When you feed, what do you turn off?

[JW3571]

What equipment does everyone turn off when you feed? Do you turn off all powerheads, pumps, skimmer, etc?

[Squall]

I turn off my powerheads, but nothing else.

[EverettReef]

I turn off the return pump and the skimmer. I leave the powerheads running in the tank. Return comes back on in ten minutes, skimmer comes on 10 minutes after the return pump.

[Bamm Bamm]

Just my return pump for about 10-15minutes i leave the powerheads on its more fun to watch the fish chase their food=)

[dublo8]

Just the powerheads. I leave my return on as it seems to at least keep some food suspended. Turning it all off would cause a lot of the food to sink to the bottom, which could cause problems later.

[SushiGirl]

Powerheads. I try to get the food to sink to the bottom, I only have 2 swimming fish, the other 2 are gobies & all the crabs/shrimp go to the bottom during feeding time.

[LaOtIn]

i turn off the sump pump and the skimmer, I leave the powerheads running

[EllisJuan]

I turn off the return pump and dial the skimmer water level back...leave the powerheaads on.

[m2434]

I never have. In nature the ocean dosn't calm down when it's feeding time. Also, the powerheads disperse the food nicely, to the fish aren't all fighting for it in the same area. I think this is less stressful actually IMHO. Also, I feed a few small feedings a day with a fish feeder. So, I couldn't really turn it down anyway, in those cases, unless it is on a timer, but the flow seems to help break the surface tension and allow the food to drop.

[zigzag1]

I turn off my return pumps and powerheads and wait a couple of minutes until the overflow drains down. My skimmer is never shut off, but is a recirc that is fed by the DT overflow. I feed mostly floating foods, and my fish are used to it that way. Every bit of food is consumed before the ACjr kicks everything back on 20 minutes later.

[sslak]

I turn all flow off to target feed my mandarin...I put a pile of food on a rock with a pipette and she eats up the whole pile.

I just shoo away the cleaner shrimp while she eats.

Otherwise I would just turn of the powerheads and leave the return on...RK2 feed mode prevents me from forgetting to turn everything back on.

[OwenInAZ]

Nothing :)

[awestruck]

[QUOTE=m2434;18414005]I never have. In nature the ocean dosn't calm down when it's feeding time. Also, the powerheads disperse the food nicely, to the fish aren't all fighting for it in the same area. I think this is less stressful actually IMHO.

Same here.

[spamreefnew]

nothing

[Hawkdl2]

Nothing. My fish know how to swim.

[Palting]

When I feed the fish, I don't turn off anything. I only feed enough at a time so that the fish eat almost everything before it gets to the drains. If the food gets to the drains, then I've given too much.

Once a week I feed the coral. Whether I target feed or broadcast feed, I turn the return pump off and the skimmer off for about 30 minutes, and leave all the powerheads on. Give time for all those little polyps, little mouths, and little tentacles to catch food from the water column.

[bean59]

I don't turn off anything. All my fish eat what I give them in about 15 seconds.

[GhostCon1]

Nothing. My fish know how to swim.

I love this answer:beachbum:

I turn off return pump. Leave on the mp10 to churn up the food around everywhere.

[small alien]

I turn off all power heads and the return. I have pipefish and dragonets and my filefish that all need time to pick food off the bottom without it flying around. I turn off all for for 20 minutes or so each time I feed.

[rainydave]

I turn off my return, skimmer and the 2 big powerheads. I leave my Koralia 1s on to circulate the food.

My feed standby lasts for 20 minutes. The skimmer turns on 10 minutes after standby ends.

[Jukas]

I used to leave everything on, but put my Vortech into feed mode.

Recently however my Tomini has starting having major dominance issues with my pair of clowns and keeps them banished to bottom corner of the tank when food is about. Since this has been going on I've started shutting off my powerheads and skimmer when I feed for 10-15 min, then I bring them back online and put the Vortech into feed mode to stir up anything still sitting on the sandbed, then it returns to Reef Crest mode like normal.

[small alien]

Feeding more often might help your Tomini take a chill pill.

[C0rp]

Nothing. God doesn't turn off the ocean so that fish can eat. If my fish wants to eat it will go after its food lol.

[small alien]

Har har. But this isn't the ocean. Some copepod hunters need a chance to peck the food from the substrate.

[Jukas]

Feeding more often might help your Tomini take a chill pill.

I thought about that, but they already get fed daily.. Usually a cube of mysis, and some pellets and little goes to waste. If I start feeding twice a day I'd be worried about adding excessive waste organics to the system.

[ritter6788]

I only turn off the powerheads when I target feed my LPS corals. I run them normally when feeding the fish and sps.

[cubsFAN]

I don't turn anything off. Am I doing wrong?

[wakeboardgeek]

Turn off return and skimmer.