Best food for my new reef tank setup?

[Dach]

I recently got a well established reef setup from a friend.

The move went smoothly and most of the corals and fish seem to be doing fine.

This is what I have in the tank:

Bicolor angel
Purple tang
Clown fish
Blood shrimp

Frogspawn coral
Hammer coral
Green bubble coral
Red mushrooms
Green tree coral
Toadstool coral
Xenia

The most important question I have at the moment is what kind of food should I feed the fish and corals and the feeding regiment. A good staple? Will cichlid pellets do? How often, etc? Any speciality food for the coral, etc?

The toadstool doesn't seem to be doing too well.

So far, I have fed them some cichlid pellets and spot fed the bubble coral some mysis shrimp.

I will be buying some spirulina flakes for the purple tang.

Any help and suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

[sporto0]

Try the spectrum pellets for the fish, mine can't resist, I feed coral frenzy to my corals at lights out, once every week or two. Have fun & enjoy!

[papagimp]

So far, I have fed them some cichlid pellets and spot fed the bubble coral some mysis shrimp.

I will be buying some spirulina flakes for the purple tang.

Not sure on the cichlid pellets, I'll second the suggestion for the New Life: Spectrum pellets as well. Don't forget to spot feed the hammer and froggie as well as the bubble. they too will enjoy some mysis. some Nori for the tangs surely wouldn't hurt either.

[deehz]

Welcome to RC!!

I feed Rod's exclusively for all my reef pets. One chunk and spot feeding, everyone loves it. Plus a couple pieces of nori once in awhile does not hurt either.

[deehz]

Aw snap! double post.

[Dach]

Thanks for the replies!

The cichlid pellets are NLS brand.

I'll get some nori. How often do I feed that? Once a week?

The best time to spot feed the corals then is after the lights are out?

Anything I can do to revive the toadstool as far as food is concerned?

Thanks again!

[papagimp]

The best time to spot feed the corals then is after the lights are out?

Anything I can do to revive the toadstool as far as food is concerned?

I think when might depend on the coral species in question. I typically feed while my lights are on, even my last bubble coral.

to revive the toadstool, if he's been neglected, best thing may just be appropriate lighting and flow, and give him some time. but can't really say since I don't know what's wrong with it. a picture might help.

When I said NLS pellets, I specifically feed the Thera A+ ones. But reading the description on the cichlid pellets

"All ingredients used are almost identical since we cannot find anything better than what we are using. However the crude analysis will be different due to the percentage of ingredients incorporated into a specific formula."

They may work until that container is gone, I'd then go with the other.

[sporto0]

If you are going to target feed a coral, it doesn't matter when you do it, but almost all corals feed at night in the wild, they extend their polyps when danger is at a minimum from fish & other predators, but they are also opportunists, so whenever a meal is available they take advantage of it.

[duncantse]

Not sure about corals but I feed NLS pellets every other day.

[Tschupe]

Welcome to RC!!

I feed Rod's exclusively for all my reef pets. One chunk and spot feeding, everyone loves it. Plus a couple pieces of nori once in awhile does not hurt either.

+1 my tank loves rods!!!!

[GoIllini]

Mysis is the best for price, I think Rod's might be the best overall but it is kind of pricey.

[Dach]

Thanks again for all the help.

I have an unrelated question. I noticed my corals release some slime - a lot more then normal as I did a 20% water change. Is that normal? Is it an indication that the salinity or other parameters changed too much or the salt was not mixed properly or long enough?

How soon should do a water change in the future? Should I do one soon or should I wait for bit for them to recuperate?

[sporto0]

That is their defense mechanism, they were irritated by something, you should not be changing any parameters by doing a water change, within reason, obviously you will be replenishing essential elements, but salinity, alkalinity & temperature should be the same, extreme changes in those parameters would cause your corals to react that way. I would just wait & do your normal water change on your normal maintenance shcedule. You should make sure your salinity in the tank is the same as the water your putting in & don't forget that topping off a tank should be done with fresh RO/DI water, no salt added.

[PatriciaClemmon]

I have tried Rod's & LRS. I didn't like either. Now I use a brand called Captain Blackjack's Super Reef Diet. My aquarium loves it.