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I've decided that I would do a little write up about my experience with SPS corals.
What is an SPS(small polyp stony) coral?
SPS corals are composed of a variety of different genus and species of stony corals. They generally do not have a polyp larger than a few millimeters, but I have seen some species that have polyps that can extend up to one centimeter. They have a calcium carbonate skeleton that can be the home to THOUSANDS of individual polyps. One single polyp is capable of growing into a huge colony.
These animals are fairly simple. They exhibit heterotrophic and autotrophic feeding behaviors. Basically meaning that they derive some of their energy from diet, and the other from their symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellates that live in their tissue. This being said, a proper diet and proper lighting is absolutely necessary for OPTIMAL growth and color.
In nature, they are found in tropical reef waters, at shallow-medium depths. The water that they are found in is exceptionally "pure" and filled with trillions of microscopic organisms that can provide the corals with an abundant food source. The shallow-medium depths that they are found in allow the corals to be exposed to high-medium amounts of light. This combination of high light, abundant food, and stable conditions let the corals flourish. The tides/currents provide plenty of flow that brings new food to the corals. All things balanced, these corals are capable of incredibly fast growth.
They can reproduce either "sexually" or asexually. Sexual reproduction occurs a few times a year. During sexual reproduction, male and female gamete clusters are released. They float to the surface and break apart. The fertilized embryos turn into larva, and are free floating until they attach to a surface. When the larva attaches, metamorphosis takes place, and the larva turns into a single polyp. The single polyp will divide and multiply, creating a colony.
Asexual reproduction is what we are most familiar with. This type of reproduction occurs when a fragment of the colony is broken off. It will land elsewhere and begin its new growth, assuming conditions of the new location are ideal.
After a basic overview, I'll elaborate on the three things that are essential for sps growth in a home aquarium
<ul>
<li>Water conditions</li>
<li>Lighting</li>
<li>Food</li>
</ul>
Water conditions
When keeping any animal, outside of its natural habitat, I try to provide the animal with a comfortable, natural environment. Not doing so, for SPS, will lead to atrophy and then death.
referanced from: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php</a>
"Major ions in seawater
Cl- (chloride): 19,000mg/l
Na+ (sodium) 10,500mg/l
SO42- (sulfate) 2700mg/l
Mg2+ (magnesium) 1280mg/l
Ca2+ (calcium) 412mg/l
K+ (potassium) 399mg/l
HCO3- (bicarbonate) 110mg/l
Br- (bromide) 67mg/l
CO32- (carbonate) 20mg/l
Sr2+ (strontium) 7.9mg/l
B(OH)3 + B(OH)4- (borate) 5 mg/l(as Boron)
F- (fluoride) 1.3mg/l
Organics 1mg/l to 2mg/l
H2PO4- + HPO42- + PO43-(phosphate) 0.0 to 0.3mg/l
Everything else combined (except dissolved gasses) Less than 1mg/l"
[B]All of these numbers seem fine and dandy, but what does that have to do with SPS? [/B]
In order for a stony coral to be able to properly build it's skeleton, it must be in ionically balanced water. If the water is not ionically balanced, growth will be inhibited. In an aquarium that is not balanced, you will probably have an excess of one ion, and a deficiency in other(s). This is often seen when an aquarist adds either too much calcium or too much alkalinity buffer. This is a common mistake that happens when someone "chases pH"(I've done it as well). As the aquarist adds an excess of one ion, it generally causes another to precipitate out of solution. Thus causing an imbalance.
Corals form their skeleton by bonding calcium ions and carbonate ions forming calcium carbonate. If the ions are not proportionately available, growth will slow, or cease.
[B]Phosphate[/B]
I'll let randy holms-farley handle this one.
referenced from: [IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php</a>
"[I]Phosphate in the ocean and in marine aquaria is of tremendous importance because it is often a limiting nutrient for algae growth. In seawater, the amount of phosphate present is typically quite low (usually less than 0.05 ppm) and often varies significantly by location and depth. Much of the phosphate present in seawater is rapidly cycled through living organisms. In many marine aquaria, though, the phosphate concentration can be significantly higher (up to several ppm).
