So called "sinking pellets" that actually sink?

J

JoelA7

New member
Hello,

I have two types of NLS pellets, both of which say "sinking" and neither do, or at least most of the pellets don't. This is a real pain as I use and auto feeder to drop them in and they float forever, this going uneaten over the weir etc.

Anyone know a good food pellet that actually sinks???
 
Fishmommy - Laughing - Sure - but that means that they are not sinking pellets. They are floating pellets that have been soaked.

Meanwhile, as stated above I use them in an auto feeder and they must stay dry for that application.
 
Yeah I noticed a lot of mine don't sink either. I actually have to kind of whip them at the surface of the water, then they sink but yeah lousy in an auto feeder
 
Perhaps if there was a powerhead disturbing the surface of the water where the auto feeder drops, then the pellets will sink. I have to throw my pellets into the water to get them to sink. I think the surface tension (sounds good right?) of the water holds the pellets up.
 
they sink, but not if they are simply dropped onto the surface of the water. you don't have to soak them, but you do have to hold them under water with you fingers, or throw them at the water surface, as mentioned.

since i was about 11 I have been rigging systems that drop the pellets into currents of water that suck them under water.

no pellets (except larger ones) will sink when being simply dropped onto the surface of the water. I suppose you could add a surfactant such as PEG to your tank water, or mix something like lead shavings into a custom food if this is a big problem for you.
 
CHSUB said:
"sinking pellets" that don't sink in the Advanced Topics Forum!!! lol:crazy1:
Click to expand...

i know.. most of the threads on here are not even close to advanced

hobbzz said:
http://www.new-era-aquaculture.com/fish-food/marine-range/marine-pellets

These sink. Straight to the bottom, instantly. If your fish aren't fast enough, they'll end up on the sand/starboard. Everything in my tank ate them though (30 fish).
Click to expand...

do you know why they have added copper to the formula? it seems unnecessary. They even incorrectly call it "cupric sulfate" so they can avoid having the word "copper" on their product.
 
CHSUB yeah I know it's funny I also posted in Reef forum but got Answers here.

Hobbzz thanks I'll try those. My feeder is close to a vortec so if they sink they will be broadcast and a frenzy will ensue.
 
hobbzz said:
http://www.new-era-aquaculture.com/fish-food/marine-range/marine-pellets

These sink. Straight to the bottom, instantly. If your fish aren't fast enough, they'll end up on the sand/starboard. Everything in my tank ate them though (30 fish).

You could also set up the auto feeder to drop into a short piece of pvc that barely goes under the surface of the water. The usual pellets will slowly start to sink as they get waterlogged.
Click to expand...

The pvc thing is actually a pretty good idea, I'm going to have to try that
 
rwb500 said:
i know.. most of the threads on here are not even close to advanced



do you know why they have added copper to the formula? it seems unnecessary. They even incorrectly call it "cupric sulfate" so they can avoid having the word "copper" on their product.
Click to expand...

Likely because its an essential trace element in all living things. The same reason other foods add it (like Spectrum pellets), and it's contained in most salt formulas.
 
JoelA7 said:
Fishmommy - Laughing - Sure - but that means that they are not sinking pellets. They are floating pellets that have been soaked.

Meanwhile, as stated above I use them in an auto feeder and they must stay dry for that application.
Click to expand...

They do sink very well if used in a lower salinity. At 1.026 SG, they don't sink right away but saltier water has more buoyancy. I've noticed in my QT, they drop like rocks but the QT is around 1.022 SG.
 
Buy a feeding ring. They are cheap and will solve your problem. I use NLS pellets as well in an automatic feeder. You line it up above the ring so it dumps the pellets into it. They will sit there until they become saturated enough to sink. After a while your fish will go to the ring while they are floating and they will make them sink too.
 
The feeding rings are a good option too. I found that my tangs would hog most of the food though, so I glued a piece of BRS 1/4" screen to the bottom of the pipe. This way, none of the fish can reach the pellets when they are still floating. They have to wait until they sink, and then there are too many pellets for one or two fish to hog for themselves, so everyone gets some.
 
Besides the feeding ring (of which several commercial models are available), you might try the Fauna Marin ultra-marine soft shrimp and soft spirulina medium pellet food.

These sink instantly. So fast, in fact, that I don't like them all that much because my fish are mid-water feeders that won't pick food up off the sand bottom. I'd say, though, that there's zero chance of this food going over the overflow with or without a feeding ring.
 
I throw mine at the water with a little bit of authority and they sink, they capture tiny air bubbles on there surface and that is why they float.
 
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