Day Three Of My 'Week of Daily Reef Chili'

Ty Hamatake · Apr 24, 2017

Seems like everyone is responding well! Lights schedule 1030-2130, peaking at 1300-1500. Pictures were taken around 0600.

Lately I've noticed some sweet polyp extension in the morning time. I figured I would try out taking advantage of that and feeding Reef Chili every morning instead of at night soon after lights out like I normally do. Here's how it's going.

ngoodermuth · Apr 24, 2017

Nice!

blizzardscout2 · Apr 25, 2017

Wow! I love that last picture. I have been feeling reef Chili almost daily and I also see fantastic PE on my one and only Acro. And it is growing so win win

CoralWealth · Apr 25, 2017

so you are still feeding when lights are out just a lot longer after they were first turned off?

Were those pictures taken right after you fed and you turned on the lights to take them or is that how much daytime PE you are getting. Either way, very nice

Ty Hamatake · Apr 25, 2017

codydemmel4 said:
so you are still feeding when lights are out just a lot longer after they were first turned off?

Were those pictures taken right after you fed and you turned on the lights to take them or is that how much daytime PE you are getting. Either way, very nice

Right, so I used to feed the fish, a couple hours later the lights went out, and about an hour after that I would broadcast feed for the corals. With this little experiment I am doing the broadcast in the morning after the lights have been off for closer to nine hours. Another difference is that I was only feeding once or twice a week. I know that every day may be a little excessive, I just wanted to see how it worked out.

Pictures were taken in the morning right before feeding. Daytime PE has definitely increased. I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow!

Ty Hamatake · Apr 25, 2017

blizzardscout2 said:
Wow! I love that last picture. I have been feeling reef Chili almost daily and I also see fantastic PE on my one and only Acro. And it is growing so win win

I hate to tell you, but there is something seriously wrong with your tank... ONLY ONE ACRO

blizzardscout2 · Apr 25, 2017

Haha yeah I know. Give me some time. New tank and I'm planning on going SPS dominant this go around. In due time I will bring home some beauties. I already have my eye on some spectacular frags from one of my LFS.

Ty Hamatake · Apr 25, 2017

blizzardscout2 said:
Haha yeah I know. Give me some time. New tank and I'm planning on going SPS dominant this go around. In due time I will bring home some beauties. I already have my eye on some spectacular frags from one of my LFS.

Here goes some shameless advertising plug (not for me), but I got my first order from Adam at Battlecorals and I couldn't be happier. Some serious healthy and big frags. Do you have a tank thread?

blizzardscout2 · Apr 25, 2017

Ty Hamatake said:
Here goes some shameless advertising plug (not for me), but I got my first order from Adam at Battlecorals and I couldn't be happier. Some serious healthy and big frags. Do you have a tank thread?

I will check that out. I don't have a tank thread yet, but I am planning on getting one going. Probably within a week or two.

CoralWealth · Apr 26, 2017

Ty Hamatake said:
Right, so I used to feed the fish, a couple hours later the lights went out, and about an hour after that I would broadcast feed for the corals. With this little experiment I am doing the broadcast in the morning after the lights have been off for closer to nine hours. Another difference is that I was only feeding once or twice a week. I know that every day may be a little excessive, I just wanted to see how it worked out.

Pictures were taken in the morning right before feeding. Daytime PE has definitely increased. I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow!

Thanks, looking forward to see the daytime pe

Tuffyyyyy · Apr 26, 2017

Would you mind walking me through your broadcast feeding process? I've been trying to feed reef chili for a couple of months and I'm not sure how much of an effect it has. Do you mix it before you dump it in the tank? Do you put it into the sump or by a powerhead or something? Seems to be working for you, would like to replicate!

Ty Hamatake · Apr 26, 2017

Tuffyyyyy said:
Would you mind walking me through your broadcast feeding process? I've been trying to feed reef chili for a couple of months and I'm not sure how much of an effect it has. Do you mix it before you dump it in the tank? Do you put it into the sump or by a powerhead or something? Seems to be working for you, would like to replicate!

Sure thing!

First of all, how often are you feeding? I really didn't notice this much PE until I started doing it regularly. And now that I've ramped it up I'm noticing a ton more. I went from one, feeding Reef Chili once or twice a week to three or four times in an attempt to raise my nutrients. That's when I started seeing some good results.

