feeding a reef

[Jasontkd]

hey all, I have a 29 gallon mixed reef (SPS dominant with a few LPS). I have been wondering now that my tank is getting pretty good and stocked if I should feed something. I have a bunch of acros, some montis, a frogspawn, and this weekend am picking up a dendrophylia frag from the LFS that they finally got in for me.

anyhow, I really want to promote some growth and keep everything happy and healthy, but I have never really worried about feeding anything in past tanks. But, in past tanks, i have never had a full blown reef refore.

any suggestions? what to feed and how?

 

[SUPERHERO2943]

I just feed mine chromaplex, forgive me if I butchered the spelling, and sometimes marine snow a capful 2 or three times a week.

 

[Caragol]

Any fish? I feed Rod's Food and occasionally dose a bit of phyto for the filter feeders in the refugium.

 

[Jasontkd]

I have 2 clowns and a red lipped blenny

 

[Jasontkd]

how do I need to feed the dendrophylia?

 

[seapug]

This is a controversial subject. In a 29 gallon tank with photosynthetic corals, I personally would keep "coral feeding" to a minimum. Much of what you buy as "coral food" is really just bottled pollution-- a typical closed system tank has no shortage of that.

In my opinion, you are better off to focus on creating a healthy environment with strong lighting and high water quality than haphazardly dumping junk in the tank to feed it. A healthy, stable environment maintained over time will start to support/generate large populations of microfauna that the corals will feed on, not to mention particles of fish food and waste that corals will utilize in addition to light.

Phytoplankton is not really meant to be used as a coral food. It is plant matter-- algae actually, and the vast most corals will reject it as "food." It is used as a food for microcrustaceans that carnivorous corals will feed on. A very small amount goes a long way and too much is pure garbage. My 90 gallon has been running for one year and it is incredible how many copepods, amphipods and mysids come out at night. There is literally a feast of live food to be had every night and I've never put phytoplankton or and other packaged coral food in the tank.

That being said, your Dendrophyllia is not photosynthetic and will need to be fed periodically (like 1 or 2 times/week at most). Put it where you can easily put a small amount of food on it at night when the polyps come open.

 

[Jasontkd]

what should i feed it?

 

[arts007]

I feed my SPS everyday or at least 5 times a week, with a mixture of rotifers and cyclopleeze. This has helped bring out alot of color in the corals since they are getting the bulk of their energy from feedings. I rarely feed phytoplankton, maybe once every 7-10 days as its not really a coral food but more for filter feeders and those that feed the corals.

 

[Gdevine]

I have a number of Cup Corals, Flower Pots, Trumpets and so I dose every night with a combination of DT's, Cyclop-eeze and Reef Solution.

Everything thrives and I don't do any direct feedings.

I do run a fuge with Ecosystem miracle mud which helps as well.

 

[Jasontkd]

i thought cyclopeeze was fish food.

 

[rkelman]

Cyclopeeze is fish food. LPS/Zoas/SunCoral and other non photo corals can eat it. SPS can't its too big.

 

[fishysteve]

I feed rotifers, cyclopeeze, brine, mysis, and Prodibio Reef Booster.

 

[OliverM3]

I have to say I've really gotten a good response from feeding DT's Oyster Eggs.
The SPS's even seems to have greater polyp extension. I was mainly feeding my Goni's. But I see a lot of new growth on my monti.
I've been doing a little target feeding nightly.

 

[uscharalph]

I make my own food in a blender. Freeze it flat in a baggie. My fish love it and my corals seem to like it too.

 

[arts007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10993777#post10993777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
Cyclopeeze is fish food. LPS/Zoas/SunCoral and other non photo corals can eat it. SPS can't its too big.

SPS do eat them, I see the polyps on most of my acros capturing them and taking it in... should say it depends on the species of 'SPS' and polyp size