Do You Turn Your Powerheads Off When Feeding Your Fish?

[idlefingers]

I've been turning my powerheads off every time I feed my fish but recently have have been leaving them on every now and again to try it out.. I like the way the food gets dispersed around the tank better but worry about it polluting the tank more or overfeeding and not realising. Also, the less dominant fish seem to get a better chance at getting a decent meal.

I'm having difficulties deciding whether to stick to one or the other or stick with a combo of on sometimes and off others.. I'm intrigued to see what other people do..

 

[smeagol]

my powerheads are both on timers so sometimes they are on. I do like the way the food is disperced its the only time i see the star fish catch food.

 

[SkiFletch]

Voted no, only because until I get off my rear and actually fix my electrics into something not resembling a rats nest of wires, I don't have a convenient method

 

[madgap]

Only when I use frozen food.... for some reason it gets pulled into the filter far faster than any other food

 

[shibby]

i like them to work for there food, also makes some think its more alive when its flying around the tank so i leave them on

 

[Musho3210]

i turn them off simply because i have mechanical filtration like sponges etc. wrapped around some of my powerheads.

 

[pengy666]

Quite glad this popped up as I have recently been thinking about this subject?

I aint really noticed any problems thats why I voted no?

But also I have gotta sort my electrics out to make this task easier!

This is gonna happen soon as I am making a storage cabinet with a ATO next to main tank so i was planning on adding electric control units in here too!

Sick of messing around to turn skimmer off and stuff!

 

[littleme1969]

Keeping them on or turning them off depends on what fish you keep. If you keep such as scooter blenny, mandarin or cave/burrow dwelling gobies I think they should be switched off as all off these fish would strugle to get enough to eat as they tend to either pick from the rocks sand or dont move far from thier burrow. I have a scooter and a yellow nose goby and always switch off for 20 mins to give them chance to feed. The other fish feed on the food as it drops down through the water column. Then clean up the rest when the filters go back on.

 

[sophos9]

Does the flow of the sea stop at feeding time?

I dont ever stop my Seios at feeding time, personally I think this gives them a more realistic feeding environment. I only stop skimmer when feeding Marine Snow for the corals (oh and cleaning of course!!)....