Frozen or Dry foods--Which is more likely to add nitrates/phosphates?

[Spanky05]

Was curious what the general consensus was on this topic. I know there are factors like rinsing/how fast you're feeding etc.

I had always had the mindset that frozen would effect water quality less but didn't know for sure.

On one side of the coin, even when rinsed, there is always a ton of little pieces floating around that can't be totally consumed.

I know pellets are much more nutrient dense but I also feel more confident that a larger % of the food is getting consumed.

Then you have things like Masstick which would almost be considered in both categories.

Interested to hear other's input on the subject.

 

[jda]

They are going to be pretty close to the same. The only real difference is the water in the frozen food, which is why it has less protein, less fat, less phosphates, etc. "Juice" from the frozen food is the wildcard which does not go to the fish.

It is like a steak vs beef jerky - same stuff in there, just less water.

 

[Jeeperz]

I feed pellets and frozen. Pellets all get eaten. Frozen has a huge amount of tiny pieces everything ignores which I assume settles on my rocks leading to no3/po4 issues and my GHA issues. I blow my rocks off a few times a week and always stir up a bunch of detritus. I use 100 micron socks and change almost daily.

 

[Greg P]

I'm guilty of feeding pellets.
My critters get an autofeeder dose of pellets for lunch 'cause I'm at work.But they get frozen for dinner. This is every day

 

[Spanky05]

I feed pellets and frozen. Pellets all get eaten. Frozen has a huge amount of tiny pieces everything ignores which I assume settles on my rocks leading to no3/po4 issues and my GHA issues. I blow my rocks off a few times a week and always stir up a bunch of detritus. I use 100 micron socks and change almost daily.

I feed pellets, frozen and masstick.

Lately I've been feeding heavier trying to convince my new copperband butterfly to eat.

Luckily in the past few days he's started eating the masstick one day and then mysis and brine the next.

The small pieces of frozen is what I worry about with frozen food. I know it can serve as some form of food for corals but I wonder how much of it ends up being a negative thing.

 

[Spanky05]

I'm guilty of feeding pellets.
My critters get an autofeeder dose of pellets for lunch 'cause I'm at work.But they get frozen for dinner. This is every day

Guilty makes it sound like a bad thing, which I don't believe it is!

I expect variety is beneficial.

 

[donut]

In my opinion most of the small particles of frozen food get eaten by the cleanup crew after settling down. I dont think their is any dry food that can completely match the benfits of frozen food.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Imo increased phospahte and nitrate occur with over feeding a tank with limited biological filtration and limited coral populations. It is easier to overfeed dry food than frozen food simply because of density. I feed almost exclusively frozen food and i have to feed a lot to keep both N and P detectable.

 

[Marlon C]

I think the corals consume the juice that frozen food leaves