How corals feed

[ichthyoid]

This article may give reason to reconsider some things, such as-
-need to feed corals?
-feeding at night?
-putting that skimmer on a timer?
-lighting: why low color temp=growth vs high color temp= bright colors?

http://www.coralscience.org/articles/PDF/How%20corals%20feed.pdf">http://www.coralscience.org/articles/PDF/How%20corals%20feed.pdf</a>

Thoughts?

 

[mockery]

Downloading now. Sounds like interesting read.

My download got interrupted twice. So I don't know whats up. But will read asap.

 

[hackman72]

I will reluctantly add a comment. A couple of months ago, I happened to notice my skimmer was off. I remembered that I forgot to turn it back on after cleaning the cup a few days earlier. At the time I was researching NPS corals and feeding requirements. I was learning quite a bit about photosynthetic corals as well. I went ahead and left the skimmer off... until about a week or so ago. While it was off, I had absolutely crazy polyp extension. The tank looked totally alive. I was also feeding with 10x the frequency of normal coral/ filter feeder care. I was actually feeding more daily than what I should have been feeding weekly.

With that said, I monitored the tank closely every evening watching all the inhabitants. I saw a massive explosion in the pod population and daily noticeable growth in my macros in the fuge ( I don't keep chaeto). I maintained the same lighting cycle (as it's all on timers) and kept my water change schedule. I experienced no more than normal algae on the glass and no outbreaks of nuisance algaes.

Knowing I couldn't leave the tank running like that while out of town for 2 weeks, I turned the skimmer back on. It went berzerk as I imagined it would. I backed off the feeding to the normal weekly schedules as well. Everything in the tank (except my hermits) have returned to their usual state.

There wasn't a sacrifice in water quality as some WILL suggest.

 

[hackman72]

~~~ side note Ich..if you come to the next meeting, you need to find me and say hey

 

[ichthyoid]

Hackman72;467351 wrote: ~~~ side note Ich..if you come to the next meeting, you need to find me and say hey

+1

I was at the last one, but didn't see you in the throng!
(I did follow Rick's thread about the after-party at SnS, though!-lol)

 

[hackman72]

That is a very interesting read. I'm printing it out so I can read it on my road trip tomorrow and gain a better understanding of what it all says.

The SnS is always a good time lol

 

[ichthyoid]

Hackman72;467359 wrote: That is a very interesting read. I'm printing it out so I can read it on my road trip tomorrow and gain a better understanding of what it all says.

The SnS is always a good time lol

Yeah, I read it, but this one's gonna take a couple of passes to digest.

BTW-my wife loves your 'motto', so much she borrowed it for work!

 

[hackman72]

ichthyoid;467364 wrote: Yeah, I read it, but this one's gonna take a couple of passes to digest.

BTW-my wife loves your 'motto', so much she borrowed it for work!

lol...that's why I went ahead and printed it out. I figured 6 hrs in a car would give me plenty of time to give it a good slow read. I think it will be congruent with a lot of other things I've been finding lately. The whole thing has really made me wonder if we have an overkill in filtration Seems we find it necesary to be able to tell ourselves we must do this to have good water quality. Research and experience is starting to show me otherwise.

..and I'm glad she found it useful. I got a million of those things dancing around in my head...lol.

 

[dakota9]

Hackman72;467378 wrote: lol...that's why I went ahead and printed it out. I figured 6 hrs in a car would give me plenty of time to give it a good slow read.

Unfortunately....... He's the one driving!

 

[purplegorilla]

Excellent reading.

 

[brianjfinn]

This one's going to be fun. Ich, I read your last post on the symbiotic relationship of coral and algae, and I really enjoyed it. It took a few times through to fully understand it, but it's got me thinking about dosing with vodka, even on my meager 20 gallon. Thanks Ich!

Oh, and hackman, just make sure you're not talking on your cell phone while reading and driving...

 

[ichthyoid]

Hackman72;467350 wrote: I will reluctantly add a comment. A couple of months ago, I happened to notice my skimmer was off. I remembered that I forgot to turn it back on after cleaning the cup a few days earlier. At the time I was researching NPS corals and feeding requirements. I was learning quite a bit about photosynthetic corals as well. I went ahead and left the skimmer off... until about a week or so ago. While it was off, I had absolutely crazy polyp extension. The tank looked totally alive. I was also feeding with 10x the frequency of normal coral/ filter feeder care. I was actually feeding more daily than what I should have been feeding weekly.

ares;467530 wrote: I had a similair experience when both when my skimmer feed pump burned out, and when my NW pumps burned out. both times the tank saw a real increase in color and growth. most notably the zoas and LPS.

What the research and others (including the guest speaker at the last meeting) have found is, that many corals prefer particulates in the water column to supplement their nutritional requirement. With that said, they still want low overall dissolved nitrate, and especially phosphorous. The phosphorous interferes with calcium crystallization in stony corals.

It seems fine to tailor conditions for growth when desired, then cut back on the food and increase light and color temperature for color-up.

Colorful pigments are a natural sunscreen (produced when exposed to high intensity and/or high energy wavelengths). The zooxanthellae, being brownish, make corals appear drab/dark (cover up colorful pigments).

I am wondering if we should put the skimmer on a timer, and not run them at night? This is when the plankton/pods come out, and the corals naturally feed. Also, should we dose with marine snow, etc. at 'night'? (Especially when growth is desired?)

 

[dakota9]

Personally, I wouldn't turn off my skimmer. My Tunze skimmer produces micro bubble the first few hours after it's been turned off which means microbubbles would be a daily issue.

I'd consider dialing it way down if I thought that would be beneficial

 

[ichthyoid]

Maybe there is room here for some innovation in the designs of our skimmers? I like the idea of 'cycling' the UV, and possibly ozone too, if used. I find this all intriguing to consider. Perhaps a 'hybrid' approach is best, something between a natural system, and an 'appropriate' application of technology (?).