Jamie, I agree that a nitrogen source is essential, but for the phytoplankton, I have to go with Knop's recomendation that they need phyto. Since I haven't done any side by side comparisons, I can't speak from experience. I had a clam for a year that grew well without additional feeding, but it did really well after starting with DTs. Of course that was about the time I hooked up my Ca reactor, so who knows. Popular opinion in the clam forum of RC is that they unarguably need feeding. I feed DTs anyway, so better safe than sorry.

while i agree that feeding items such as phyto may be beneficial...i do not necessarily believe it is a necessity for keeping clams.

case in point, jamie's clams...though they may be getting food present in his system, he is not adding any supplemental food for the clams.

yeah, i have noticed phytos is pushed heavily on RC, but i also realize one of the biggest advocates for it is someone who sells clams...though you can take it as him having lots of experience with the husbandy of clams, you can also take it as someone who has a vested interest in the sale of the product as well.

though i must say...feeding phyto is something i may try in the near future.

Brad,

I'm sure Daniel Knop would be a wise person to follow as far as clam advise goes. I don't know much about what clams consume for sure other then what I read and well I geuss just cause I read it doesn't make it true. :wink: What I do know is I don't feed Zoo or Phytoplankton in my system. I geuss I was more disagreeing with your statement that clams need additional feeding. Also I do notice when I feed more fish food that the clams also do better. Wether thats do to the increase in dissolved solid,extra ammonia or the additional growth of phytoplankton(eg. more algae on glass) would be a tough one to answer.

Jamie, I guess you have me there. I don't KNOW they need anything extra and tend to follow the masses on husbandry technique. I figure so many people advocating something, the something must hold some merit. Again, I'm told by the 'experts' that to get a tank like yours, foods like DTs needs to be added. You (and your corals/clams) obviously didn't talk to the same experts :P (anyone that's seen Jamie's tank knows he's an expert in his own right :D )
In thinking about your comments, I'm actually surprised you don't add "coral food". I would have guessed you did.

Shao, you make a good point regarding sellers advocating this. Is it experience or sales speaking.
Since I have DTs and golden pearls, I'll feed it to the tank. One observation about food...I've sat for a long time and tried to see a coral polyp actually extract something from the water column, and never have.
Maybe this opens up a new thread on feeding filter/polyp feeders.

Brad,

Well I do know one thing. I'm no expert. I have expermented with algae pastes,dt's and spray dried. The most I noticed with these different foods were increases in algae growth and pod life. I feel I can do this with fish food for cheaper and my fish like it too. :D

I should add I'm not saying these are bad products. Their is no question that many animals we keep consume and need zoo and/or phytoplankton. But from my experience with plankton additives in my system, the results did not justify the costs.

Jamie, do you think your sump supplies a lot of food? I recall it looked like a good place to breed pods, etc. In other words, would you advocate a refugium style setup over food additives?

Brad,

For sure the sump/refugium has a great deal of life. I would imagine it supplies a good deal of zooplankton and I suppose some phyto to the main system. In order for these life forms to thrive, I do feel food is needed, but I think fish food will work as the food supply.

Jamie, what do you mean by fish food? Frozen Formula series, flakes, pellets, something else?

Just what ever you feed your fish. I don't mean target feeding the plankton. All I mean is by having a healthy feeding plan your fish are healthy with a good metabilism. Their for they excrete urine and fecal matter at a higher rate equaling ammonia and dissolved organic matter which in turn feeds your ammonia loving animals and your plankton community. With this we can't forget the beloved water change. Now don't go trying this at home I don't want to be responsable. :wink: