Anyone feeding pellets only?

Capt_Cully · 08/04/2016, 03:53 PM

I've fed frozen only for 12+ years. Could never get my fish to eat pellets. Now that I'm in the rebuilding phase, I'm wondering if I can make the transition.

I'm all for spoiling my fish, but vacations are a hassle. If I could make due with an automatic feeder it would make that and the nightly preparation task a bit less monotonous. Plus, with my job, at least once a week I would miss a feeding due to being gone all day and night.

I don't need them to love pellets, I just need them to eat them.

daveverdo · 08/04/2016, 04:06 PM

I don't feed "pellets only" but do use them the most. I mix it up a bit and flakes, pellets, freeze dried, and frozen.

I use pellets the most and all my fish eat them. They do like frozen mysis more but the pellets are my staple. My mushrooms, ricordia, and some LPS also take them if they make down that far.

I use them in an Eheim feeder all the time when I am away. For a long time I used pellets in the autofeeder as an everyday feeder (twice a day). I would then give them a frozen treat once in a while.

johno4 · 08/04/2016, 04:20 PM

I feed mainly NLS pellets. I feed frozen a couple times a week. I have found if you mix the pellets with the frozen that usually gets the picky guys to eat it. My trigger used to pick around the pellets and eat only the other stuff so I made a thick slurry of frozen and pellets and refroze it in a bag. That did the trick, I put in some small pieces still frozen and that got him to eat everything, even the pellets.

DBR_reef · 08/04/2016, 04:27 PM

I feed only pellets with dry coral food mixed in to the auto feeder . Or when I'm gone for months at a time I do

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Brieninsac · 08/04/2016, 04:53 PM

When I started I could only get my fish to eat frozen foods. After about 9-months I started feeding them NLS pellets occasionally and they love them now. I'm now feeding them pellets at night and frozen foods in the morning. I will probably continue with this feeding regimen.

C.Eymann · 08/04/2016, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBR_reef

I feed only pellets with dry coral food mixed in to the auto feeder . Or when I'm gone for months at a time I do

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away from your reef months at a time? please explain how this is possible! not saying it isn't but, I wanna know how?

MarksReef · 08/04/2016, 05:41 PM

I feed 85% pellets. 15% frozen nori when I think of it.
All my fish are healthy and great color.

DBR_reef · 08/04/2016, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.Eymann

away from your reef months at a time? please explain how this is possible! not saying it isn't but, I wanna know how?

You can look at my build thread, but a autofilter, auto dosing, auto feeder, and auto water changes

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Gary Majchrzak · 08/06/2016, 06:17 AM

Close to 95% pellet here. Only one of my fish won't take 'em but it grazes heavily on stuff in the aquarium.
I'll toss some frozen in once or twice a week.

Capt_Cully · 08/06/2016, 06:24 AM

What pellets are you guys feeding? Mix n match? Couple different kinds...?

Gary Majchrzak · 08/06/2016, 06:25 AM

Spectrum 1mm. Regular.
When the imp gets larger I'll mix in larger size Spectrum

Capt_Cully · 08/06/2016, 07:01 AM

Thanks. I've been eyeballing the new Apex AFS. I can set it at smaller more frequent feelings. This might allow me to keep some of the smaller cool wrasses that love to eat all day long. I feel at ease freeing myself from nightly preparation of frozen foods. I'll still do it frequently, but wanting to do it, is much better than having to.

DBR_reef · 08/06/2016, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt_Cully

Thanks. I've been eyeballing the new Apex AFS. I can set it at smaller more frequent feelings. This might allow me to keep some of the smaller cool wrasses that love to eat all day long. I feel at ease freeing myself from nightly preparation of frozen foods. I'll still do it frequently, but wanting to do it, is much better than having to.

If you want to try the afs out, I have an extra you can borrow- some people don't like them

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block head · 08/07/2016, 08:05 AM

NLS myself, my fish have really responded well to innovative marine's gourmet defroster. Toss in a frozen cube and walk away. Also can be used as a feeding ring. My chromis swim into it. One you dial it in , it's a big time saver. Or I kick back and watch them eat for a half hr.

Gary Majchrzak · 08/07/2016, 08:30 AM

I've mentioned this before:

Auto feeder design needs an upgrade.
Similar to Maxi jets to prop pumps.
It sucks to have to refill an auto feeder often and the dispense/dump holes need refinement!

drtango · 08/07/2016, 12:11 PM

Ocean Nutrition formula 1 and 2 medium pellets works for me

cardiffgiant · 08/07/2016, 01:55 PM

i fed spectrum pellet 95% of the time. i added nori 2x a week and frozen 1-2x a week (when I could remember to do it). My fish all got pretty beefy.

