Coral Feeding - How Many Times Per Week?

[smaier6]

Hi,
I am interested in receiving recommendations and reasons why and why not when recommending the number of times feeding per week the Coral. When is best to feed day or night?

I currently have around 25 -30 corals in my 60G. I have no SPS corals. I usually feed twice a week with a syringe directly into the coral polyps. I feed with Phytoplankton, cyclopeze. Frozen mysis and brine shrimp and squid. I do not feed the entire cup usually around half and then freeze it and use it later in the week. When I am feeding this way it is without the syringe. I just pour into the powerhead flow. One last thing I have a sun coral and must syringe it directly into the head with mysis shrimp 3 times per week.

A little further information: I have around 8 fish and cleaning crews which include snails, crabs and shrimp.

I appreciate everyone's recommendations.
Thanks,

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I never intentionally feed corals, although some may get some of the fish food. :)

[smaier6]

Randy,
I appreciate your information. By not intentially feeding your corals are they growing slow or at a normal rate. I am assuming then you are using your lighting system to feed they by photosynthesis? I am correct?
Thanks,

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Some of the corals grow as fast as I'd want them to, and require pruning. I've not tried to do a comparative study to other tanks.

Yes, they get food from the water that is naturally there, and they photosynthesize. I do not intentionally keep any nonphotosynthetic corals.

[beanoil]

Hi Randy,

In Borneman's book, "Aquarium Corals", there's a section that goes into great detail about how even photosynthetic corals need a significant amount of food. Yet many here on RC, like yourself, don't do supplemental feeding. Is it just different schools of thought? (I'm trying to decide whether or not to feed).

Thanks,
Grant

[bertoni]

Well, even if the corals need a lot of food, most tanks have fish in them, and the fish get fed, which can in turn feed the corals. There might also be some food from small animals, like copepods, that can be grown (indirectly) via the lighting on the tank.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree. They may well get food from the tank. It is sort of self proving that if they need it, they must be getting it. Are there some corals I might not be able to keep? Sure. But all of those that I do presently have are thriving and growing.

Feeding corals has its own issues, such as nutrient removal concerns.

[beanoil]

Thanks Jonathan and Randy.

Smaier--sorry, didn't mean to steal your thread....

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Happy Reefing. :)