Community wisdom poll - feeding frozen

[MNscoe]

I'm one year in with my first tank and still unsure what's "best" (if there is a "best" approach). I read the advice here, I try different things... I know there are many other details (self prep, mixing additives, combine/alternate with pellets, etc.) but I want to get to the core question of delivering frozen food to the tank.
So I'm offering this poll to see how this community feeds frozen foods. What's your standard approach?
Please vote!

 

[X-37B]

Drop several cubes in a cup. Add some larrys or rods. Stir it up and feed. No rinse.

 

[commod0re]

I have an innovative marine magnetic defroster that I put a chunk or two of frozen into, then I hit feed mode and give it a couple stirs with a pipette

 

[Hrosik123]

I just pull out a touch of tank water and drop a cube into it. Let’s it defrost for 30 min then drop in and let the power heads do their job. Keeps the fish active.
For the morning feed I just drop a frozen cube of red plankton in and go. Fish do the rest.

 

[tranquil55]

I defrost in a tiny bit of tank water then pour contents out into my fish net in the sink then feed. I’m new though and this is what AI told me to do after I complained my tank was getting cloudy after feeding. I also only have a HOB protein skimmer for filtration so seems like a good method.

 

[SantaMonica Verified Sponsor]

I like watching the fish chase around a floating frozen cube.

 

[mook1178]

I actually defrost a weeks worth of frozen at a time. Then I rinse with RODI. Then I put back in RODI water and pour into 7 shot glasses. I then freeze those portions until day before. I allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge. Then at lunch when home on my break I can just pour in the liquid. I pull the next day's portion from the freezer and put in the fridge.

My PO4 have really leveled out since doing this. Before I thawed in tank water and poured in the tank. My PO4 would increase significantly through the week. Before, PO4 could increase by 0.2 through the week. It is now more like 0.05.

 

[Project1004]

I mix four varieties of frozen into a small sealed container +vitamins. Keep it thawed in a refrigerator and drop 3 scoops at each feeding twice a day using small white spoon thingy.

This week was 2 mysis, 2seaweed, 1clam 1x zooplankton: I change out when pack is done. This lasts 4 days btw 2tank.

Tip: never put the spoon you just used into the container. Only use fresh spoon each time which keeps the food fresher longer.

Made this two days ago. Been feeding this way since the beginning 4yrs ago.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

I defrost and throw it in no rinse. Never had an issue with nutrients.

Replace 1 or 2 feedings a week with pellets for variety

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Rinsing frozen food can cause potassium loss from
It and may be a factor of why some reefers need to add potassium and others do not.

 

[BriDroid]

I just got my aF4 feeder, so I changed my vote. I’m hoping that the heavy feedings will help increase my N and P some. I have it on my Hydros and doing the smallest feeding 2 times a day. The fish seem to enjoy it so far.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Are you KIDDING Look what rinsed out of these bloodworms. Why would I throw an ounce of that water straight into my tank... same for other unrinsed frozen foods? (I am especially talking about a FOWLR, but still. Why pour that all in to 'hopefully' skim it all out?)

 

[ScottF]

I just toss the frozen cubes into my TopLids feeding cups for my auto feeder. The cups telescope down into the water to force the dry food to hydrate before being dispersed. The frozen food gets blown out of the cup as it thaws,

 

[Beauha]

I'm one year in with my first tank and still unsure what's "best" (if there is a "best" approach). I read the advice here, I try different things... I know there are many other details (self prep, mixing additives, combine/alternate with pellets, etc.) but I want to get to the core question of delivering frozen food to the tank.
So I'm offering this poll to see how this community feeds frozen foods. What's your standard approach?
Please vote!

Depends so much on the aquarium and the goal, like what are you feeding matters, all approaches are correct situationally

 

[Beauha]

Depends so much on the aquarium and the goal, like what are you feeding matters, all approaches are correct situationally

The best approach is the one that you have success with, listen to people with different approaches, but the #1 is diligence and #2 is stability

 

[Beauha]

Depends so much on the aquarium and the goal, like what are you feeding matters, all approaches are correct situationally

Puffers like food frozen, aquariums with a ton of life love the extra juices not rinsed. If you are target feeding lps, rinse it fist or not to keep you nitrate/phosphate ratio for the sps

 

[DmitryB]

I always fed frozen when I had my tank and plan to do that when my system is up. Defrost and then throw in. I also used to hatch brine shrimp, which was hands-off easy and fun to watch fish chase live food.