The ability to export phosphate from marine aquaria has been the topic of lengthy discussion and is the object of numerous commercial products. The nature of the inorganic phosphate present in seawater and in marine aquaria, however, is certainly more complicated than traditionally credited.
Inorganic phosphate can exist in a number of forms, in a manner analogous to carbonate:
H3PO4 �� H+ + H2PO4- �� 2H+ + HPO4-- �� 3H+ + PO4---
Ignoring ion pairing and complex formation for the moment, phosphate is primarily found in the HPO42- and PO43- forms in seawater. This is quite different from the forms found in freshwater at the same pH, where the H2PO4- and HPO42- forms predominate.
To a large extent, the high proportion of phosphate present in the PO43- form in seawater is due to ion pairing, just as in the case of carbonate. The various phosphate species pair extensively with magnesium and calcium in seawater. PO43- is nearly completely (96%) ion paired, while only 44% of HPO42- is paired. This is what causes the shift in the equilibrium to more of the PO43- form in seawater compared to freshwater (just as it does for carbonate).
Additionally, phosphate interacts with certain ions in a manner that is stronger than simple ion pairing. Phosphate can, for example, complex with a number of positively charged species, including both metals (e.g., iron) and organics. These interactions further serve to reduce the concentration of free phosphate and are the basis of many of the various phosphate-binding media sold to aquarists.
Phosphorus is also contained in dissolved organic compounds. While natural seawater has more inorganic phosphate than organic forms, this may not be true in aquaria where much higher organic levels may prevail.</em>"
Well thats all I have to say about that :lol2: JK! I always have my twist.
Since po4 can bond with calcium and carbonate, you want to keep these levels as low as possible. If the PO4 levels are high, they will inhibit growth. The result is usually an over population of zooxanthellae and a brown coral.
The dinoflagellate(zooxanthellae) has its food source(light) but the coral is not able to use the energy produced from the zooxanthellae to lay its skeleton if excess PO4 is present.
To summarize water quality, I like to keep my tank around:
ph: 8.00-8.20
alk: 3.5-4mg/l
ca: 420ppm
mg: 1350ppm
po4: <0.04ppm
no3: 0.0ppm
[B]Lighting/Diet[/B]
I felt that combining lighting and diet was appropriate. The two come hand in hand when it comes to SPS. It all comes down to energy.
Energy is what makes all life possible. For billions of years, this planet has been home to an uncountable number of life forms. They walk, run, swim, fly, slither, and crawl all over the planet. This is all possible because of the sun. The sun supplies our planet with all of the energy that is here today. With out it, we would not exist. The earth would just be another cold rock floating around in empty space. Fortunately for us, not the case!
The sun is responsible for providing food for corals in two ways. It directly sources the zooxanthellae with light and allows photosynthesis to occur. This is a direct source of energy for the corals. They use the energy to build their aragonite(calcium carbonate) skeleton.
The second way that the sun provides food is indirect. Phytoplankton use the energy from the sun to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is their only source of food for growth and reproduction. Zooplankton feed on the phytoplankton, and the corals feed on both of them. The digestive process uses energy, but the reward is usually beneficial. Corals can gather a tremendous amount of energy from their diet. Ever notice that "fed" corals grow faster?
<u>Vitamin D: the unappreciated building block of life. </u>
Vitamin D is a strange character. It's not actually a vitamin; in the sense that our bodies are able to synthesize an adequate amount, so much that dietary supplement is not completely necessary. It is only called a vitamin when it is being referred to as a supplement for those who are unable to synthesize adequate amounts. We convert vitamin D into a hormone that helps balance calcium and phosphate levels in our blood, as well as contributes to absorbing the calcium used to build our skeletons.
Vitamin D synthesis is common in MANY animals and plants, including corals and their food. Corals too, use vitamin D to build their aragonite skeleton. Vitamin D synthesis occurs during the presence of UVB.
In my experience, using a balanced lighting system that produces UVB, keeping chemistry stable/balanced, and feeding a varied diet if essential for SPS color and growth.
I've been using this analogy a lot lately, but it is the truth: Collecting SPS corals is like collection ice sculpture... One wrong move, and everything melts.
