feeding little rascals

charo · 10/19/2010, 07:43 PM

my tanks been up for about 3 months, and really enjoying my tank.
Maybe i have not thought about this, or though it didnt make a difference but i wanna make sure:

Do you guys turn of powerheads or flows when you feed?
cuz when i feed, food goes everywhere and the my fish chase it like its there job(hense the thread title), pretty cool to see, but is that right?

Steve Wright2 · 10/19/2010, 08:13 PM

Never turned water flow off ,when feeding my fish, charo

but feeding small amounts in an area thats a bit calmer ( so not adding food in front of a wavemaker) and seeing them consume that before adding a bit more is my chosen method

I enjoy feeding my fish, so if it takes 5 minutes of the food being added in 3 stages, Im happy

Steve

chuckdallas · 10/19/2010, 08:15 PM

I have a 120 gallon tank that doesn't have internal overflows. My overlfow box is very nice (can't remember name) but it doesn't lose water in the U tube when I cut off my return pump. I turn off the powerhead inside the tank, then turn off the return pump. I have anemones and gorgonians so I dump zooplankton in the water on Mon-Wed-Fir and phytoplankton in the water on Tues-Thurs-Sat. I like it to "rain" on the gorgonians and and anemone and then after 5-10 mins, I turn on the "fan" inside the tank that makes the internal current. After about 15-20 minutes, I turn on the return pump and everything goes back to normal.

charo · 10/19/2010, 09:09 PM

i enjoy feeding my fish too, i also put a lil at a time, but i guess its prefence, ima turn off flow like chuck, for a lil see how that goes. thanks for input

Canadian Reefer · 10/19/2010, 09:17 PM

I turn off my return pump, just so I dont get food down into my sump. My closed loops or koralias stay on unless Im target feeding corals.

lordofthereef · 10/20/2010, 07:47 AM

I know there are some that do. For a while I was turning off my returns so that my overflow wasn't bringing food down to the sump. After a while I realized it was easier to just introduce the food into the tank by means of a turkey baster. This way the majority never even makes it to the surface. None of my fish prefer picking food from the surface anyway.

Flippers4pups · 10/20/2010, 08:11 AM

I always turn them off to keep the food suspended in the water column as long a possible. This allows the fish to eat most, if not all the food i feed them. Keeps from fowling the water as much as possible.

charo · 10/20/2010, 10:41 AM

huh thats true, ive rarely seen my fish eat from the surface, i try to sink all the food i feed even the flakes. i tried it yesterday, with evrything off, food just goes sinking slowly, fish still attack it but just in one place, i guess i can do a combination off both feeding procedures

10/19/2010, 07:43 PM	#1
charo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: san diego Posts: 100	feeding little rascals my tanks been up for about 3 months, and really enjoying my tank. Maybe i have not thought about this, or though it didnt make a difference but i wanna make sure: Do you guys turn of powerheads or flows when you feed? cuz when i feed, food goes everywhere and the my fish chase it like its there job(hense the thread title), pretty cool to see, but is that right?

10/19/2010, 08:15 PM	#3
chuckdallas Tank Tinkerer Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 937	I have a 120 gallon tank that doesn't have internal overflows. My overlfow box is very nice (can't remember name) but it doesn't lose water in the U tube when I cut off my return pump. I turn off the powerhead inside the tank, then turn off the return pump. I have anemones and gorgonians so I dump zooplankton in the water on Mon-Wed-Fir and phytoplankton in the water on Tues-Thurs-Sat. I like it to "rain" on the gorgonians and and anemone and then after 5-10 mins, I turn on the "fan" inside the tank that makes the internal current. After about 15-20 minutes, I turn on the return pump and everything goes back to normal. __________________ Lots of equipment left over from the 140 gallon tank teardown. Oct 21st was a sad day. Wife said I would have to get a new wife to get a new tank. I'm sure gonna miss the wife. Current Tank Info: No tank, no fish, no coral :(

10/19/2010, 09:17 PM	#5
Canadian Reefer Reefer Madness Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 261	I turn off my return pump, just so I dont get food down into my sump. My closed loops or koralias stay on unless Im target feeding corals. __________________ Reefing can't be an addiction, I don't smoke it or drink it. I just need it to be happy!

10/20/2010, 07:47 AM	#6
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	I know there are some that do. For a while I was turning off my returns so that my overflow wasn't bringing food down to the sump. After a while I realized it was easier to just introduce the food into the tank by means of a turkey baster. This way the majority never even makes it to the surface. None of my fish prefer picking food from the surface anyway. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

10/20/2010, 08:11 AM	#7
Flippers4pups Home made abyss Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lake Saint Louis, MO Posts: 2,047	I always turn them off to keep the food suspended in the water column as long a possible. This allows the fish to eat most, if not all the food i feed them. Keeps from fowling the water as much as possible. __________________ Don Reefing since 1993 Current Tank info: 125 gallon DT , 125 gallon basement sump. Rw 15 & Rw 8. Panworld 150ps return. Reef Octopus 150 skimmer, 3 165w mars aqua led.

10/19/2010, 08:13 PM	#2
Steve Wright2 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shenzhen PRC Posts: 454	Never turned water flow off ,when feeding my fish, charo but feeding small amounts in an area thats a bit calmer ( so not adding food in front of a wavemaker) and seeing them consume that before adding a bit more is my chosen method I enjoy feeding my fish, so if it takes 5 minutes of the food being added in 3 stages, Im happy Steve

10/19/2010, 09:09 PM	#4
charo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: san diego Posts: 100	i enjoy feeding my fish too, i also put a lil at a time, but i guess its prefence, ima turn off flow like chuck, for a lil see how that goes. thanks for input

10/20/2010, 10:41 AM	#8
charo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: san diego Posts: 100	huh thats true, ive rarely seen my fish eat from the surface, i try to sink all the food i feed even the flakes. i tried it yesterday, with evrything off, food just goes sinking slowly, fish still attack it but just in one place, i guess i can do a combination off both feeding procedures

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