eternal wisdom' on putting me on the right path towards happy corals

But for now I'm more than happy going down the wrong path, thanks anyway

Sorry to the thread starter for going off topic.

 

[Allmost]

No need to apologize

If I ever start a thread on my corals 'Browning out' then of course I'd be more than grateful for your 'eternal wisdom' on putting me on the right path towards happy corals

But for now I'm more than happy going down the wrong path, thanks anyway

Sorry to the thread starter for going off topic.

yet you still do not have a reason why you are feeding !

do you see how u are ignoring the question cause you have no answer to it ?

I see alot of newbs adding Iodine ( YES I was one of those haha) till things go downwards, and then I asked myself, WHY am I adding this ? and stopped lol

 

[Baros]

Please read the articles I posted

 

[Allmost]

Please read the articles I posted

lol I have read all, but I am asking YOU

my friends tank might need Iodine, does that mean YOU should go ahead and blindly add iodine to ure tank as well ? lol

anyways, I'm glad that I proved you do not know why you are feeding your corals when there is food available in ure tank

please do not get me wrong, I am not saying corals dont eat, Im saying ure tank has enough food as is.

anyways, I see you guys are not up for a debate, so I will stop I personally am not a blind follower

 

[Baros]

lol I have read all, but I am asking YOU

my friends tank might need Iodine, does that mean YOU should go ahead and blindly add iodine to ure tank as well ? lol

anyways, I'm glad that I proved you do not know why you are feeding your corals when there is food available in ure tank

please do not get me wrong, I am not saying corals dont eat, Im saying ure tank has enough food as is.

anyways, I see you guys are not up for a debate, so I will stop I personally am not a blind follower

This is WHY I feed my corals. Please READ it

Taken from Eric Borneman's Aquarium Corals 'Foods & Feeding'

There is a common belief, especially among aquarium keepers, that corals are autotrophic "“ requiring only light to survive. (Autotrophs manufacture their food from simple inorganic compounds they extract from the environment, often using sunlight to synthesize it.) In fact, corals are also distinctly heterotrophic organisms. Simply put, heterotrophs are like humans, existing by consuming the organic products synthesized by autotrophs (or by ingesting the autotrophs themselves, as well as other heterotrophs.) This means that corals depend at least partly, and in many cases exclusively, on active feeding or the absorption of nutrients from the surrounding water.
The confusion arises because most reef-building corals have autotrophic zooxanthellae in their tissues and obtain a significant portion of their nutrition by the intimate association they maintain with millions of these autotrophs. No symbiotic corals are fully autotrophic or heterotrophic, but are mixotrophic, utilizing both methods of feeding.
Armed with tentacles bearing countless tiny stinging organs, cnidarians are said to be unlike any other animals in having such a large portion of their bodies devoted to food capture. Reef explorer C.M. Yonge, writing in 1931 on apparent feeding ability of corals, said, "œ...when an animal possesses an organ or set of organs which perform certain functions with perfect effiency, it can be taken as axiomatic that such organs are used."
Certainly, corals can be voracious and effective predators, capturing and consuming prey in less than a minute. Hamner (1988) referred to the reef as a "œwall of mouths," while Kinsey (1991) showed zooplankton input across 1 m (3.2 ft.) of reef to be on the order of 30g (1 oz.) of carbon per day. (This is an enormous amount of food availability, far more than that provided in a typical home aquarium.) Despite the wide range of material being supplied to the coral by zooxanthellae, coral feeding must supply the remainder of necessary nutrients and vitamins for growth and metabolism.



This extract gives you a general idea (it's a huge subject) why feeding corals is so important, I'd like to know how you have come to conclusion that your own reef provides MORE than enough food to support your coral biomass, that's a new one to me, maybe I'm missing something by following BLINDLY down the WRONG path

If you still don't understand, I suggest you re-read the other articles I posted PROPERLY or do your own search (theirs a ton of info out there), and if your still not satisfied you can easily contact Eric Borneman or even Dr. Ron Shimek and I'm sure they'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have

But for me there's no need for a debate, my friend

Allmost a reefkeeper, but not quite there yet :wavehand:

 

[Allmost]

you just showed that you are feeding cause of what u read, not cause of the effects u see

u did not mention one word about how FEEDING SPS is helping YOUR sps

once again, I did not say SPS DO NOT EAT, I said WHAT makes u think URE SPS is not getting enough food as is in your tank

anyways, I see how you ignore my question since u have no answer, so I'll let it go .. while ure at it, would u say if you started feeding the great reef barrier they would show better growth and coloration ? the answer is NOOOO ! they are already getting enough food and the excessive food will not do them any good.

