A quick look at feeding "SPS" : What they need and how to give it to them!

[uniquecorals]

This all sounds great in theory, or maybe some people have had success, but I don't see how one could feed heavily and skim sporadically and not get algae growth, cyano, and numerous other issues, with rising phosphates and nitrates...

The point is that you are feeding regularly, frequently, but not excessively. You're not just blindly dumping food into the system to decompose. And, of course, water changes are still made. I was a die hard, keep-it-almost-sterile- nutrient-export-junkie for many years, and my corals never looked as good as they did when I relaxed a bit. There is a happy medium where you're adding enough nutrient to benefit corals without growing nuisance algae. A well-managed system that employs nutrient export techniques without being excessive in either direction is not only possible, but relatively easily achieved if you're looking at your animals and not obsessing with your test numbers.

 

[ColaAddict]

So is it best to skim during the day when fishes are peeing and pooping, or best to skim at night only?

 

[Dctrojan]

Great question colaAddict. Also if you feed at night and protein skimmer running at night also, wouldn't that remove the food you place in the system m

 

[Lyndya]

How about calling it "Reef Keeping for Dummies" -

 

[uniquecorals]

Really great questions...However, think about this...If you time feeding to occur at night, you can easily shut off the skimmer as needed for a period of time after feeding! In the end, I'm more concerned about food going down the drain, if you will, into the filter, as opposed to being removed by the skimmer...It's primary function is not to remove particulate.

 

[Darth George]

Great write up! We now know coral receives about 30% of its nutritional needs from light and the other 70% is met with active feeding! Why else would they have feeding tentacles?!?

 

[Dan Reef]

Hello! Great write!

Well, on tow of our raceways we tested last night, they are .21 and .04, the rest are undetectable. Our colors in the two raceways have never been better...Coincidence? I think not!

-Scott

You mean PO4: .21 and NO3: 0.04 or the two raceways has PO4: 0.21 and 0.04 respectively? If the first, my tank is running similar. Unfortunately after I added algae to the refugium (chaeto) that was previously empty that started to happen. Also my millepora green that was always fully expanded is now completely closed (it was slowly closing the polyps during 2 month period, it wasn't a sudden change).

I'm also noticing my wall hammer not doing very well... all other corals seems fine, although not growing (other acros, torch, some soft corals)

Do you run a refugium on those raceways? Do you run Triton or other method?

Thanks!

 

[madweazl]

Great write up! We now know coral receives about 30% of its nutritional needs from light and the other 70% is met with active feeding! Why else would they have feeding tentacles?!?

We do?

 

[Leadfooted]

Thanks for the kind words, Michael....I have literally received dozens of emails about doing a book over the past several days, and I've started reviewing some of the material that I have written for just such an endeavor! I think I'm gonna start one for sure...Just want to make sure that it stays relevant and approachable for readers- and I think I can do that! Appreciate the encouragement!

-Scott

I just bought some SPS from your booth at RAP and would love to buy a copy of this book!

 

[Darth George]

We do?

According to David Attenborough! I watched the Great Barrier Reef doc series on Smithsonian channel recently. A lot of useful information. You should check them out. And I thought the blue planet series was cool!

 

[chcgregg]

Reviving an old thread. Do we know anything else about feeding Acropora these days? @uniquecorals @Dana Riddle
@jda