New LPS Corals and conflicting feeding schedules

I have recently added a small head of frogspawn, a med. bubble coral and a 4-5" trumpet coral to my 55 gal reef tank. I have read alot of conflicting feeding articles on frequency as well as what to feed. I would like to see what you guys do that have these corals. I currently have a schedule that I alternate between pellet and flake one day for fish and a variety of frozen the other days to include krill, brine, and mysis. twice a week I have also given the trumpet a spray with a turkey baster of frozen cyclops. supplement wise I add phytomax and zoomax on alternating days as well as iodide (vibrance brand) once a week, and Fuel (vibrance) twice a week. What do you think on how often and what to feed the bubble, trumpet and hammer? and can you just feed the fish a little over with your ciculators running and let the corals catch what they will?

thanks

 

I have all of those in my tank and never target feed them. You could once a week if you wanted but it's not necessary. As for the iodide, are you testing for it? If not I would stop dosing it. You should get all the trace elements you need from water changes. As for alk and cal, you may want to dose if you are testing for them.

 

I test the alk and the calc. all usually seems fine in the parameters, usually alk is at 9-10 and calc about 360-380, if lower I dose the 2 part system from kent. The iodide I use by vibrance is only once a week at the recommended dosage, however I do not test for it (too expensive for kit) with regular water changes would you need to worry about the iodide I am putting in?

with not target feeding do you still see ample growth in these corals? many forums suggest feeding for continued success.

this is why I am confused

 

The iodine could reach toxic levels even with WC because you don't know how much is in there or how much you are adding. You should get all the iodine you need from WC, so no need to dose. Those corals don't need feeding, but you can spot feed them if you want, you may or may not see better growth.

 

ok thanks for the reply

 

I wouldn't worry with feeding your coral. The food you put in for the fish is almost always enough. You will likely cause more trouble than help by adding the extra food for the corals.

 

Can you tell me then why so many other places say to target feed? Whay would they say that if it is a problem or could cause a problem. They say that w/o supplemental feeding after about a year or two the coral will shows signs of starvation?

or do you think they are assuming you do not have fish and therefore do not feed at all?

I dont know like I said that is why it is very confusing for a new hobbyist in this field

 

The trumpet corals will accept mysis, rod's mix or brine shrimp. I use a baster and spray the food directly over them and they will catch a piece or 2 as I am feeding my fish. (they have also caught bristle worms! mine are a little on the voracious side I think) My frogspawn is currently being hosted by a b/w clown and so he feeds the frogspawn, the bubble coral I think will just eat fish poo, no need to feed. Mine are doing great with no dosing other than regular water changes!

 

ok How long have you had them in your tank?

 

Same reason most of them list strontium and boron as necessary components. While they are necessary, you don't usually have to add them for there to be enough in the system. If you were running really aggressive filtration (very aggressive) and didn't have much light you may need to add more food to keep them healthy. That just happens to be the exception rather than the rule. Most hobbyists have too much food in there system so it becomes waste, if your filtration can't process all that waste it builds up quickly. This build up of waste is much more detrimental than not spot feeding.

Unless you are running a bio-pellet style system with low fish level and feeding. Or if you have kickass filtration, my suggestion is to only feed the fish. (btw, ORA only feeds the fish in there tanks no spot feeding in there and they have this whole coral thing pretty figured out!)