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Feeding and Supplements for Corals

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kmtfishchannel View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 21 2016 at 10:22pm
I have a few different questions on Corals. In my 60 gallon tank that i'm planning I want to mostly do easy to keep Corals like Mushrooms, Soft, Polyps, an Anemone, and maybe some LPS if they are not to hard to keep. 

For feeding I know that I just want to use something that I can just put in the water rather then hand feeding each one. What would you recommend? Also do I have to do anything special for LPS corals?

My main question is on Supplements (Cal. Alk. Mag. etc.) I've been told many different things so I just want more opinions and why. I've been told if I'm just doing easy corals (Soft, Mushrooms, Polyps, etc.) I don't need to do anything more then feeding and water changes. Do you agree, or do you think I should add things and what? Also what if I want to do some LPS corals then does that change things? I'm open to dose my tank with supplements but if I can get away with just a few supplements (what ever they maybe) that would be great! 

I hope all of this is not to confusing Confused but give me as much information as your can and explain why you do things the way you do.  

Thanks so much! Big smile


Edited by kmtfishchannel - January 21 2016 at 10:51pm
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Marcoss View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcoss Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 21 2016 at 10:53pm
We feed our corals but not often. There is a balance of feeding too much and dirtying the water. Corals do not need to be fed, unless they are NPS, per se. They'll catch food on their own and gain it from the waste, and of course the lighting. I can take a video to show you how my LPS go wild when I am just feeding the fish. I simply broadcast feed and the corals use their tentacles to catch food. We also feed so our corals can grow quicker.

You'll want to keep an eye out in your levels even if they are leathers and more basic corals. Your salt may not have the exact levels they need to thrive. It's all about consistency; your corals would probably prefer to be around a lower range, consistently, versus a more recommend range that bounces all over the place.

It's fun to feed and watch corals eat, but don't go crazy. There are foods like Reef Chili you can just place in the water column. You can also, should you wish to feed, alternate days/weeks and/or fees bigger inverts like nems.

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kmtfishchannel View Drop Down
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Have you used the Reef Chili? If so how often would you feed them? Every other day, once a week, etc? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 12:28am
Reef Frenzy.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sabeypets Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 12:48am
Originally posted by Fatman Fatman wrote:

Reef Frenzy.

I feed Reef Freny, live rotifers, live phytoplankton, and artic copods to my reef.
"Fuel" is a popular supplement.
Shaun
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marcoss Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 7:22am
I use Snow, Reef Chili, amino acids, and a couple other things. I use the amino acids first and then feed. I assume feedings do something but it's hard to track. And it's easy to get caught up in gimmicks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Baccara Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 8:29am
Doing water changes and feeding your fish should be fine for that size of a tank.

Never dose an additive that you aren't testing for.  Keeping stable levels of alk, cal, mag is what is important and with a tank of lps and softies, you should be able to maintain the levels with just water changes, at least for a while.  As the corals grow in size and numbers you might have to eventually start a 2 part dose.  Testing periodically and consistently will keep you on track.

Like everything else in this hobby, everyone has their own opinion on feeding coral.
I believe the best coral food is fish poop.  As long as you have a healthy amount of fish in your system, feeding the fish should be sufficient. As Marcoss stated, the only coral that really need to be feed are the non photosynthetic coral, because there is not enough food for them in the average home aquariums water column.

Alex



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Mark Peterson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 8:38am
I agree with everything said above and will reiterate the value of testing and maintaining Alkalinity, Ca and Mg. Have you read the Reefkeeping Tips?
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:
www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kmtfishchannel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 8:58am
Originally posted by Mark Peterson Mark Peterson wrote:

Have you read the Reefkeeping Tips?

I have glanced over them but have't fully read them. I will for sure though! 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kmtfishchannel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 8:59am
Originally posted by sabeypets sabeypets wrote:

Originally posted by Fatman Fatman wrote:

Reef Frenzy.

I feed Reef Freny, live rotifers, live phytoplankton, and artic copods to my reef.
"Fuel" is a popular supplement.

How often are your feeding your corals personally and adding the Fuel?  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 22 2016 at 9:44am
On this topic, I posted in this recent thread where I share how I feed the entire tank ecosystem, which in turn feeds the coral:

Aloha,
Mark  Hug

P.S.
Many of my friends have asked why I have not written a book about Reefkeeping? A book is a lot of work for very little money and it's only available to those that buy it. Instead, I put together the thread below from various discussions by forum guests and WMAS Members and have written about 20,000 individual, hopefully informative, posts here in our club forum. It's all available for free to the entire world. Wink

This thread is added to the Reefkeeping Tips. Smile




Edited by Mark Peterson - January 22 2016 at 9:52am
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:
www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sabeypets Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 23 2016 at 1:08am
Originally posted by kmtfishchannel kmtfishchannel wrote:

Originally posted by sabeypets sabeypets wrote:

Originally posted by Fatman Fatman wrote:

Reef Frenzy.

I feed Reef Freny, live rotifers, live phytoplankton, and artic copods to my reef.
"Fuel" is a popular supplement.


How often are your feeding your corals personally and adding the Fuel?  

Reef Frenzy, rotifers, phytoplankton get fed daily. Artic copods weekly.Fuel is also added weekly.

Edited by sabeypets - January 23 2016 at 1:10am
Shaun
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