Hope y'all enjoyed the read! Feel free to ask questions.
What is an SPS(small polyp stony) coral?
SPS corals are composed of a variety of different genus and species of stony corals. They generally do not have a polyp larger than a few millimeters, but I have seen some species that have polyps that can extend up to one centimeter. They have a calcium carbonate skeleton that can be the home to THOUSANDS of individual polyps. One single polyp is capable of growing into a huge colony.
These animals are fairly simple. They exhibit heterotrophic and autotrophic feeding behaviors. Basically meaning that they derive some of their energy from diet, and the other from their symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellates that live in their tissue. This being said, a proper diet and proper lighting is absolutely necessary for OPTIMAL growth and color.
In nature, they are found in tropical reef waters, at shallow-medium depths. The water that they are found in is exceptionally "pure" and filled with trillions of microscopic organisms that can provide the corals with an abundant food source. The shallow-medium depths that they are found in allow the corals to be exposed to high-medium amounts of light. This combination of high light, abundant food, and stable conditions let the corals flourish. The tides/currents provide plenty of flow that brings new food to the corals. All things balanced, these corals are capable of incredibly fast growth.
They can reproduce either "sexually" or asexually. Sexual reproduction occurs a few times a year. During sexual reproduction, male and female gamete clusters are released. They float to the surface and break apart. The fertilized embryos turn into larva, and are free floating until they attach to a surface. When the larva attaches, metamorphosis takes place, and the larva turns into a single polyp. The single polyp will divide and multiply, creating a colony.
Asexual reproduction is what we are most familiar with. This type of reproduction occurs when a fragment of the colony is broken off. It will land elsewhere and begin its new growth, assuming conditions of the new location are ideal.
After a basic overview, I'll elaborate on the three things that are essential for sps growth in a home aquarium
<ul>
<li>Water conditions</li>
<li>Lighting</li>
<li>Food</li>
</ul>
Water conditions
When keeping any animal, outside of its natural habitat, I try to provide the animal with a comfortable, natural environment. Not doing so, for SPS, will lead to atrophy and then death.
referanced from: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php</a>
"Major ions in seawater
Cl- (chloride): 19,000mg/l
Na+ (sodium) 10,500mg/l
SO42- (sulfate) 2700mg/l
Mg2+ (magnesium) 1280mg/l
Ca2+ (calcium) 412mg/l
K+ (potassium) 399mg/l
HCO3- (bicarbonate) 110mg/l
Br- (bromide) 67mg/l
CO32- (carbonate) 20mg/l
Sr2+ (strontium) 7.9mg/l
B(OH)3 + B(OH)4- (borate) 5 mg/l(as Boron)
F- (fluoride) 1.3mg/l
Organics 1mg/l to 2mg/l
H2PO4- + HPO42- + PO43-(phosphate) 0.0 to 0.3mg/l
Everything else combined (except dissolved gasses) Less than 1mg/l"
[B]All of these numbers seem fine and dandy, but what does that have to do with SPS? [/B]
In order for a stony coral to be able to properly build it's skeleton, it must be in ionically balanced water. If the water is not ionically balanced, growth will be inhibited. In an aquarium that is not balanced, you will probably have an excess of one ion, and a deficiency in other(s). This is often seen when an aquarist adds either too much calcium or too much alkalinity buffer. This is a common mistake that happens when someone "chases pH"(I've done it as well). As the aquarist adds an excess of one ion, it generally causes another to precipitate out of solution. Thus causing an imbalance.
Corals form their skeleton by bonding calcium ions and carbonate ions forming calcium carbonate. If the ions are not proportionately available, growth will slow, or cease.
[B]Phosphate[/B]
I'll let randy holms-farley handle this one.
referenced from: [IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php</a>
"[I]Phosphate in the ocean and in marine aquaria is of tremendous importance because it is often a limiting nutrient for algae growth. In seawater, the amount of phosphate present is typically quite low (usually less than 0.05 ppm) and often varies significantly by location and depth. Much of the phosphate present in seawater is rapidly cycled through living organisms. In many marine aquaria, though, the phosphate concentration can be significantly higher (up to several ppm).
