What to feed LPS to achieve maximum growth and color?

[cab395]

Hi all! I know feeding many corals is unnecessary, but in systems that can handle it (like my currently fishless one), I have read that feeding may increase growth and coloration. That being said, which food(s) do(es) this the best? I'm currently feeding pellets and mysis shrimp, alternating between the two.

I have only just started feeding and have not been doing so to see any real results, however, I wonder if this combo would be just as good as something like Reef Roids or Reef Frenzy. What do you think?

 

[cab395]

Bumpidy bump bump

 

[Meanstreet5150]

I never feed any of them. Most of them are over 10 years old, and have been downsized many times.

 

[Reef Frog]

What species of LPS are you feeding?

In general, I think feeding some species promotes growth, but I can't say it has ever really changed the color of anything I can remember. Lighting & location has had a bigger effect IME. However a well fed, thriving coral with extended polyps in the right location will tend to have a richer color than the same coral that is not ideally placed.

 

[cab395]

I'm feeding the following: Frogspawn, Hammer, Torch, Blasto, and Acans.

When I first got the Hammer and Frogspawn, I did not acclimate them to my lighting correctly and they started to bleach out pretty quickly. I have since then lowered my lighting a lot and they have bounced back considerably. It has been about a month, and I feel as if they have "stalled" on their comeback. They are nicely colored again, but I know they could be a bit deeper/richer like you said.

I'm wondering if it would be okay to slowly ramp up my lights again. I have T5's over the tank and was planning to add 1 hour per week to the photoperiod starting on January 1. I have also started feeding to see if I can notice any improvement there. I'm pretty positive it was my lights that did the bleaching because the new LPS I put in last Sunday all still have their beautiful colors they came in with.

 

[CanadaChop]

Mysis, oyster eggs and cyclop-eeze

 

[trinidiver]

Whats your Alk, Cal and Mag levels. I don't target feed my corals but I dose B-Ionic 6 times daily and my corals grow like crazy. Keeping my Alk @ around 9.5 gives me great color. Amino acids has also helped

 

[kegogut]

I toss phyto-feast in my tank a couple times a month.

 

[Lonelyreef]

I feed limpits reef buffet coral blend and they all love it. The problem is most feed late at nite. Actually a few randomly during the day.

 

[cab395]

Oh, nice! I think i'm going to continue using pellets and shrimp for a little while and see what kind of growth results I see. Thanks again, all!