Originally Posted by
nonphotosynt
http:///forum/post/2751018
peef:
Can you tell a little more:
- what food are you using, what amount for one feeding,
- what tools are you using for individual feeding of polyps,
- what filtration do you have, including skimmer (if any), live rock and algae, frequency of cleaning,
- should Nitrate sponge be used in recommended on bottle amounts, for how long 1 bottle lasts? Do you use phosphate remover?
Photos of the tank setup and filtration will be helpful too.
Thanks.
I'm currently trying to make efficient setup for a several large colonies of sun coral and its cousins on a budget.
This means shallow tank for easy access for a manual feeding, smallest possible volume (without corals touching each other and restricting access for a feeding and cleaning), allowing more water changes, skimmer and biomedia/LR in the separate block, that can be that can be disconnected from main tank during feeding, with skimmer continuing skim all the time.
For a big number of adult polyps feeding by washed mysis and Ocean Plankton is cost prohibitive (8 cubes every second day, i.e. 15 days x 8 cubes = 120 cubes, $25+ per month only for suns). Flakes were not accepted by most corals, New Life Spectrum 0.3mm pellets were eaten and didn't make huge impact on water quality, comparing to grocery seafood, but a lot of them were spit back during the night, and corals slowly started looking not too good on pellets feeding. This leaves the grocery seafood, but even washed, it drastically worsens water quality. Mostly liquid fraction, not removed by skimmers (tried Tunze Nano DOC smallest and Rio Nano skimmer HOB).
Aged biomedia (Seachem Matrix, amount for 100g on the 8g tank, plus LR) from the big tank, part of it in the filtration block (small side sump), part - in Tom Rapids canister filter, is not keeping up with processing nutrients after seafood. Even if leftovers are removed, smallest particles were filtered out through micron sock 50 microns and less, changed twice after feeding, and skimmer, skimming a lot of wet foam. Some ammonia next day, Neutralized, of course.
For 1 big colony in 3/4g pico same feeding without skimming and biomedia, but with full water changes by aged water after feeding worked well (for 4 months, then moved to a big skimmed tank. Colony started reproducing in pico).
But not for several such colonies in 5g tank with 2g sump, tried (few weeks, currently).
And 2 yrs between these tanks, in 90g w ASM G-3 skimmer:
Main mass of yellow is the same first colony, fragged, and its babies.
The food I used was Marine quizine mysis and carnivore diet. I use one cube of each unrinsed as I think it washes away alot of the goodies. I don't really use a 'set' amount of food as sometimes a bit more/less would get to each polyp. To feed each polyp I would use a pipette that is just wide enough at the tip to not clog up with the mysis. My filtration is pretty much just live rock rubble. I have a Nano cube so in 3 chambers.....1st: Filter Floss then Nitrate sponge then Live Rock Rubble. 2nd: Lots of Live rock rubble. 3rd just the return pump. I don't have any skimmer or anything else.
I would recommend using as much of the nitrate sponge as you can without getting like, CRAAAAAZY with it. I have about 2 cups of the granuals in there in my media bag. The box says it will last for 6 months but I change every 3 or so. No phos remover 99% of the time although very occasionaly I will run some. You can get away with feeding the meaty food once a week and still have growth. Just halfway through the week put in some "Marine Snow and phytoplankton". Be sure to turn off the filtration during that time for at least 1/2 hour to ensure they get what they want.
