Flake food

[FishFreak1961]

A lfs employee told me that flake food can contribute
to nitrate build up more so than other foods. Anyone
else heard that?

 

[austinsdad]

Haven't heard that, but I've heard it contributes to phosphates.

 

[FishFreak1961]

I'm sure it probably does. I don't believe that anyone
has water that is 0 phosphates or nitrates, if they do
I want to know the secret!! I do regular wcs and don't
overfeed, if anything i underfeed. BTW I love your profile
pic. I have a BT and a maroon clown, but it is not yellow
yet, I can't wait til that happens. They are such a happy
couple. He attacks me when I clean the tank!

 

[austinsdad]

Zero phosphates is attainable and preferred. Test your water especially if you want coral. It could be coming from your tap water. Test that too. Read up on RO/DI units and their benefits. Zero nitrates is attainable too.

 

[FishFreak1961]

I am on well water and I have tested it for phosphates and don't detect any.
I will check again. I have a countertop RO unit. My ph is 4.0 in my well water
and it takes me a week to buffer it up to do water changes and that is a royal
pain! I have corals and fish and they don't seem to be bothered with it. They
look healthy. Chili coral polyps extend a lot, Xenia looks great, leather finger
looks good. I don't understand my phosphates. I put in a boy'd chemipure
filter bag yesterday and am trying that. His red slime remover WORKS!

 

[austinsdad]

Flake foods and the frozen water if using brine it myisis. I melt the cubes in fresh water run thru a small net. Describe your typical feeding. Otherwise your tank sounds like it's fine.

 

[FishFreak1961]

Just checked phosphate in well water and it is at 0, so that is out.
I feed anemones a shrimp piece no more than twice a week, marine snow about every other day and dried plankton rotated in there once in a while. a few flakes of spirulina food daily. I mean a very few. Keep a sheet of algae hanging up for the lawnmowers. Half cube of frozen mysis about twice a week. I may be underfeeding. I have a fear of over doing it.

I'm getting a bicolor angel tomorrow from SWF.com and it didn't mention nipping at coral, sure hope he doesn't.

 

[austinsdad]

You are feeding too much. Snow once a week I think. Or less. Gotta remove that algae sheet after a while. It can decompose too. Lots of folk feed every other day. You are likely adding phosphates somehow.

 

[XxVooDooxX]

Yeah that does sound like a lot of food

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium

 

[FishFreak1961]

I'll cut back. I may eliminate flake food all together.
How often should I put the algae sheet in there. I
clean the clips a few times a wk, what a stench too.
How often do I feed the frozen block foods? I love to eat,
I would hate to be a fish I have one of those red
formia stars and don't even feed it. Says all they eat
is bacterial film. I must have plenty of it. Put me on
a feeding schedule you use.

 

[joy13]

One frozen food you might want to look into is Rod's Food. I like that over those little frozen cubes, less waste.

 

[austinsdad]

Give us a list of the critters in your tank.

 

[FishFreak1961]

Lawnmower
2 clowns
Sleeper
Purple anemone
Several crabs and snails
Coral finger, xenia, hammer
Curly q anemone
Bt anemone
That is 36 gal

20 gal
Red hawk
Maroon clown
Lawnmower
Chili coral
Feather duster
Choc star
Snails, crabs

 

[FishFreak1961]

I have never heard of rods foods, where do ya get it?

 

[austinsdad]

ROD'S FOOD -Providing your salt water aquarium with the finest food.

Which tank are you having the nitrate or phosphate problem with?

 

[FishFreak1961]

Both of them

 

[austinsdad]

Is a "sleeeper" the sleeper head goby? Also, what does your lawnmower blenny eat?

 

[FishFreak1961]

Yep, ole yeller head sleeper goby. Had him a very long time. Ravenous Blennies loves algae but I catch them eating mysis as well. I used ocean nutrition pellet food a week or so, but it sinks so fast I quit using it.