Neoz · 08/07/2016, 03:05 PM

I wish I could feed just pellets. But my CBB is still only eating Mysis. All the other fish eat pellets

Ellery · 08/17/2016, 12:42 PM

I'm here same as Gary - 95% NLS Pellets (4lb Generic bucket) I can only feed frozen on weekends if I am ever home. They have been great for my tangs since they address the malnutrition issues like Hole in the head and Lateral Line disease in the past when they first came out. I even use it to target feed some of my LPS.

sean obergfell · 08/17/2016, 06:07 PM

100% NLS... Thera +A, Ultra Red & AlgaeMax

Fish are health and growing strong...

I love their food... Been using it for 10 years.... I used to do both frozen... Rods, PE Mysis... Really tried to stay with the best ... But then turned to 100% NLS.

Phosphates and Nitrates are down....

splix · 07/26/2017, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean obergfell

100% NLS... Thera +A, Ultra Red & AlgaeMax

Fish are health and growing strong...

I love their food... Been using it for 10 years.... I used to do both frozen... Rods, PE Mysis... Really tried to stay with the best ... But then turned to 100% NLS.

Phosphates and Nitrates are down....

What type of fish do you have? I'm looking at going 95% NLS pellets, but I'm concerned about my angels and their overall nutrition.

erndog1001 · 07/27/2017, 06:28 AM

I got these shrimp pellets from Ken's fish food site.Little tiny things that I use for feeding all the smaller bottom feeders in my FW tank Anyways one day I decided to throw a few to my tangs. They tore hem up that a kid eating candy. Now I include them their diet all the time

CUSE1315 · 07/27/2017, 08:45 AM

I would say I am 75 percent frozen and 25 percent Seaweed and NLS Garlic Pellets.

With that being said it did take my quite some time to get my fish interested in pellets but they all seem to eat them now (minus my marine betta).

I would like to convert over to an auto feeder at least for the morning time. What one do you guys recommend? I would prefer it to be APEX ready as I have one but this not a requirement. Thanks all!

Vinny Kreyling · 07/27/2017, 08:49 AM

Eheim makes a battery powered feeder, it works very well.

CUSE1315 · 07/27/2017, 11:59 AM

Thanks Vinny!

08/04/2016, 03:53 PM	#1
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	Anyone feeding pellets only? I've fed frozen only for 12+ years. Could never get my fish to eat pellets. Now that I'm in the rebuilding phase, I'm wondering if I can make the transition. I'm all for spoiling my fish, but vacations are a hassle. If I could make due with an automatic feeder it would make that and the nightly preparation task a bit less monotonous. Plus, with my job, at least once a week I would miss a feeding due to being gone all day and night. I don't need them to love pellets, I just need them to eat them. __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

08/04/2016, 04:06 PM	#2
daveverdo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Horseheads, NY Posts: 1,881	I don't feed "pellets only" but do use them the most. I mix it up a bit and flakes, pellets, freeze dried, and frozen. I use pellets the most and all my fish eat them. They do like frozen mysis more but the pellets are my staple. My mushrooms, ricordia, and some LPS also take them if they make down that far. I use them in an Eheim feeder all the time when I am away. For a long time I used pellets in the autofeeder as an everyday feeder (twice a day). I would then give them a frozen treat once in a while. __________________ 90g Display with fish, LR and a few soft corals, 65g basement sump, eBay LEDs

08/04/2016, 04:53 PM	#5
Brieninsac Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 782	When I started I could only get my fish to eat frozen foods. After about 9-months I started feeding them NLS pellets occasionally and they love them now. I'm now feeding them pellets at night and frozen foods in the morning. I will probably continue with this feeding regimen. __________________ Red Sea Reefer 350 (73gal/18gal sump) / Kessil a360WE Lights

08/04/2016, 05:41 PM	#7
MarksReef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Rush, N.Y. Posts: 4,058	I feed 85% pellets. 15% frozen nori when I think of it. All my fish are healthy and great color. __________________ 93G Rimless Cube Current Tank Info: 93G Rimless Cube

08/06/2016, 06:17 AM	#9
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	Close to 95% pellet here. Only one of my fish won't take 'em but it grazes heavily on stuff in the aquarium. I'll toss some frozen in once or twice a week. __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

08/04/2016, 04:20 PM	#3
johno4 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 2,526	I feed mainly NLS pellets. I feed frozen a couple times a week. I have found if you mix the pellets with the frozen that usually gets the picky guys to eat it. My trigger used to pick around the pellets and eat only the other stuff so I made a thick slurry of frozen and pellets and refroze it in a bag. That did the trick, I put in some small pieces still frozen and that got him to eat everything, even the pellets.

