Feeding Fish and NOT the algae?

When you feed your fish do you feel like your feeding the algae as well?

  • Yes I feel I'm feeding too much

    Votes: 166 31.7%
  • Yes but not much

    Votes: 203 38.7%
  • No

    Votes: 142 27.1%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 13 2.5%

  • Total voters
    524

HaveFishWillTravel

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
340
Reaction score
341
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I also take out the sponges in my filter and wring them out in a little tub of my aquarium water about every 3 days. Ever since I watched the BRS video on this, my nitrates have been down!
Sponges?
REDSEA XL200 50 gallon
RADION XR15 Blue G5
REDSEA ReefWave 25
My filtering systems are:
-Simplicity 120DC Protein Skimmer
-GFO & Carbon Reactor
w/High Capacity Granular Ferric Oxide
-MarinePure BioFilter Media 4 1/2” x 8”
image.jpg
image.jpg
 

HaveFishWillTravel

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
340
Reaction score
341
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I also take out the sponges in my filter and wring them out in a little tub of my aquarium water about every 3 days. Ever since I watched the BRS video on this, my nitrates have been down!
How many fish do you have? How big is your tank? What test kit(s) do you use and what results do you get on your nitrates? I think my nitrates are high at 5ppm. I really want to be able to keep the environment consistent and stable which is tough when I am doing weekly 30% - 40% water changes.
maybe that is okay. I am not sure. I have never had a Marine mixed reef environment this large before. I had a Nano 20 previously with 2 large Black Widow Anemones that sort of overtook the tank. There were 4 or 5 Zoas a couple mushrooms and a few other polyps as well as the two clownfish and the damsel in the Nano 20. It was relatively easy to manage. This was a big step for me. More little types of lives to take care of.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,815
Reaction score
200,022
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Do you have sticks ?? does your klein nip at them at all ?? i have a SPS dominant tank and i have ZERO poylp extension because of my Kleins ??
I have a Kleini in each tank and they bother nothing. I did see mine focusing on my zoa, and precautionery, I placed him in sump until needed in display again. he's happy in sump
 

Hans-Werner

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 24, 2016
Messages
1,480
Reaction score
2,263
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
There are tanks with lots of nutrients without any algae or cyano problems and there are many tanks with extremely low nutrients with cyano and algae problems.

I think it depends more on which nutrient is limiting growth, and which kind of growth is more vulnerable to this limitation, calcification or pest algal growth.

So don't starve fish!
 

taylorn13

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 7, 2020
Messages
109
Reaction score
80
Location
South Jersey
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How many fish do you have? How big is your tank? What test kit(s) do you use and what results do you get on your nitrates? I think my nitrates are high at 5ppm. I really want to be able to keep the environment consistent and stable which is tough when I am doing weekly 30% - 40% water changes.
maybe that is okay. I am not sure. I have never had a Marine mixed reef environment this large before. I had a Nano 20 previously with 2 large Black Widow Anemones that sort of overtook the tank. There were 4 or 5 Zoas a couple mushrooms and a few other polyps as well as the two clownfish and the damsel in the Nano 20. It was relatively easy to manage. This was a big step for me. More little types of lives to take care of.
I have a sponge at the top of my filter in place of a sock solely for trapping large particles from
entering my filtration. I only have a 20 gallon with 2 clowns!
 

HaveFishWillTravel

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
340
Reaction score
341
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm in the "Other" category. I agree with those who mention relying on a CuC. I'm going to get away from the original question just a touch, but feel it is on topic.

Having high or low nutrients in your system does not mean you are over or under feeding your fish. It is an indication of what the difference between your nutrient addition and nutrient export. You can have a high nutrient system by feeding a little and exporting nothing. You can have a low nutrient system by feeding heavy and exporting heavy. Feed your fish what it looks like they need to be healthy. Don't take algae into consideration, a little extra rotting food isn't going to matter.

As for algae, we want our system to be able to grow it. The requirements for growing algae are not much different than what coral needs to grow. In the ocean, a coral reef would quickly be overgrown with algae if you removed the clean up crew from it. The only time algae should be a problem is if we can't find a CuC member that will consume it. We can also try to force algae growth into certain locations, which is primarily what a chaeto fuge or reactor does. But.. if you are limiting nutrients to limit coral you are likely limiting coral growth, also.
As I am going through this journey with my new tank, I am learning a lot of approaches as everyone has a different tank, different pumps, wave makers, filtering systems, different animals and of course, different habits. I am of the mind that the more natural you go the better. Like when I had the diatom outbreak, I immediately brought in 12 Turbo snails to do the job of cleaning up. The GFO reactor is an interesting gizmo, not entirely natural other than the Ferric Oxide as it lowers phosphates very quickly and yes, you definitely need to watch it otherwise you can easily strip the tank of all Phosphates which is not a good situation. The reactor is easy to operate and has a control valve so if the flow is changed, the amount of Phosphates will also increase or decrease accordingly. That was an vital discovery. I use it on an as needed basis. After monitoring the performance of the BioMedia lava rock filter that I started using last week, it seems to be keeping the Nitrates in my tank at an acceptable level of 2ppm. I think that is okay given I have 2 hefty blind clownfish and the little damsel. I think the most important point that you made was you feed what you want as long as you export excess. It’s really about the health of the tank. That is what remains paramount in importance. We nerds just need parameters to go by...
I thought I was doing good. Found out today that my turkey baster was broken. Got a new one and started cleaning the rocks. It was amazingly dirty. Old food and everything else came flying out. I have a long day tomorrow cleaning the tank and scrubbing the rocks.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 63 36.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 34.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 24 14.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 15.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top