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How often to feed SPS and LPS


14biocubeGuy

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I have a 14g nano cube stocked with acans, SPS monti's, ricordia and polyps. I just bought some coral frenzy and was wondering how often to feed them and what to feed the different types. I have some frozen mysis shrimp which i like to target feed the acans. the sps and polyps don't seem to take to it however. The coral frenzy on the other hand, the acans extend their tentacles but don't close up and the sps and polyps seem to like it. should i mix both together and try to target feed? or should i feed different types to different corals? Thanks!

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I have a 14g nano cube stocked with acans, SPS monti's, ricordia and polyps. I just bought some coral frenzy and was wondering how often to feed them and what to feed the different types. I have some frozen mysis shrimp which i like to target feed the acans. the sps and polyps don't seem to take to it however. The coral frenzy on the other hand, the acans extend their tentacles but don't close up and the sps and polyps seem to like it. should i mix both together and try to target feed? or should i feed different types to different corals? Thanks!

 

LPS is really, really easy - turn your pumps off and target feed at night while feeing tentacles are extended meaty foods like mysis. You want to feed as much as practical without fouling up your water. I target feed 2x weekly in a mature tank with tons of nutrient export.

 

SPS, especially acros, is a bit different and is much more difficult to feed in smaller tanks. Besides needing very specifically sized particles (about 10 microns to about 150 microns - oyster eggs, rotifers, baby brine, etc.), they take a while to respond to food and don't snag food out of the water as well as LPS does. To get SPS to eat, turn off your return but leave powerheads on at dawn, dusk, or at night and broadcast feed a small amount of food every 10 to 15 minutes until you start to see a response. Basically, SPS will extend what look like tiny, super-thin tentacles out from all over (it looks like a very tiny version of a chalices sweeper tentacles). Once they are out, turn off the powerheads and target feed like ususal. After 5 minutes or so turn the powerheads back on but leave the return off so they can catch anything left in teh water column. After another 15 minutes or so turn the return back on.

 

I target feed my acros once a week directly and add in some rotifers or oyster eggs when target feeding my LPS that get broadcast around the tank.

 

If you have a newer tank that isn't mature and packed out with corals you can't feed that much without serious problems. When feeding always take it slow and gradually increase the amount you feed. The more you feed the better things are - there are countless studies showing that corals that are properly fed can grow 3-4x as much or more as non-fed corals.

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Thanks! The monti's i have, have really small polyps. I don't think i have EVER seen little tentacles from them when feeding. I am using coral frenzy for the firs time however so i will see how they react.

 

Quick question though, won't broadcast feeding for that long raise my nitrates up a lot?! I'm tryn to keep those as low as possible. I do 20-25% water changes ever week.

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If it Helps i Feed a mixture of Phyto, Spirilina, brine and Cyclop-Eeze 3 times weekly, I have seen amazing growth . I use turkey baster and blasy it in to current so it will hit corals dead on.. SO target feeding

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Polarcollision

If it Helps i Feed a mixture of Phyto, Spirilina, brine and Cyclop-Eeze 3 times weekly, I have seen amazing growth . I use turkey baster and blasy it in to current so it will hit corals dead on.. SO target feeding

 

I have powder spirulina from a health-food store. Will this work?

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I have powder spirulina from a health-food store. Will this work?

Not Sure on that, But i imangine if it is just pure spirilina it might be ok. Iwould ask around about it.

I Use Serra tabs and just powder them my self http://www.amazon.com/Spirulina-Tabs-Fish-Food-Size/dp/B007A0PDVE/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1410416385&sr=1-3&keywords=sera

Added bonus is you can stick one to inside of glass by pressing it onto glass and holding it there for a few seconds and fish go nuts for it. Fun to watch them pick it apart

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Thanks! The monti's i have, have really small polyps. I don't think i have EVER seen little tentacles from them when feeding. I am using coral frenzy for the firs time however so i will see how they react.

 

Quick question though, won't broadcast feeding for that long raise my nitrates up a lot?! I'm tryn to keep those as low as possible. I do 20-25% water changes ever week.

 

Yes it will - it puts a LOT of nutrients into the tank. That is why without a mature and heavily stocked tank and without heavy filtration you can't feed as much - if the tank can't process the nutrients you put in, they will rise. That's why you start slow and turn off your return pump to maximize the amount of food taken up.

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