Feeding frozen foods
- Thread starter rujelus22
- Start date
oceana
Active Member
Originally Posted by rujelus22
I've heard a lot of things about frozen foods raising phosphate and nitrate levels and everyone says not to defrost them in water but my question is how do you defrost them?
i dont defrost mine at all.
i take a strong fork and press really hard until it crushes. the mash it up. this breaks it up very well. i find that if your just defrost it it kind of clumps up and does not spread around as well.
if you want to defrost it simple take a bit of tank water or even tap water wont hurt since its so little and place the cube into the cup. drop it in your microwave for about 5-10 second. drain it and feed.
personaly i would not worry a bit about it. in cases this small it wont make a difference as long as your doing proper water changes.
I've heard a lot of things about frozen foods raising phosphate and nitrate levels and everyone says not to defrost them in water but my question is how do you defrost them?
i dont defrost mine at all.
i take a strong fork and press really hard until it crushes. the mash it up. this breaks it up very well. i find that if your just defrost it it kind of clumps up and does not spread around as well.
if you want to defrost it simple take a bit of tank water or even tap water wont hurt since its so little and place the cube into the cup. drop it in your microwave for about 5-10 second. drain it and feed.
personaly i would not worry a bit about it. in cases this small it wont make a difference as long as your doing proper water changes.
M
moatdaddy
Guest
have you guys been noticing the flim of oil in the water from the defrosted food. some skimmers super foam when food is added thats defrosted. the solution to this problem is to rinse the food. i do this by defrosting draining refilling and draining agian. this helps keep the tank top water clean and oils out of the tank
crox
Active Member
Originally Posted by moatdaddy
have you guys been noticing the flim of oil in the water from the defrosted food. some skimmers super foam when food is added thats defrosted. the solution to this problem is to rinse the food. i do this by defrosting draining refilling and draining agian. this helps keep the tank top water clean and oils out of the tank
I never saw any oil from the frozen food.
have you guys been noticing the flim of oil in the water from the defrosted food. some skimmers super foam when food is added thats defrosted. the solution to this problem is to rinse the food. i do this by defrosting draining refilling and draining agian. this helps keep the tank top water clean and oils out of the tank
I never saw any oil from the frozen food.
ctgretzky9
Member
It doesnt matter one bit how you add the frozen food. I have both dropped the cubes directly into the tank to fall apart, and I have other times dropped them in a cup of water i scooped fromt the tank. No difference at all in nitrates or anything.
What makes the difference is if you decide you want to 'rinse off" frozen foods like mysis shrimp in a stariner to just get the shrimp.
Nitrates shouldnt be all that affected by feeding normal amounts of food. If you are having nitrate problems, it is either due to feeding TOO MUCH or not doing proper maint: Cleaning media filters, improper functioning of protein skimmers (including monthly or so of cleaning the entire unti), too much of a bio-load etc.
There are studies, that say in the case of MYsis shrimp, the excess crud in the mixture benefits many coral that feed with smaller polyps, to support micro life, and others.
As far as skimmers overflowing, usually, you should turn your skimmer off for a little while during feeding, especially in the case of such foods at DT's oyster eggs or snow.
What makes the difference is if you decide you want to 'rinse off" frozen foods like mysis shrimp in a stariner to just get the shrimp.
Nitrates shouldnt be all that affected by feeding normal amounts of food. If you are having nitrate problems, it is either due to feeding TOO MUCH or not doing proper maint: Cleaning media filters, improper functioning of protein skimmers (including monthly or so of cleaning the entire unti), too much of a bio-load etc.
There are studies, that say in the case of MYsis shrimp, the excess crud in the mixture benefits many coral that feed with smaller polyps, to support micro life, and others.
As far as skimmers overflowing, usually, you should turn your skimmer off for a little while during feeding, especially in the case of such foods at DT's oyster eggs or snow.
ctgretzky9
Member
Originally Posted by sufunk
Never heard that before about the excess "crud" being benificial, Ctgretzky. Should i not wash that off then and leave it for the corals?
I leave it now, and I really havent noticed a difference either way with leaving solid cubes or rinsing, I have done both. Nitrates didnt change, the health of the corals didnt change. It was just one piece I read on a study about frozen foods and nitrates. And since it is way easier to put the cube sin than to strain it every night, i do that!
