I switched my fish from Tetrafin Goldfish Crisps to Omega One flakes because of Omega's higher nutritional value and the fact that they are not red and would not turn my water pink like the Tetrafin Crisps. The fish seem to like them a lot and my water is WAY less pink!

However, Tetrafin Crisps are advertised as producing 35% less waste, and I am now inclined to believe that statement. After one week of feeding the Omega One flakes there is about 500% (yes, five hundred) more crud in the gravel when I vaccuum. The crisps are more concentrated I think, they float a bit longer and do not disintegrate as fast, so I think that contributes to the less waste. I think the Omega flakes are harder to pick from the gravel too since they are not as solid.

So my question is this....since I am already having trouble keeping my nitrates down should I go back to the crisps in this tank? The fish are being moved into a larger tank as they are very overstocked right now, in fact two of them are already in the larger tank, but I am waiting to see how the cycle catches on before adding the other two. Plus one of them has a torn fin so I have salted the old tank for his benefit. Does having more food waste in the gravel cause the nitrates to go higher more quickly? If so, I may feed the fish in that tank the Tetrafin food until they move into their new home. The easiest way to answer my second question would be to keep track of the nitrate params, but since I use the API test and cannot distinguish between the colors very well I don't think it would be too accurate. I just go off of the "if it is any of the reds, it is too high".

My pellet question is kind of separate, but I am trying to decide between Omega One pellets and HBH Super Soft spirulina pellets...any thoughts? At some point I may try Pro-gold, but between the other two does anyone have a preference?

Thank you!

No one has any idea on this? I know this is kind of a Water Chemistry question too...

I'm not sure about anyone eles. but with my tanks I have problems with the flakes, and prefer the pelets. My water quality stays better with the pellets. If there is more waste from the flakes. To me that would mean more nitrates and nitrites. How about every one eles?

I don't normaly feed my fish flake food. I prefer to give them pellets and gel food. If i do feed them flakes I mix it in with my gel food and then there isn't as much wasted flake food.

As for the pellets i haven't tried the HBH Super Soft spirulina pellets but i like the omega pellets and they come in several sizes.

I use king british goldfish flakes and also king british bloodworm and of course peas twice a week.I tried pellet food with my fish and they refuse to eat it.I don't need to worry about waste food as my loach and plec hoover up the leftovers.

My fish had trouble getting pellet food before as they were always fed flakes by their previous owner, but now that they are in a mostly barebottom tank I think it will be a lot easier. So I think in the new tank I will switch to mostly pellets, although in the barebottom even the flakes are easily hoovered up by the fish! So I think they can eat mostly pellets and veggies now.

I wish I could get a loach but I am already overstocked. I probably will get one for my 20 gallon once I get my black moor though!

Thanks for the input guys!

sud you say~ how interesting can you do me a favor and scrape some of this sud off and stick it under the sun for a day, then tell me the color of it. it'll help me in a great deal in my research. Now I need data on the color change of waste from other foods...

LOL, I said "crud" but I could certainly do that if you are serious! I am all for science and stuff...

heh. I'm a bit serious I feed omega one to my fishes in the tubs and what's interesting is that it take less then 24 hours for an algae bloom to surround it. So it may mean that the goldfishes has completely digested it and the food does not need to decomposs first to create amonia then to nitrate.

So tell me exactly what you want me to do and i will try it! I could even take pics of the results with my cell phone, not great quality but you should be able to see the colors. It is actually hot and sunny here right now, which is unusual, so I'd be happy to do it!

actually there is no need yet I want to look up the process of decomposing a bit more first. and Goldfish digestive system which is rather hard to find, perhaps I'll look up books on carp this week.

Just let me know! :-)