Feeding question

[po]

I just set up my new tank from Chris last week, I don't have any fish but I got some very live sand just loaded with critters.

What is the best food or mix of foods that I can use to feed my tank that will also benefit my corals?

Let me know what works for you.

 

Thanks

[MKramer]

Your corals won't need any food. You can give them phytoplankton if you like, but it does add to the pollution of your tank.

 

Your sandbed critters eat detritous. Meaning, animal wastes and other dead organic matter. Leftover food, molted skin, dead animals, etc.. If really do have a lot, and you're worried they're not going to have enough to eat, you can drop little pieces of frozen fish food in the tank. They'll settle to the sand and will be consumed. Either by the critters or the bacteria.

[po]

Thanks for the reply. One of my main concerns is overfeeding and polluting. I have some frozen brine, will that suffice? I've read that frozen brine really does not have any substantial nutrients in it, but I guess for sand bed critters it would be OK?

[MKramer]

Yeah, but I really wouldn't use much. I don't know how large your sandbed is, or how populated it might be, but I would say that you can get away with putting a little in just once a week. To take a stab at the amount, use what you think you would feed to one fish in a single sitting.

 

Your tank can more than handle that amount of decay, if it's not all eaten. Actually, since you don't have any fish, it can be quite useful in keeping the bacteria population strong.

[flameangel]

Hi Po,,

I fed the sand you bought from me, a few pinchs of OSI Marine flake food daily.

You would not want to feed them as much as I did though-LOL !!

Would have even MORE critters in the sand.

[po]

Hey Judy,

 

Welcome to this board!

I have some prime reef, I've just been throwing in some of that soaked in a little selcon.

 

Guess what? I managed to get that crab I told you about. Unfortunately he had to die in the process, I'll leave out the messy details. That little bugger was always up to no good!

[flameangel]

Hi Chris,,

Nice little forum here !!

 

Very good about getting that crab, too.

Will save the life of many animals in the future.

The Selcon is not necessary, by the way.