Do you strain your frozen foods??

Have been trying to cut out most possibilities of introducing nitrates/phosphates, etc. into my system(s). Many at the LFS have told me I should always strain my frozen foods after thawing in a cup of tank water, then feed. I always thought the "juice" was good for the tank? They say its the byproducts & preservatives that come in the frozen foods that "pollute" and should be kept out....that these byproducts are "algae producing powerhouses"?

 

I have heard the same thing, but trying to drain out the water in the cube I end up loosing half of the food. Haven't figured out a good way to do it yet. Tried using a net, but the shrimp stick to it and I cant get them back in the cube, and don't need all of them to feed my fish.

 

I strain - I picked up a small strainer at Target for $2

 

I dont, the amount that you put into your tank really should not harm it. A healthy going tank will have no issues with this. I feed one cube a day and have never had problems.

 

The binders in the frozen food quite often contain phosphates. If I don't have to add it, I won't. I lose nothing in this strainer.

 

Exactly what the LFS dudes told me (binders, etc.), of course, they also sold me a brine shrimp net. The $2 strainer from Target probably would have worked 10 times better since its rigid netting and you can get pretty much all the food out.:-/

 

I use rods reef frozen food. No binders or gels in that stuff, so there is no reason to strain.

From what I see, the little stuff that goes in the tank feeds the filter feeders and corals.

 

Been looking for "Rods" here in the San Diego area. The one place that claims to sell it I haven't been able to find!!!!:-/

 

Almost all seafood is spray and/or soaked in polyphosphate salts to retain water, increase weight, and prevent cell wall explosions due to the freezing process. Unfortunately, if you look at the ingredients on frozen seafood, it doesn't metion this....it will just say, "Salt", "Brine", or other non-nondescript words.

Sodium Nitrate (or occasionally Potassium Nitrate) are often commonly used.

In other words, it's a good idea to strain frozen foods.

 

I soak mine in tank wanter until thawed, strain, rinse and strain again.