Poll: Pumps on or off during feeding time?

Do You Turn Your Pumps Off to Feed?

  • Yes - I turn all pumps off while feeding

    Votes: 199 20.2%
  • Somewhat - I slow my controllable pumps down while feeding

    Votes: 141 14.3%
  • No - Everything runs as normal

    Votes: 480 48.7%
  • Somewhat - Return pumps off, circulation pumps stay on

    Votes: 122 12.4%
  • Somewhat - Return pumps off, controllable circulation pumps slowed down

    Votes: 44 4.5%

  • Total voters
    986

Sense of nature

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I have my Apex programmed as follows:
1) My feeding time is 1 hour
2) The first 15 minutes everything is off. That give me a chance to target feed the corals without any flow in the tank.
3) For the last 45 minutes, everything is off *except* every 5 minutes I put my powerbeads on for a minute to suit up the food. Then they go off while everybody eats.
I'd be interested in doing this as well, care to share your programming?
 

don_chuwish

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Feed mode kills the return pump and delays restart of skimmer by 2 hours. Slows down the Tunze 6055s to 30%, then 5 minutes before return pump comes on the 6055s go back to normal speed. Food moving in the water gets a better feeding response from the fish for sure.
 

jgvergo

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I'd be interested in doing this as well, care to share your programming?

I have an output called "AutoFeed", which goes on between 8 and 9 pm:
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.09.12 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.05.45 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.09.12 PM.png


I have my Wavs programmed as follows:
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.05.45 PM.png


My return pump:
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.05.45 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.09.12 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.10.21 PM.png

Skimmer:

Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.05.45 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.09.12 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.10.21 PM.png
Screen Shot 2018-01-21 at 3.11.37 PM.png
 

jgvergo

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I have no idea why I'm getting duplicate images in my last post :(
 

John campanella

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For feeding the fish I leave everything on.
For feeding the corals I turn everything (including the return off). After 30 minutes or so if corals are still eating I will turn the return back on and wait a little longer for powerheads.
I do the same don’t need the return to draw up the feeding food
 

Buffalou

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I for one leave everything running when I feed the fish. Could just be me, but I enjoy watching them go a little crazy chasing food all over - it just seems more natural.

What about the rest of you. Do you turn off your pumps when you feed, slow them down or just let them run?
It depends, I feed normally three times a day, so morning and evening I turn power heads off, afternoon I leave them on, if you consider the ocean and fish feeding, the ocean doesn't shut down, I'm watching this to see what majority of reefers do. Been reefing for ten plus years and done it both ways. As long as fish appear healthy and nutrient export, filters & skimmer, function is working I really don't think it matters. The only other consideration would be just wasting excess food at feeding.
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

  • I regularly change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 45 21.0%
  • I occasionally change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 74 34.6%
  • I rarely change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 71 33.2%
  • I never change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 20 9.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 4 1.9%
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