Feeding SPS during the day???

[duganderson]

I feed my sps 1-2 times per week with Reef Chili. I've read that it is best to feed 2 hours after turning the lights off. I don't want to feed at 1 Am so.....

I'm wondering if you can turn off the lights for a couple hours in the middle of the day, then feed, and then turn the lights back on for the rest of the day?

Does turning the lights back on after feeding negatively impact the corals? OR would you recommend just feeding when the lights are on?

 

[bogg]

Fish poop bro fish poop

 

[Branden_Pearson]

I would say feed them during the day with your normal lighting schedule feeding them is better than not but you don't want to take the chance of stressing them by changing the lighting.

 

[Bpb]

I'm usually in bed within two hours of the lights going out. But I am up before sunrise so its always pitch black when I get up. I normally feed my reef chili and zooplankton a few times a week right when I wake up and leave the skimmer and reactors off for a couple hours. This happens a good 6 hours before the lights come back on

 

[Outdrsyguy1]

I read a study somewhere that showed that eating actually slows calcification for them much more at night than in the day. It recommended feeding during the day. Trying to remember where I saw it, maybe AA?

 

[waterman78]

I ran into nitrate issues trying to feed my corals. I think fish poop may be one of the best options for me. However, once a month I attempt at feeding reef chili. Just my two pennies.

Larry

 

[biggles]

I only wait 30 mins after lights out to start feeding the acros and give them a feed in the morning when the lights are still off so don't think there are any hard and fast rules as to when is best. I have always fed at night simply because that's when PE is obviously best.
Being cautious when raising feeding levels is always a wise move as waterman said.

 

[Johnyman]

In the ocean, the corals feed and reproduce during the night, during the day they close the polips to protect from the predators. Obviously is not all the corals but in generality they feed during the night.

 

[Spirofucci]

Hmmm? I feed mine during the day, but mostly because I turn off the pumps for about an hour so and don't want to do that at night cause I'll forget to turn everthing back on.....

btw, I use reef roids, reef cleaners filter feeder fromula and reef snow soaked in Selcon.

 

[Allmost]

I read a study somewhere that showed that eating actually slows calcification for them much more at night than in the day. It recommended feeding during the day. Trying to remember where I saw it, maybe AA?

here you go :
Aquarium Corals: Feeding and oxygen affect coral growth: implications for coral aquaculture

From it :
"The implications for coral aquaculture and the aquarium hobby seem clear. When scleractinian corals are fed during daytime (i.e. when the lights are on), a nightly disruption of calcification may be prevented. In addition, maintaining a high oxygen concentration in the aquarium is vital as corals seem sensitive to low saturations, both in light and in darkness. Fortunately, foam fractionators are an ideal means of aerating the water (although they do seem to remove food particles from the water). For those seeking to grow corals efficiently, these insights are highly relevant as the aragonite skeleton accounts for the bulk of coral biomass (Davies 1989)."

 

[Outdrsyguy1]

thanks for digging up that article Allmost!
that's the one!