What to feed your tank?

Since phosphates are mostly introduced though food we have to be very careful not to overfeed – a tendency we all have.

Good coral reef husbandry always includes monitoring phosphate levels, and we want to keep the measured value around 0.03-0.05 ppm (mg/l). Acropora coral especially need these conditions to thrive.

We feed our fish Organic Nori. Since we have mostly Tangs as worker fish, this diet really fits their needs.  Our wrasses and chromis also enjoy the Nori. For example, in our 275 Gallon reef tank, we feed one sheet of Nori per day ripped into small pieces. Sometimes we like to supplement with some shrimp or prawn from the supermarket, but careful, only very small amounts are needed.

Coral really benefit from food particles in the water – without the water being too dirty. With a new system and small corals, often the fish waste is enough to provide all the food the corals need. A really good coral food that is very cheap and does not add additional phosphate, is nutritional yeast. You have to start with small amounts, like a small sprinkle once a week, and work your way up ideally to daily or twice daily feedings for a fully grown out coral system.

Another vital nutrition for your coral and the whole reef are Amino Acids. We use these. Start with a small amount, only a few ml per week, and work your way up to a larger dose slowly. Unused aminos will translate to Nitrate so make sure you monitor those… We try to keep Nitrates under 10.

If you are taking care of a hungry coral system like our farm, and you really want to accelerate growth, it can help to add some high nutrient superfood like the Fauna Marin MinS in combination with their Organic product. We use this about twice a week.

Be sure to have well working nutrient export in place – a high quality skimmer is a must. Mechanical filtration like a power filter also helps a lot. Good flow so all the detritus keeps moving is also essential. Water changes are an excellent tool to clean your tank from detritus and refresh the water quality. Find out what it takes! Happy Reefing! #ranchreefsleep