questions regarding feeding of softies and LPS

[tang daddy]

Hi Rick,

Here are a few suggestions you may want to consider....

My feeding methods are 2 times a week I shut the skimmer off for 5-6hrs, next step is shutting off return pump. I then dose some Lps amino acids to get a feeding response. Usually 10 mins after dosing AA the corals go into a feeding frenzy. Next comes the fun part, I feed the fish with pellets then mysis as much as they can eat. Once they submit to the all you can eat fest and are uninterested in the food I feed frozen cyclopeze, reef roids, reef snow, phytoplankton, phyto gold, and a bunch of other phyto via broadcast. Next I have krill chopped into pieces and feed the acans, duncan, dendros, favia, and scolly's. The tank is now cloudy in a sea of soup. With the powerheads still running I walk away and let the tank do its thing. When I return 5 hrs later the tank is clear ish, I then Turn on skimmer and return pump. The reason I feed the fish first is so they don't bother the corals and that's the only way the corals can eat.

Warning, my method is very messy and if you don't have a good skimmer and other proper filtration to remove the excess waste you can get algae growing out of control fast.

If you have only a few corals to feed the best way is to target feed them, when you feed your fish and shrimps mysis the water will smell which should get a good feeding response for the other corals. Shut off all flow in the tank. Have your premix concoction made up and use a syringe to feed the corals. You can pick up syringes at the dollar store or industrial plastics on Bridgeport in Richmond. When feeding the corals lightly spray the food overhead the corals don't spray it directly at the corals as some will react by closing and the food will be wasted. If you do this once to twice a week you'll see your corals grow faster.
You should be able to turn on your powerheads 1/2hr after feeding then 1 hr after online your return pump. If you want more efficiency leave the skimmer off overnight and this will allow the food more time to pass through the system.

One more thing I wanted to add, if your feeding Zoas, flowerpots, and cloves you should use finely powdered food as their mouth is small and can only accept micro food, my larger palys can eat mysis and same with my rics.