The ability to export phosphate from marine aquaria has been the topic of lengthy discussion and is the object of numerous commercial products. The nature of the inorganic phosphate present in seawater and in marine aquaria, however, is certainly more complicated than traditionally credited.
Inorganic phosphate can exist in a number of forms, in a manner analogous to carbonate:
H3PO4 �� H+ + H2PO4- �� 2H+ + HPO4-- �� 3H+ + PO4---
Ignoring ion pairing and complex formation for the moment, phosphate is primarily found in the HPO42- and PO43- forms in seawater. This is quite different from the forms found in freshwater at the same pH, where the H2PO4- and HPO42- forms predominate.
To a large extent, the high proportion of phosphate present in the PO43- form in seawater is due to ion pairing, just as in the case of carbonate. The various phosphate species pair extensively with magnesium and calcium in seawater. PO43- is nearly completely (96%) ion paired, while only 44% of HPO42- is paired. This is what causes the shift in the equilibrium to more of the PO43- form in seawater compared to freshwater (just as it does for carbonate).
Additionally, phosphate interacts with certain ions in a manner that is stronger than simple ion pairing. Phosphate can, for example, complex with a number of positively charged species, including both metals (e.g., iron) and organics. These interactions further serve to reduce the concentration of free phosphate and are the basis of many of the various phosphate-binding media sold to aquarists.
Phosphorus is also contained in dissolved organic compounds. While natural seawater has more inorganic phosphate than organic forms, this may not be true in aquaria where much higher organic levels may prevail.</em>"
Well thats all I have to say about that :lol2: JK! I always have my twist.
Since po4 can bond with calcium and carbonate, you want to keep these levels as low as possible. If the PO4 levels are high, they will inhibit growth. The result is usually an over population of zooxanthellae and a brown coral.
The dinoflagellate(zooxanthellae) has its food source(light) but the coral is not able to use the energy produced from the zooxanthellae to lay its skeleton if excess PO4 is present.
To summarize water quality, I like to keep my tank around:
ph: 8.00-8.20
alk: 3.5-4mg/l
ca: 420ppm
mg: 1350ppm
po4: <0.04ppm
no3: 0.0ppm
[B]Lighting/Diet[/B]
I felt that combining lighting and diet was appropriate. The two come hand in hand when it comes to SPS. It all comes down to energy.
Energy is what makes all life possible. For billions of years, this planet has been home to an uncountable number of life forms. They walk, run, swim, fly, slither, and crawl all over the planet. This is all possible because of the sun. The sun supplies our planet with all of the energy that is here today. With out it, we would not exist. The earth would just be another cold rock floating around in empty space. Fortunately for us, not the case!
The sun is responsible for providing food for corals in two ways. It directly sources the zooxanthellae with light and allows photosynthesis to occur. This is a direct source of energy for the corals. They use the energy to build their aragonite(calcium carbonate) skeleton.
The second way that the sun provides food is indirect. Phytoplankton use the energy from the sun to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is their only source of food for growth and reproduction. Zooplankton feed on the phytoplankton, and the corals feed on both of them. The digestive process uses energy, but the reward is usually beneficial. Corals can gather a tremendous amount of energy from their diet. Ever notice that "fed" corals grow faster?
<u>Vitamin D: the unappreciated building block of life. </u>
Vitamin D is a strange character. It's not actually a vitamin; in the sense that our bodies are able to synthesize an adequate amount, so much that dietary supplement is not completely necessary. It is only called a vitamin when it is being referred to as a supplement for those who are unable to synthesize adequate amounts. We convert vitamin D into a hormone that helps balance calcium and phosphate levels in our blood, as well as contributes to absorbing the calcium used to build our skeletons.
Vitamin D synthesis is common in MANY animals and plants, including corals and their food. Corals too, use vitamin D to build their aragonite skeleton. Vitamin D synthesis occurs during the presence of UVB.
In my experience, using a balanced lighting system that produces UVB, keeping chemistry stable/balanced, and feeding a varied diet if essential for SPS color and growth.
I've been using this analogy a lot lately, but it is the truth: Collecting SPS corals is like collection ice sculpture... One wrong move, and everything melts.
Hope y'all enjoyed the read! Feel free to ask questions.