 

[Allmost]

Allmost a reefkeeper, but not quite there yet :wavehand:

how can you call ureself a reef keeper if all you do is follow blindly ? have you ever tested to see what feeding does for YOU ?

what would happen if you STOPPED feeding ?

some questions to think about ehh ? but I know u just like to be told what to do

 

[Allmost]

ok maybe I took this too far lol

if you think its doing your tank good then good if you feel like sharing what good things u see, me along with many others will be reading

 

[plyle02]

Why all the back and forth gentlemen, I think the title says best food for sps in a mixed reef...correct... Many do rely solely on fish waste as a coral food and have great success, especially with a mature and diverse reef capable of snail, shrimp, and micro invert spawings, which I find one of the best sources of coral food. The idea of supplemental foods for coral feeding is attractive, especially when you see a response from corals displaying full PE 24/7...

Allmost-you are a zeo user correct? It is like coral vitalizer and it's impacts on PE with sps corals, which is listed as a food, whether you use it or not, unsure... I have used zeovit and saw major impacts on using CV as an alternative food for corals, just mentioning...

Personally, I have dropped full on zeovit and juse NP Biopellets as C-Source along side of GFO... I have 10 fish in a 70 gallon tank that eat constantly, so food for corals is definitely there. I have also added in a fuge with macros and NO predators whatsoever, this tank has snails, micro stars, pods and other harmless creatures. I like your idea Allmost of having significant food sources already available, I think with a fuge this allows those spawnings of verts to feed the tank, which ultimately will remove the need for supplemental feedings. Without knowing ones setup, it is hard to say that they fish waste is enough, they might employ a heavily powered skimmer, use filter socks to trap foods, and have a somewhat sterile type environment with ULNs which would suggest use of coral foods including, aminos, rotifers, zooplankton, etc... This is exactly why I have re-designed my system and gravitated away from full out zeovit. I still use 8-10 of their supplements, but very sparingly now, I usually wait several days to observe their impacts. My goal is for a constant supply chain of food for all animals to be happy, this is MY goal, and I certainly argue with anothers approach, while it might not be my philosophy, that does not mean it does not work...

GL gentlemen, why don't you guys take your differences to PM and help the OP to get on track to a better tank...

 

[Allmost]

Why all the back and forth gentlemen, I think the title says best food for sps in a mixed reef...correct... Many do rely solely on fish waste as a coral food and have great success, especially with a mature and diverse reef capable of snail, shrimp, and micro invert spawings, which I find one of the best sources of coral food. The idea of supplemental foods for coral feeding is attractive, especially when you see a response from corals displaying full PE 24/7...

Allmost-you are a zeo user correct? It is like coral vitalizer and it's impacts on PE with sps corals, which is listed as a food, whether you use it or not, unsure... I have used zeovit and saw major impacts on using CV as an alternative food for corals, just mentioning...

Personally, I have dropped full on zeovit and juse NP Biopellets as C-Source along side of GFO... I have 10 fish in a 70 gallon tank that eat constantly, so food for corals is definitely there. I have also added in a fuge with macros and NO predators whatsoever, this tank has snails, micro stars, pods and other harmless creatures. I like your idea Allmost of having significant food sources already available, I think with a fuge this allows those spawnings of verts to feed the tank, which ultimately will remove the need for supplemental feedings. Without knowing ones setup, it is hard to say that they fish waste is enough, they might employ a heavily powered skimmer, use filter socks to trap foods, and have a somewhat sterile type environment with ULNs which would suggest use of coral foods including, aminos, rotifers, zooplankton, etc... This is exactly why I have re-designed my system and gravitated away from full out zeovit. I still use 8-10 of their supplements, but very sparingly now, I usually wait several days to observe their impacts. My goal is for a constant supply chain of food for all animals to be happy, this is MY goal, and I certainly argue with anothers approach, while it might not be my philosophy, that does not mean it does not work...

GL gentlemen, why don't you guys take your differences to PM and help the OP to get on track to a better tank...

agreed and that is my philosophy as well as I use no mechanical filter expect skimmer. Fuge is full of different zooplanktons and even mysis shrimps.

I do use full out Zeovit, but still have my DSBs and cheato for pods, and HUGe population of zooplanktons.

regarding CV, I recently started using it along with AAHC, amino acids increase the PE and CV the coloration, but I find only is some corals, not all ! ZeoXtra on the other hand is perfect mix of all. I do not put these on the same catagory as cyclopeze or oyster feast though, they are more on the mineral acids side

but thank you for understanding my question and clarifying it.