Cleaning Tank a "Cluster-F***"

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by amcarrig

Unless you have fish, like certain anthias, that will only eat frozen brine and/or mysis, I see no need to feed it regularly. It's ok to feed it once in a while as a "treat" but flake food is nutrious enough in and of itself to provide the fish that you have with a well balanced diet. I rarely if ever feed frozen food and I've got a 180 gallon full of fish. We do feed frozen cyclopeeze every once in a while but that's more for the corals than for the fish.

Thanks amcarrig... that's what I was going to tell him. I only started to feed frozen b/c my leopard wrasse wouldn't initially eat freeze dried mysis or flake food. Now that he's been eating freeze-dried as well as nipping at the nori on the clip, I only feed him frozen (thawed) a couple times a week. I do what the others said - defrost in a cup of tank water, then dump it in.

[amcarrig]

Even our lyretail anthias eat flake now so only the corals get frozen food these days

[Bogie]

I never imagined a leopard wrasse would be eating nori. I read everywhere they were carnivores. Mine must think she's a tang.

[Nykademus]

I am surprised it has not been mentioned yet (or maybe I missed it) but a filter sock would go a long way in collecting some of those chunks that do flow into the sump if you set one over the drain pipe.

It will take a while to get the debris that is already in there, but over time the "crap" should go away.

If you do decide to pick up filter socks, get at least 2 so that you can swap them out and still filter while you are cleaning the one out.

One of the cheaper fixes in the hobby. It really helped me out when I was dealing with the same thing you are.

As for the food question. I feed mostly flake food, but still switch it up about once a week with either black powder, cyclopeeze, or a chopped up silverside. The flake food always goes in though.

[wildreef]

I see nothing wrong with feeding frozen shrimp , but not every day .
Over feeding is one of the leading culpruts to poor water quality.

If the fish can't consume all the food that you present to them within a few mins. ( then your over feeding at one time and most likely feeding every day )
it's not nessesary to feed all that to your fish.

Of course i beleive it's just over concerned fish owners that want their pets to be healthy.
( when infact their doing just the opisite )

hell ive done it.. it's hard to break your self of over feeding among other things with our tanks.

[Tangster]

I would never use a filter sock or any strong mechanical filtration myself Never have I really see little need to filter out the food , I use a little passive filtration in that all my skimmer outlet passes through carbon and a little layer of fiber mat Like the stuff you by in a roll . I never have anything floating in the sytem the tank is alwasy crystal clear not food or chunks or bubbles , If its a reef tank strong mechinacal filtration is just robbing the system of food Mine goes in the tank out to the overflow into the sump and fuge 30 ft over and 15 ft below the tank in the basement and then it comes back up to be eaten the next pass around the loop . The the in the sump pump at night kicks on all that may have setteled out in the baffeless sump will just get sent back up for the night crew to eat. Less is most time more..I find and one less thing to worry about. I have seen socks . I call it marine snow (:

[kimmy]

Originally Posted by Bogie

I never imagined a leopard wrasse would be eating nori. I read everywhere they were carnivores. Mine must think she's a tang.

My 6 line always eats off of the Nori. Gets all happy when i put it in.

[Bogie]

Correction ... for the first time today I saw my leopard wrasse eat some flakes.

[ryanwolf]

Great stuff in this thread... thanks!

Question: What is the filter sock?
I have filter media in the drip tray ... and a sponge from the bioballs to the sump with the pumps...

What is the filter sock, where does it go, and how would it help with the current filtration in place to prevent the "crap" ... a mean snow in the tank from time to time when stirred up.

Ryan

[ryanwolf]

Anyone know what a filter sock is? And would it help based on the above discussions?