Success with non-photosynthetics

danny zubot · #1 07-19-2009, 05:06 PM

Does one sea fan really need to be fed that much though? I guess its a good thing my skimmer is oversized. Tony, good idea with the drip thing. I'll have to do some trial and error tests to see what I can come up with. the wheels are already turning.

What about flow though? What are people running for current in their tank?

naesco · #2 07-19-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danny zubot

Does one sea fan really need to be fed that much though? I guess its a good thing my skimmer is oversized. Tony, good idea with the drip thing. I'll have to do some trial and error tests to see what I can come up with. the wheels are already turning.

What about flow though? What are people running for current in their tank?

Danny an oversized skimmer is counter-productive to overfeeding phyto as the skimmer will remove the phyto unless you shut off your skimmer for fairly long periods of time.

Myka · #3 07-19-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danny zubot

Does one sea fan really need to be fed that much though?

Yes. That is because there needs to be a certain concentration in the water column in order for the coral is be able to get enough food out of it. It is very difficult to keep non-photos in a mixed reef. I attempted the same as you awhile back, and target fed the sea fan daily. I managed to pollute the tank real well, and the sea fan still died.

Here's one of the nicest non-photo tanks I've ever seen: http://www.zeovit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16186

danny zubot · #4 07-21-2009, 01:12 AM

Well, I've brought the coral home with me so I'm going to make the best of it. It appears to open up and eat when I add the Reef Roids to the tank, which I'll take as a good sign.

sharuq1 · #5 07-22-2009, 06:09 PM

Can you please post a pic of your new seafan? Where did you find it?

BlueAbyss · #6 07-22-2009, 06:28 PM

Your sea fan should be open and feeding constantly, ideally. Hopefully this works out for you... can't wait to see pics!

Snaz · #7 07-22-2009, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

Here's one of the nicest non-photo tanks I've ever seen: http://www.zeovit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16186

Wow is that ever fantastic. I see a coral in those pictures I have! I thought it was random leather I picked up scavenging an LFS display tank but I see now it is clearly a Dendronephthea / Carnation coral. I'm going to have a closer look tonight.

danny zubot · #8 07-23-2009, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Your sea fan should be open and feeding constantly, ideally. Hopefully this works out for you... can't wait to see pics!

It opens up a few times a day, which is when I feed it. I have tried feeding it before it opens up, and sometimes it follows suit promptly while other times it doesn't. So far there are of signs of decay on the sea fan except where it was touching my candy coral for a while.

Snaz - How long have you had your Carnation coral? I would say they are much harder to keep than my sea fan.

Sharuq1 - I'll post pics shortly.

naesco - I've started to shut off the skimmer while feeding, just so that the planktons stay suspended longer. I've also begun stirring up the detritus in my sump at the same times as feeding to add a little variety to my coral's diet.

So far, I've noticed an increase in skimmate. I haven't noticed any difference in the growth of my refugium macros yet, but I'll assume that I'll notice that soon enough. I also run GFO and NO3 spong in a reactor so I'm not yet worried about fouling up the tank.

So far I think all of the corals are loving the additional food I've been putting in the tank.