Feeding fish with pumps on or off?

[Mikro]

Which is the best way?
I usually turn the pumps/power heads off. But I have turned them back on while there is still food in the tank and noticed it enticed the fish to feed again.

[t-dizzle]

Mikro, I feed my clowns with the pumps off. After just a few days of this, it's fun to watch them shoot straight to the top of the tank every time I turn the pumps off--it's like I'm ringing their dinner bell or something. :)

Like you, I've seen my fish continue to eat after the pumps start blowing food around, but I prefer feeding in a still tank because it makes it much easier to be sure that everyone is eating properly.

HTH,
T./

[ozfish]

I always feed my fish with the pumps on. I usually push frozen food directly into the Tunze this chops it up and pushes into the water stream. My Fish go nuts chasing it and get some exercise at the same time.

[Kahuna Tuna]

I turn my main return pump off but leave my tunze powerheads on. This keeps the food blowing around the tank until it all gets eaten but doesn't add extra bioload from uneaten food going down the overflow.

[t-dizzle]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7381551#post7381551 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ozfish
I usually push frozen food directly into the Tunze this chops it up and pushes into the water stream. ozfish, are you saying what I think you're saying? :eek2:

A Tunze food processor?!? I know those German powerheads are built like tanks, but REALLY...

:D :D :D

T./

[ozfish]

Yep that's exactly what I'm saying! :D
Keep in mind the food has been thawed before use though.

[tkeracer619]

I feed with all the pumps on. I dont like flipping switches or pulling plugs unless I have to.

My clowns and cromis come to me like they were puppys. Put your finger above the water and the female clown will poke her head out of the water to get a closer look. I work out of the home and can drop food in whenever. They have no scedule its just every couple hours I walk buy and feed everyone. Nobody seems to mind. The firefish knows I will drop him some so he doesnt have to go far from his hole.

[jer77]

It really depends on whaqt fish you have in your tank. For example a mandarin that feed on brine shrimp would most definately need the pumps off to fill his/her belly, but for others like tangs who love to swim around then I would leave them on. Also if you have hermits or shrimp then letting some food drop to the bottom helps them out. Just use your common sense and if you need to turn them off then do it. You don't have to turn them off all the time. What kinds of fish do you have and what kinds of food do you feed?

[Dastank]

I feed with the pumps off that way some food drops on to my hammer coral. (seems to like it) I do turn it back on in a minute and let the fish chase the food around.

[funkyman]

Both.

When I first start to feed, I shut everything off (return pump, Tunzes, and Maxijets). This gives me a nice calm tank to spot feed certain corals with.

The Maxijets automatically come back on after 20 minutes. The feed cycle for the Tunzes is only 10 minutes, so I actually have to shut it off twice to get the same 20 minutes the Maxijets have. This isn't a problem since I'm usually still standing there spot feeding anyway.

Eventually all the powerheads come back on, and I let them run for 20 minutes or so to distrubute the uneaten food to all parts of the tank for the inverts, or whatever else wants to grab it.

The return pump is the last thing turned back on. This may seem like a big drawn out ordeal, but it's not really. Nothing seems like work if it's fun to do.

[crzy4reefs]

I feed my fish pumps on, my corals i feed when lights are off and pumps are off and i target feed the corals.

[Dazed And Confused]

Pumps on, skimmer off. My skimmer is on a timer, goes off about 1/2 hour before I usually feed, comes on again about 10 hours later. I haven't noticed a decline in production and I hate to skim out what I just fed. I got some of ReefMonkey's stuff that has ocean pearls, cyclopeze, yada yada and I can really see the corals come alive when I feed. The fish have no trouble chasing the food down, it's actually comical to watch.

[REEFERINDC]

This way the food is blown around and the fish will be enticed to chase it.If some goes down my overflow no problem I have hermits,snails,an emerald crab and 2 peppermint shrimp in there to catch left overs.I will also clean out my overflow box once a week to catch any food trapped or may have been trapped.

[jester805]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7381733#post7381733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kahuna Tuna
I turn my main return pump off but leave my tunze powerheads on. This keeps the food blowing around the tank until it all gets eaten but doesn't add extra bioload from uneaten food going down the overflow.

That's what I do too...and for the same reasons. :D

[fantastic4]

I like to feed with wave maker on, then all of my creatures have a good shot at food.

I also hand deliver food to certain gus via a home made stick with clip.

Also, turkey baster for corals.

[Kaiser Tang]

I turn my PH off and leave my return pump on. This provides enough current for my corals to get a bit, but so much that the fish can't catch it.