It stated to the effect that many corals that polyp feed enjoy the excess materials found in most frozen foods, as well as all of the micro life in an aquarium. Water volume, of course would factor in I would think. A nano would probably want to rinse unless they have a lot of coral, whereas a 75 gallon tank can definitely afford some extra material.
In my toughts, if you are doing the proper things for your reef, a bit of extra crud isnt going to change anything in the tank, and could even be beneficial.
Never heard that before about the excess "crud" being benificial, Ctgretzky. Should i not wash that off then and leave it for the corals?
I leave it now, and I really havent noticed a difference either way with leaving solid cubes or rinsing, I have done both. Nitrates didnt change, the health of the corals didnt change. It was just one piece I read on a study about frozen foods and nitrates. And since it is way easier to put the cube sin than to strain it every night, i do that!
It stated to the effect that many corals that polyp feed enjoy the excess materials found in most frozen foods, as well as all of the micro life in an aquarium. Water volume, of course would factor in I would think. A nano would probably want to rinse unless they have a lot of coral, whereas a 75 gallon tank can definitely afford some extra material.
In my toughts, if you are doing the proper things for your reef, a bit of extra crud isnt going to change anything in the tank, and could even be beneficial.
ctgretzky9
Member
Originally Posted by sufunk
Cool, im gonna try leaving it and see if anything good/bad happens.
p.s.- my dang ph is still holdind steady at 7.8
Saves time! lol. In your case, however, witht he pH "problems" you have, you may want to rinse until you get pH under control, then just dump cubes in. The reason I feel it is ok in most tanks, such as mine, is because al parameters are in alignment, and I have a good buffer capacity built up, and as well, have learned my tank well so I know how to fix something quickly if anything goes awry.
7.8 isnt horrible!
In light of our last discussions, what have you changed thus far?
have you been adding baking soda as Guy reccommended to raise alk? Remember, your alk and calcium buffer MUST be functioning correctly, or you wont get a raise in pH in the long run.
Have you emptied the penguin at all of everything?
Is the top opened or closed?
Did you ever get the skimmer?
Explain what has been done out of our input
Thanks!
Cool, im gonna try leaving it and see if anything good/bad happens.
p.s.- my dang ph is still holdind steady at 7.8
Saves time! lol. In your case, however, witht he pH "problems" you have, you may want to rinse until you get pH under control, then just dump cubes in. The reason I feel it is ok in most tanks, such as mine, is because al parameters are in alignment, and I have a good buffer capacity built up, and as well, have learned my tank well so I know how to fix something quickly if anything goes awry.
7.8 isnt horrible!
In light of our last discussions, what have you changed thus far?
have you been adding baking soda as Guy reccommended to raise alk? Remember, your alk and calcium buffer MUST be functioning correctly, or you wont get a raise in pH in the long run.
Have you emptied the penguin at all of everything?
Is the top opened or closed?
Did you ever get the skimmer?
Explain what has been done out of our input
Thanks!
sufunk
Member
sorry for the hijack but CT
I have been adding baking soda
I didnt empty the penguin( i dont know why im hesitating?)
tops open
the aqua c is up and running nicely
calcium has dropped a little( to 440-460) and alk/dkh raised a little(dont have the numbers here at work but it was very slight)
I have been adding baking soda
I didnt empty the penguin( i dont know why im hesitating?)
tops open
the aqua c is up and running nicely
calcium has dropped a little( to 440-460) and alk/dkh raised a little(dont have the numbers here at work but it was very slight)
ctgretzky9
Member
Originally Posted by sufunk
sorry for the hijack but CT
I have been adding baking soda
I didnt empty the penguin( i dont know why im hesitating?)
tops open
the aqua c is up and running nicely
calcium has dropped a little( to 440-460) and alk/dkh raised a little(dont have the numbers here at work but it was very slight)
Penguin...empty it! lol
Get the alk up more as well.
between those 2, you should be fine with good water changes....
sorry for the hijack but CT
I have been adding baking soda
I didnt empty the penguin( i dont know why im hesitating?)
tops open
the aqua c is up and running nicely
calcium has dropped a little( to 440-460) and alk/dkh raised a little(dont have the numbers here at work but it was very slight)
Penguin...empty it! lol
Get the alk up more as well.
between those 2, you should be fine with good water changes....
