Night vs day feeding

ClownWrangler

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I have a small collection of zoas, LPS and SPS frags. I noticed most of them feed during the day when offered a mix of Kent's Microvert and Goniopower. I find this to be a good all around, multipurpose staple. However I noticed that the candy cane coral will only occasionally put out feeding tentacles during the day, but is fully open at night, while some other corals are closed. I'm thinkin about alternating where i feed at night once per week and during the day once per week. Is alternating like this a good way to do it?

Also, I just noticed that Kent recommends also using Phytoplex, ChromaPlex and Coral Excel. Is all of this really necessary?
 
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MnFish1

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I have a small collection of zoas, LPS and SPS frags. I noticed most of them feed during the day when offered a mix of Kent's Microvert and Goniopower. I find this to be a good all around, multipurpose staple. However I noticed that the candy cane coral will only occasionally put out feeding tentacles during the day, but is fully open at night, while some other corals are closed. I'm thinkin about alternating where i feed at night once per week and during the day once per week. Is alternating like this a good way to do it?

Also, I just noticed that Kent recommends also using Phytoplex, ChromaPlex and Coral Excel. Is all of this really necessary?
Its interesting - I never feed my corals anything - except whats in the food the fish get. I make sure there are small pieces - and I can see when they are 'eating'. So - I would say - that 'no' they are not necessary. Everyone will have a different opinion. As to day and night I'm not sure that some corals put out there polyps only to feed (at night) - but also to attack other neighboring corals. I think if you're going to feed it wouldn't hurt to alternate Day/Night - with the caveat that some of the corals (assuming they are) eating during the day - may not eat at night. Hope this helps.
 
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ClownWrangler

ClownWrangler

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Its interesting - I never feed my corals anything - except whats in the food the fish get. I make sure there are small pieces - and I can see when they are 'eating'. So - I would say - that 'no' they are not necessary. Everyone will have a different opinion. As to day and night I'm not sure that some corals put out there polyps only to feed (at night) - but also to attack other neighboring corals. I think if you're going to feed it wouldn't hurt to alternate Day/Night - with the caveat that some of the corals (assuming they are) eating during the day - may not eat at night. Hope this helps.

I think most corals can "get by" with only fish waste if you are not over filtering/skimming. But some filter feeders such as Goniopora will starve and die if they don't get regular feedings of zooplankton or similar. Goniopower works great for this. I found the hard way when things got busy with school and I forgot to feed for a few months. My metallic green flower pot withered away and died and the pink one is barely hanging on. Hopefully it comes back.
 

MnFish1

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I think most corals can "get by" with only fish waste if you are not over filtering/skimming. But some filter feeders such as Goniopora will starve and die if they don't get regular feedings of zooplankton or similar. Goniopower works great for this. I found the hard way when things got busy with school and I forgot to feed for a few months. My metallic green flower pot withered away and died and the pink one is barely hanging on. Hopefully it comes back.
The 2 larger goniopora in my tank are 3 years old the small red one is about a year old - 2 of them. Every time I feed my fish (frozen LRS) - they actively feed. Every time I scrape the glass and algae floats around - they feed. I have used and not used goniopower. I see no difference with or without.
 

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Night time on a reef has different activity than during the day. The phytoplankton should be around anytime, but a lot of motile prey critters migrate up towards the shallows at night.
 
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ClownWrangler

ClownWrangler

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So I snuck up on the candy cane at night (1am) with a blue flashlight. These guys are definitely nocturnal feeders. Makes me wonder what else goes on in the tank after lights out. The first picture is during the day.

20210616_115939.jpg
20210617_010250 (2).jpg
 

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