Feeding during a fallow period

[Hilltopreef90]

I’m not sure what or how often to feed the inverts and corals in my tank while going through a fallow period.
I have 3 peppermint shrimp, a cleaner shrimp, pistol shrimp, tuxedo urchin, emerald crabs, a conch and a variety of snails.
I have reef roids for my corals and planned to feed the corals once a week, but I’m not sure about what and how much to feed the inverts ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’m not sure what or how often to feed the inverts and corals in my tank while going through a fallow period.
I have 3 peppermint shrimp, a cleaner shrimp, pistol shrimp, tuxedo urchin, emerald crabs, a conch and a variety of snails.
I have reef roids for my corals and planned to feed the corals once a week, but I’m not sure about what and how much to feed the inverts ?

The urchin, snail and other herbivores should be fine grazing on algae. The shrimp can be fed a tiny pinch of pellets every day or so - you'll see them come out and grab them. Emerald crabs will eat algae as well as scavenge some.

Jay

 

[Hilltopreef90]

The urchin, snail and other herbivores should be fine grazing on algae. The shrimp can be fed a tiny pinch of pellets every day or so - you'll see them come out and grab them. Emerald crabs will eat algae as well as scavenge some.

Jay

If I add copapods to my refugium will the inverts be able to live on them ? I’m still having issues with high nitrates and phosphates and the less food I put in the tank the better

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

If I add copapods to my refugium will the inverts be able to live on them ? I’m still having issues with high nitrates and phosphates and the less food I put in the tank the better

No - the biomass of the copepods won't be sufficient to support the shrimp I think.

You should see a drop in no3 and po4 since you won't be adding as much food for the fish. If your tank still has issues with those, with just feeding shrimp, you need to do more water changes.

Jay

 

[Hilltopreef90]

No - the biomass of the copepods won't be sufficient to support the shrimp I think.

You should see a drop in no3 and po4 since you won't be adding as much food for the fish. If your tank still has issues with those, with just feeding shrimp, you need to do more water changes.

Jay

Thanks

 

[ScottB]

If I add copapods to my refugium will the inverts be able to live on them ? I’m still having issues with high nitrates and phosphates and the less food I put in the tank the better

Going into a fallow with excess nutrients is a good thing IMO.

What is your coral load like? Any SPS?

 

[Hilltopreef90]

Going into a fallow with excess nutrients is a good thing IMO.

What is your coral load like? Any SPS?

No sps but a decent amount of softies and lps, all are still frags and haven’t grown much that I can tell but all the corals look healthy. I’ve been adding amino acid for my lps corals and I add chaeto grow to the refugium each morning. I’ve ordered a new light and hope that helps, the chaeto is still not growing and I can tell it’s reduced in size.