Dirty sand

[MadReefer]

So did an 8 gallon water change today. The sand was disgustingly dirty.
Thought had good flow at bottom of the tank, guess not and will have to rethink this. Also, plan to only feed flakes 1x weekly but keep the daily frozen feeding. Any other thoughts?

 

[deepblue68]

I feel frozen everyday is too much and would feed flakes or pellets once lightly.

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[diana a]

I think all things should be done in moderation. I haven't used pellets or flakes since I had a freshwater tank. I use frozen food I made or purchased. I thaw the cubes in the fridge and feed the what is needed and not anymore.

 

[Sponge]

Sometimes it feels like frozen meaty foods are the heavy nitrate makers. But fact is they are mostly water. Flake and pellet food is great nutrition but are so densely packed that it’s easy to over feed with it. I always get algae on the sand when I feed dry food to my tank

 

[deepblue68]

I agreeing just saying I think we tend to over feed our tanks at times.

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[Haus]

I think it’s important to thaw and then rinse the frozen food if possible (cyclops are to small to rinse, and LRS and Rods supposedly don’t need to be rinsed)-otherwise frozen can cause a mess in the tank.
I like to mix it up so I have a few frozen foods and pellets so I try to feed different things each day, though I use pellets more than I’d prefer since it’s easier. Also now using spirulina flakes for flame angel (I’m surprised to see all the fish love them). I agree with deepblue that we tend to over-feed.
A reefer who taught me the hobby fed only five days a week to keep nutrients down, reasoning there are plenty of other things for the fish to feed on including pods. I don’t schedule to do that but if my day is restrictive I don’t mind missing as long as it’s not two days in a row, and definitely not more than once or twice a week.

 

[amado]

I feed multiple times a day. I have always feed 3x a day and I put a sheet of nori every day.
I fed pellets/ flakes/ frozen ( LRS and clams on the 1/2 shell)

I try to feed very small portions instead on one huge meal every day. I personally feel that you don’t need to cut back on feeding I thing you just need to spread it out. That way your tank can absorb the nutrients.

Pellets are more concentrated so I think they dirty the water like nothing else. Frozen and live foods are mostly water.

Feeding really depends on the kind of fish you have. Some small fish need to eat every day for them to stay healthy. They can’t miss a day with out food. I have a copper band and he needs to eat multiple times a day and he won’t eat from the water only the rock. I also have a cleaner wrasses that needs to eat small pieces of food all the time.


On another note I love sand. I like the look of sands I have wrasses that need sand. I have a lot of life in my sand. But on my next build that’s one thing I will change is no more sand in the display !

 

[Sponge]

Love all the responses... one question/comment. Would I be correct in saying. Feed schedule and algae are also just a little effected by the age of a tank. A mature tank is just better suited for more aggressive feeding as it is much more equipped to stave of an algae bloom. I believe you MUST be more stingy in the first year and for that reason have a smaller bio load so as to not need so much food and consequently so much waste. In short. I believe the bigger problem is a lot of us Over stock to soon.

 

[MadReefer]

I can say that the tank water looks much clearer, my wife noticed it.
Looking at the can of flake I have to admit I did overfeed and will be cutting back.
Will also change a few more gallons of water I have stored. I did pickup some Cerith snails for the sand.