Feeding during a fallow period

Hilltopreef90

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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

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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
 
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Hilltopreef90

Hilltopreef90

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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

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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
 
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Hilltopreef90

Hilltopreef90

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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

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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?
 
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Hilltopreef90

Hilltopreef90

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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.
 
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