Growing planktons in a refugium as coral food????!!!!!

AquaWave523 · 10/05/2009, 01:20 PM

Photoplanktons in Refugium

I heard that you can grow Photoplanktons and/or Zooplanktons in your refugium. These are sources of food for corals. Is this correct? I have a bunch of softies, mushrooms and lps in my 90 gallon tank.

The refugium I have is 25-30 gallons, with 2-3" of sand, some live rock rubbles, algae and 2 hermit crabs.

If this is the case, how would I know i have any planktons in my tank? Does that mean I don't have to feed my corals if I have any planktons in my tank?

Thanks!!!

stingythingy45 · 10/05/2009, 01:30 PM

Most folks I know in the hobby grow pods in the refugium.

stingythingy45 · 10/05/2009, 01:33 PM

By the way,most LPS and softies don't require target feedings,some do.
But,I've never heard of anyone just relying on a refugium to take care of feedings.
Personally,I've never target fed any coral except occasionally candy coral.And I have frogspawn,candy coral,all kinds of mushrooms and leathers.

AquaWave523 · 10/05/2009, 01:38 PM

So do you just spread the food on top of the water and it just gets pushed around by the powerheads? I have been directly feeding the corals with oyster feeding and DTs from Reef Nutrition.

stingythingy45 · 10/05/2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AquaWave523

So do you just spread the food on top of the water and it just gets pushed around by the powerheads? I have been directly feeding the corals with oyster feeding and DTs from Reef Nutrition.

I basically use a turkey baster for feeding,both fish and whatever corals I might feed.
I feed frozen mysis shrimp and occasionally some frozen cyclopeeze.
Be careful feeding corals,they really don't require a lot.They'll do worse if your water quality suffers from too much nutrients,nitrates and possibly ammonia spikes.

10/05/2009, 01:20 PM	#1
AquaWave523 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 911	Growing planktons in a refugium as coral food????!!!!! Photoplanktons in Refugium I heard that you can grow Photoplanktons and/or Zooplanktons in your refugium. These are sources of food for corals. Is this correct? I have a bunch of softies, mushrooms and lps in my 90 gallon tank. The refugium I have is 25-30 gallons, with 2-3" of sand, some live rock rubbles, algae and 2 hermit crabs. If this is the case, how would I know i have any planktons in my tank? Does that mean I don't have to feed my corals if I have any planktons in my tank? Thanks!!!

10/05/2009, 01:30 PM	#2
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Most folks I know in the hobby grow pods in the refugium. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

10/05/2009, 01:33 PM	#3
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	By the way,most LPS and softies don't require target feedings,some do. But,I've never heard of anyone just relying on a refugium to take care of feedings. Personally,I've never target fed any coral except occasionally candy coral.And I have frogspawn,candy coral,all kinds of mushrooms and leathers. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

10/05/2009, 01:38 PM	#4
AquaWave523 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 911	So do you just spread the food on top of the water and it just gets pushed around by the powerheads? I have been directly feeding the corals with oyster feeding and DTs from Reef Nutrition.