08/04/2016, 04:27 PM	#4
DBR_reef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 236	I feed only pellets with dry coral food mixed in to the auto feeder . Or when I'm gone for months at a time I do Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08/06/2016, 06:24 AM	#10
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	What pellets are you guys feeding? Mix n match? Couple different kinds...? __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

08/06/2016, 06:25 AM	#11
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	Spectrum 1mm. Regular. When the imp gets larger I'll mix in larger size Spectrum __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

08/06/2016, 07:01 AM	#12
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	Thanks. I've been eyeballing the new Apex AFS. I can set it at smaller more frequent feelings. This might allow me to keep some of the smaller cool wrasses that love to eat all day long. I feel at ease freeing myself from nightly preparation of frozen foods. I'll still do it frequently, but wanting to do it, is much better than having to. __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

08/07/2016, 08:05 AM	#14
block head Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: spencerport ny Posts: 2,619	NLS myself, my fish have really responded well to innovative marine's gourmet defroster. Toss in a frozen cube and walk away. Also can be used as a feeding ring. My chromis swim into it. One you dial it in , it's a big time saver. Or I kick back and watch them eat for a half hr.

08/07/2016, 08:30 AM	#15
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	I've mentioned this before: Auto feeder design needs an upgrade. Similar to Maxi jets to prop pumps. It sucks to have to refill an auto feeder often and the dispense/dump holes need refinement! __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

08/07/2016, 12:11 PM	#16
drtango Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Williamsville, NY Posts: 1,741	Ocean Nutrition formula 1 and 2 medium pellets works for me __________________ John www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/totm/index.php Current Tank Info: 200 DD, 400w halides, low tech

08/07/2016, 01:55 PM	#17
cardiffgiant Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tampa Posts: 3,455	i fed spectrum pellet 95% of the time. i added nori 2x a week and frozen 1-2x a week (when I could remember to do it). My fish all got pretty beefy.

08/07/2016, 03:05 PM	#18
Neoz Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 1,582	I wish I could feed just pellets. But my CBB is still only eating Mysis. All the other fish eat pellets __________________ Dave Live to Learn Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer 450 - currently in storage.

08/17/2016, 12:42 PM	#19
Ellery Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 954	I'm here same as Gary - 95% NLS Pellets (4lb Generic bucket) I can only feed frozen on weekends if I am ever home. They have been great for my tangs since they address the malnutrition issues like Hole in the head and Lateral Line disease in the past when they first came out. I even use it to target feed some of my LPS. __________________ ---------------------------------------- part-time jacque-cousteau Full Time money spender. Current Tank Info: 125G SPS Reef+ 120G + 80 Shallow Frag + 40B LPS/Anemone + 12g Clam + 20L Nano + (30&40g)sumps

08/17/2016, 06:07 PM	#20
sean obergfell Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Olean, ny Posts: 852	100% NLS... Thera +A, Ultra Red & AlgaeMax Fish are health and growing strong... I love their food... Been using it for 10 years.... I used to do both frozen... Rods, PE Mysis... Really tried to stay with the best ... But then turned to 100% NLS. Phosphates and Nitrates are down.... __________________ Live Out Truth

07/27/2017, 06:28 AM	#22
erndog1001 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Syracuse/Camillus Posts: 829	I got these shrimp pellets from Ken's fish food site.Little tiny things that I use for feeding all the smaller bottom feeders in my FW tank Anyways one day I decided to throw a few to my tangs. They tore hem up that a kid eating candy. Now I include them their diet all the time __________________ The heck with the grandkids Ask me about my reef tank!

07/27/2017, 08:45 AM	#23
CUSE1315 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Syracuse Posts: 327	I would say I am 75 percent frozen and 25 percent Seaweed and NLS Garlic Pellets. With that being said it did take my quite some time to get my fish interested in pellets but they all seem to eat them now (minus my marine betta). I would like to convert over to an auto feeder at least for the morning time. What one do you guys recommend? I would prefer it to be APEX ready as I have one but this not a requirement. Thanks all!

07/27/2017, 08:49 AM	#24
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Eheim makes a battery powered feeder, it works very well. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

07/27/2017, 11:59 AM	#25
CUSE1315 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Syracuse Posts: 327	Thanks Vinny!