Feeding too much??

DJISIS

New member
How much is too much? I feed a pinch twice a day. The fish eat every bit in about 2 minutes. I have a clown, Coral Beauty, Cleaner Wrasse, Bangii Cardinal, Mandarin Dragonet, Lawnmower blennie, and a mix of hard and soft coral, and some inverts, starfish, cleaners ect. 75gal w/ refuge and 20 gal sump. Proble is my nitrates. They're way too high. (30-55 PPM) It's obvious that my feeding is off. I was just going based on the recommended times in the 'salt water fish' dictionary!! How often and how much should I be feeding? I never see the Bangii eat.. the others seem to get it all!! And how often should I be feeding my corals the invert banquet??.. Been doing about 2.5 ml's twice weekly. HELP PLEASE!
 
Once you get a refugium and macroalgae going you may find controlling nitrates easier; also, what kind of skimmer do you have and how often do you change water?
 
I've had my 10 gal refugium (overflowing into sump) , with 2 diffrent types of macro, and about 1 1/2 inches of live sand going for about 2 months now. I added it for 2 main reasons 1. Nitrate control, and 2. Copepod breeding area. I also have about 15 pounds of extra live rock in my refug, and sump. Do you think that helps, or would I be better putting them in my display tank?? or does it make a diffrance?? Please, any comments on the subject are very much appreciated. I don't know how long my corals/ fish will hold up with such high nitrates. Oh and I keep the light on my fuge on 24/7. That ok?
Thanks!
 
Oh, and I don't have a skimmer. Do I need one with my sump, and fuge?? I change 10 to 15 percent of my water every other week.
 
Your set-up sounds fine; I'd increase the water changes to 10 percent weekly, and if you can at all, cut back on the amount you feed. I'd get as big a skimmer as you can afford, rated higher than your total water volume.
 
Thanks, I do have a large filter pad that I change twice a month or so, no bioballs. What about my starfish?.. Red Linka, Sandsifter, and another red spotted one( forgot the name). I've been target feeding (the two non-sandsifting one's) twice weekly with the Invertebate Banquet I give my corals. One starfish looks like it's shrinking.. how often/ how much should they be getting fed?
 
1. Cut back on feeding. Only enough for about 1 minute.
2. I do 25% H2O change bi-weekly
3. Protein skimmer
4. Clean all fiter media when used weekly

Big Note:

It has been told to me to get rid of all filter media and to only use my protein skimmer to lower trates. Mine hang around 10 or less ppm. I do use a sock when I turkey base (if you do not do do. blow off rock and sand weekly) or at H2O changes although sometimes I forget to take it out and it stays there longer than a day. I like some filter media to catch the crap i blow up so it doesn't set up house in my sump. Anyhow, hope the above helps. Also, the age pf your tank could have a lot to do with the high trates although mine has never gone above 10ppm that I know about. F.Y.I. I do not have a fuge

Good Luck,

Adam
 
i would also say that getting a skimmer is the way to go. i have almost same setup but with 30 g sump i have a euro reef rs 62 which has worked great for me. and also make sure your flow in the tank, not lot of people seem to address this but if you have dead spots no matter what you will always have high nitrates
 

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