who turns off return when feeding?

[authentic]

I have never turned off my return because it seems that it would mess with my skimmer and ATO
I can set everything on the apex,just wondering what others do?

 

[bubbaque]

I turn mine off because I don't want the food going down into the sump before it is eaten. Turning mine off doesn't mess with my ato because it actually fills my sump a little so the ato doesn't do anything. Also my sump only fills an inch or two so my skimmer just skims really wet when I turn the return off for 10 minutes.

 

[LostInTheDark]

I run DC pumps so shutting everything off for tens minutes is easy. Its nice to watch the tank with no flow while the food is floating around and everyone gets a chance to eat. When the pumps come back on they kick up any food that was missed and settle to the bottom.

 

[Brad Bessett]

All pumps off for 10 min after spot feeding - then power heads on for 15 min to broadcast feed - then I turn my return back on. Skimmer off at feeding and stays off for an hour after the return goes on.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I have an old school ReefKeeper 2 and have my return pump and all powerheads tied into one outlet. That outlet is "programed" to turn off with the pushing of one button. I can turn it back on when done feeding.....but it's also programmed to come back on after 15 minutes, if I forget.

Long winded, but yes, I turn off my return pump and powerheads when I feed.

 

[tankstudy]

I have never turned off my return because it seems that it would mess with my skimmer and ATO
I can set everything on the apex,just wondering what others do?

I only have bacteria, pods and rock flower anemones so I have to shut off the return pump in order to feed the anemones. Sometimes I turn the skimmer off and sometimes I don't but it doesn't effect the skimmer. Once the skimmer is broken in/formed a biofilm, it will work normally even after you shut it off for small periods of time.

 

[PaReeferJ]

I make my fish work for the food. Powerheads and pumps running while I feed. Only time I turn off the pumps is when I spot feed my lps.

 

[fragit]

I don't turn off my return pump because it's in the basement and a pain. I have a SeaSwirl hooked to it which spreads the food around for quite a while and keeps it from going over the overflow for long enough. I do have a Gyre that I put on feed mode anytime I dose additives or feed the fish, it has a feed mode and is easy enough.

 

[ahiggins]

I turn mine off to feed corals but not fish.
I do note that it does mess with the skimmer but its just something I deal with to be able to spot feed.

 

[Brad Bessett]

By the way... I'm talking about feeding corals. When I feed my fish I don't turn anything off.

 

[ahiggins]

I turn off all the power heads too. Basically anything that creates flow is turned off. The only tank I dont do that to is the small rock nem one because their tentacles are so sticky and they eat so fast that theres no food that goes to waste.

 

[Waterjockey]

My return pump, wavemakers and skimmer turn off when I feed. After a few minutes one powerheads turns on, a few minutes later the other. A few minitems after that the return pump starts. 30 minutes later the skimmer starts.
*Skimmer always sits in a constant water level regardless of return running or not

 

[dbl]

I don't turn anything off while I feed...they have to work for it! I figured, in the wild, the waves don't stop and they still eat! I consider it part of their daily work out program.

 

[ahiggins]

I don't turn anything off while I feed...they have to work for it! I figured, in the wild, the waves don't stop and they still eat! I consider it part of their daily work out program.

lol then I guess I baby my corals

 

[Dvara78]

I turn the return off and set vortechs to feed mode.

After 10 mins the reef keeper powers the return back up. At 11 mins the skimmer kicks back on.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

I run mine non stop. Even while feeding.

 

[jeffrey holloway]

I don't turn off anything. I have a bad habit of overfeeding. I think the fish knows that the chase is on and the food won't be around long so they don't mess around at feeding time.

 

[Bob Escher]

I turn everything off except for the light for 15 minutes. It's all run off my apex. I turn off the return, MP10's, heaters and my ATO ( my ATO and heater and skimmer stays off ten minutes longer after the return comes back on

 

[BCSreef]

I run mine non stop. Even while feeding.

Same here.

 

[Ebone]

i leave my return running but vortechs get slowed and skimmer gets turned off from apex...when I feed oyster feast or any target feeding of corals and what not everything gets turned off... still water!! love multiple feed modes in apex