feeding/fragging LPS corals

[segraves1]

Yesterday I got my first "true" corals (YAAAAAAAAAA!!!!), a branching Hammer and a short polup bubble. Untill now it has just been Zoos and Star Polups (easy and just about unkillable).

Now that I have some real corals, do I REALLY need to feed them? The way I see it is photosynthetic corals are.....photosynthetic......and thus get most of their energy from the pair of 400watt 6500Ks hanging over the tank. If so, what and how often?



I had to "frag" out this bubble to make it "fit" (the thing was just too "big" for any single place) so I carefully found the polup edges (between two polups) and "broke" then with a very sharp/thin blade. It worked well overall (didn't cut any polups....I THINK) but one corner did brake unexspectedly (not where I wanted it to) and I was forced to cut tissue with a razor blade. I put them back in the tank and really all I can do is wait, but some reasurance (or dooming info) would be nice (if I messed up, I'll learn now on a "cheaper" coral instead of later on a big money piece).

[harmanrk]

Sounds like the fraggig went pretty well.

Following some information I got from Davenjz, I use a dremmel with a cut off wheel to cut stonies. Some tissue damage is unavoidable, and not very harmful. It you ended up with a little tearing, it should be alright. It will make some slime, so turn your skimmer up, but it should recover in a day or two and be fine.

Robert

[segraves1]

Should have posted last night, but after about 6 hours or so (last evening) ALL the frags were fully "bubbled out" (exstended) and looking good. Understandubly the edges that had been cut were a little shrivvled but very minor.

I'm like anyone else, the first time you do something, you worry. I feel pretty good about the outcum (thus far.......still rubbing my rabbits foot and waiting...lol....j/k).


A side note about my skimmer (a G4 with a Sedi9000 recirculation and a pair of MaxiJet1200s feeding it with a gate valve mod). It is running as hard as I can get it to (I guess.....not really sure). It makes NASTY scum right at the top of the "collection tube" (the tube inside the cup that the foam rises up from the reaction chamber) but not a lot of "liquid" and seems to really slow down after a few days. The tank is by no means "clean" enough for the skimmer to have stripped out everything. It SEEMS that my skimmer only works well when cleaned. How often do you guys actually CLEAN your skimmer?

[harmanrk]

My seaclone is not the best in the world, but it does pull out a fair ammount scum. With the tank at notmal levels, the intake is about three inchs below the surcafe, so it I frag Zoas, or other softies, I get a slime layer. I have found that when I do this type of fragging, it works best for me to do a one gallon waterchange the following day, and draw the water off the top.

My skimmer is very particular about the water flow rate. Too low, and it doesn't pull out anything. to fast, and it flows microbubbles into the tank. When it is working good, I get microbubbles after feeding...

Robert

[Reef_Angel]

Sounds like you're really getting into the fun stuff. It also sounds like you've done a fine job with your fragging. The only think I may have done differently...and this may be just me...is to wait maybe a week or so to insure the coral was fully acclimated before disturbing it. Keep us up to day on how everything turns out for you! Congrats on the new corals! I think I'm about due for something new one of these days myself!! I'll have to give the Money Fairy a call and see what she can do for us! Have fun!
...Angel :angel1:

[lReef lKeeper]

congrats at your first successful fragging !! now you will be addicted !!

[segraves1]

day two and still going strong....


what do you guys feed your LPS corals?

[harmanrk]

I thaw half a cube Mysid, or Brine (altrnate days), and Cyclopeze. With the turkey baster, I shower my Hammer, and Torch, with the mix. The fish get the rest.

As a treat, I sometimes buy live Brine and feed them. The corals seem to love the live ones as they put up a fights...

[segraves1]

AWSOME!!!!!!!!! so I fed my Bubble tonight and that is one of the coolest things yet.....exact responce that the anemenie gives when it gets a piece of shrimp.....I'll get a small baster tomorrow and probubly feed the LPSs on the same 3days/week as the anemenie


the odd thing though was the hammer would not take any cyclopeze (thats what I fed tonight). It is still fully open and looking healthy but no feeding responce. any ideas?

[harmanrk]

Too small?

When I feed small things like cyclopeze, my hammer and torch do not respond. THey do to the shrimp. when one touches them, they curl up around it and attach many 'fingers' to them.

Robert