Feeding Rites

Marine1 · 01-26-2005, 09:59 AM

I have 2 questions:

1) When i feed my fishes i turn everything off except for the lights. Is this recommended? or should i just turn off the powerheads. If i can turn everthing off what is the max amount of time that i should keep it off before my bacteria in my canister filter start to die on me? I want to give my fishes time to eat their food before i turn everything on and it's all over the tank.

2) I don't have LR just Base Rock i have some brown algae forming but i think that's part of my cycling which started on 1\1\05. My thing is can i go for long periods of not feeding my fishes and still be o.k.? I know if I had some LR that they would pick on this to sustain themselves until i fed them but since i don't is this ok to do?

Thx.

dx7fd2 · 01-26-2005, 12:54 PM

I usually turn off the pumps except the skimmer and only feed enough for about 5-10 minutes down time. Your tank has just cycled so you are, more than likely, *going to get a diatom bloom followed by some green hair and turf algae. Try not to over feed any thing as this will give the "bad" algae nutrients to grow on. I hesitate using the term bad algae because it all has its purpose in a saltwater environment.

Drew

OOps, second question...fish can actually go quite a while without any food but putting them on a diet is not the answer to the algae problem. Make sure you "cure" any live rock you add to the tank or you'll start a whole new cycle which is not good for the fish.

I actually did not add fish to the tank for 5 months after the cycle!!

Marine1 · 01-26-2005, 08:04 PM

Thx. dx7fd2.

Bruce · 01-26-2005, 09:18 PM

hmm ur supposed to turn the ph off? my fish usually just go for the food...prolly cuz my ph kinda r weak im gona get some rio hyperflows soon...

Jay · 01-26-2005, 11:11 PM

I never turn mine off either unless I am feeding corals.
I dont mind a little food getting down on the rocks. That gives the crabs, Stars, and whatever beings that occupy the lower part of the food chain some scraps. I dont feed just the fish I feed the reef so to speak. But not overfeeding.

Jay

acenia · 01-27-2005, 11:52 AM

hi

i'd like to know how often would be good to feed fishes. i heard too that if it takes the fishes more than 30 seconds to eat it would be overfeeding is that true?

thanks in advance