Anyway, onto my process. I pretty much follow the direction exactly as far a mixing goes, with the exception of using very rounded scoops (probably comes out to two regular scoops per 20 gallons [three rounded scoops for my 75 gallon system]). I shake it for about 30 seconds, turn my powerheads off (or into feed mode if I won't be watching the tank), then I dump it directly into the tank. No specific area, as there is still some flow either from the return or powerheads, and it spreads out nicely. My feed mode it set for 30 minutes or I turn them back on after around the same amount of time. I don't have any data to back this up, but I feel that having some flow in the tank during feeding has been key to disperse everything properly and encourage the PE that I've been seeing.

Last question, what is your process now? Just curious as to why you may have not been getting the results you want. I hope this helps though!

Tuffyyyyy · Apr 26, 2017

Thank you for sharing! I try to do it twice per week. I was originally just scooping some out and dumping it into the back chamber of my IM40 and rely on the pump to mix it and spread it around. The past couple of weeks I have been mixing it and dumping it into my powerhead. My 2 main takeaways from your post is that I'm probably going to turn everything off and be more precise on my measurements.

Ty Hamatake · Apr 26, 2017

Tuffyyyyy said:
Thank you for sharing! I try to do it twice per week. I was originally just scooping some out and dumping it into the back chamber of my IM40 and rely on the pump to mix it and spread it around. The past couple of weeks I have been mixing it and dumping it into my powerhead. My 2 main takeaways from your post is that I'm probably going to turn everything off and be more precise on my measurements.

Of course! I hope it helps and would love an update!

Ty Hamatake · Apr 26, 2017

codydemmel4 said:
Thanks, looking forward to see the daytime pe

A few before and afters.

NOTE: The "before" pictures were taken only a few days after adding the frags to the tank, so that may have had some effect on their PE anyway. Either way we're making progress!

CoralWealth · Apr 26, 2017

Ty Hamatake said:
A few before and afters.

NOTE: The "before" pictures were taken only a few days after adding the frags to the tank, so that may have had some effect on their PE anyway. Either way we're making progress!

Looks good man

CoralWealth · Apr 27, 2017

Are you putting the three scoops in like 1 cup of tank water or what are you putting it in before adding it to the tank?

Also how long do you think the reef chili will last you doing three scoops every morning, have you seen and increase in phosphates or nitrates? I know its still early so probably not but just wanted to see.

Whatre the params of your tank? alk, calc, phosphates and nitrates

Tautog · Apr 27, 2017

Very nice, very cool! I'm starving them

Jimmyneptune · Apr 27, 2017

I have a mix tank now LPS in SPS. I am setting up a dedicated SPS tank. And currently I spot feed all my corals with something similar to reef chili. I also notice corals wanting to eat in the morning as well.
Your way seems great. Have you noticed any adverse effects to phosphates or nitrates ?
Keep us updated.

Ty Hamatake · Apr 27, 2017

codydemmel4 said:
Are you putting the three scoops in like 1 cup of tank water or what are you putting it in before adding it to the tank?

Also how long do you think the reef chili will last you doing three scoops every morning, have you seen and increase in phosphates or nitrates? I know its still early so probably not but just wanted to see.

Whatre the params of your tank? alk, calc, phosphates and nitrates

I use the BRS squeeze feeder thing with a bit of tubing attached to the end so I can feed through my screen top without bits of food accumulating on it. Three big scoops in it, fill it about half way, then shake it really well (the better you shake/the longer it sits, the less floats to the top), then I reduce flow and broadcast feed.

I had to check my BRS account to see how long ago I ordered it, but I've had this 1.5 oz bottle since October 2015 and it is still like 4/5 full. Lol maybe it's time for a new one... if you were to feed every day I'd expect it to last close to a year.

I was definitely expecting a spike in NO3/PO4, but it's actually gone down. I was dosing nitrates and got them up to 2.5, stopped when I started the reef chili, and it's dropped to somewhere around .2 with PO4 undetectable (was .02) by the Hanna ULR. I do have a light bioload (coral beauty, two clowns, one sixline, and a banggai) so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. As of now my alk and ca are fluctuating, I'm fairly certain due to me finally getting my pH up, alk is at 7 down from 8.3ish and ca is 450 down from around 480.