Help
Just looking for any suggestions - All of my Acropora specimens dont seem to be growing in the upward direction however are growing very fast at the base encrusting across the rocks. However my Montipora species, including Digitata, are all growing very fast in every direction!
I have 400w lights, approx 10" off the surface of the water, in Lumerarc reflectors, with bulbs approx 7 months old. The corals are placed at varous depths in the tank, none of which are very close to the top. Flow is provided by a sequence 10000l return pump and 2No. Tunze 6100's.
Parameters are as follows:
NO3 - 2ppm
PO4 - 0.03
CA - 490
Mag 1500
Sg 34.5
I have also noticed that the colour within the Acros seems to literally 'come and go' over the period of about a week. Now maybe Im clutching at straws, but I recently suffered a large Cyanobacteria algae outbreak of the filamentous type and was thinking maybe the algae may have been competing with the zooanthellaea algae within the coral. Not sure but maybe a thought!
Anyway, any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.
Page 1 of 1
Acro base growth only - Why?
#2
Simon Garratt 
- Trigger Fish
- Group: Members
- Posts: 629
- Joined: 04-May 08
Posted 07 July 2008 - 08:20 AM
Hi quigs.
large basal growth with minimal upward growth is common in corals that are in high flow environments. the genetic make up of corals dictate that they adapt their growth pattern in accordance with prevailing conditions, strong flow requires a bigger anchor point so new growth is generated at the base prior to the colony growing branches. My corals are the same, with 4 sequence 10,000 loops running, my bases are huge compared to the main colony's which is a good indicator of how the corals will eventually end up...fat and sturdy rather than spindly and weak. overal growth is slower on the visual basis of how much 'area' a coral fills, even though the same amount of 'mass' is applied in calcification.
As for the colour, you may be right, shifts in available nutrients can have quick and marked affects on colouration, though i shouldnt worry too much, as long as the corals are still showing good growth and polyp extention then the colour shifts will just be the coral adapting to shifting conditions. obviously stability is a key factor but all systems go through phases of increased/decreased available nutrients from time to time.
regards
Si.
large basal growth with minimal upward growth is common in corals that are in high flow environments. the genetic make up of corals dictate that they adapt their growth pattern in accordance with prevailing conditions, strong flow requires a bigger anchor point so new growth is generated at the base prior to the colony growing branches. My corals are the same, with 4 sequence 10,000 loops running, my bases are huge compared to the main colony's which is a good indicator of how the corals will eventually end up...fat and sturdy rather than spindly and weak. overal growth is slower on the visual basis of how much 'area' a coral fills, even though the same amount of 'mass' is applied in calcification.
As for the colour, you may be right, shifts in available nutrients can have quick and marked affects on colouration, though i shouldnt worry too much, as long as the corals are still showing good growth and polyp extention then the colour shifts will just be the coral adapting to shifting conditions. obviously stability is a key factor but all systems go through phases of increased/decreased available nutrients from time to time.
regards
Si.
#3 Guest_Quigs_*
Posted 07 July 2008 - 08:39 AM
Thanks Simon - Interesting about the colour thing. As I said, I have been suffering from the Cyanobactaria algae and over the last few weeks which I have been slowly clearingt. Now I think, the cyano was a nitrogen fixing type algae and the disturbance may be releasing small amounts of nutrients causing the fluctuations in colour. Also with the removal of the algae, the Ph has dropped from 8.33 to 8.22, although it is now stable between 8.15 and 8.22. Hopefully I may see some consistency now!
Regarding the base growth, good suggestion. That makes alot of sense. Thanks again.
Regarding the base growth, good suggestion. That makes alot of sense. Thanks again.
#4
Simon Garratt
- Trigger Fish
- Group: Members
- Posts: 629
- Joined: 04-May 08
Posted 07 July 2008 - 08:46 AM
Yep, cyano being a photosynthetic bacterium/algae hybrid does have a tremendous ability to photosynthesise rapidly giving off high levels of 02 whilst in the lit phase which explains the pH issues.
In a sick kind of way, its actually quite good as a nutrient removal tool, you just have to catch it whislt its at its peak if you want to remove it by sysphoning, and rid the system of the nutrients that are locked. brushing it off into the water column doesnt realy do much good as it simply settles out in dark corners, breaks down and releases everything back into solution for the next wave of growth to take advantage of.....takes time, but it does burn itself out in the end if the system is otherwise healthy and its not being fed more nutrients than it can handle.
regards
Si.
In a sick kind of way, its actually quite good as a nutrient removal tool, you just have to catch it whislt its at its peak if you want to remove it by sysphoning, and rid the system of the nutrients that are locked. brushing it off into the water column doesnt realy do much good as it simply settles out in dark corners, breaks down and releases everything back into solution for the next wave of growth to take advantage of.....takes time, but it does burn itself out in the end if the system is otherwise healthy and its not being fed more nutrients than it can handle.
regards
Si.
#5 Guest_Quigs_*
Posted 07 July 2008 - 09:09 AM
Yeah thats what Im trying to achieve right now - just a little bit at a time with removal as best as possible, although some of it does escape! Hopefully I wil be able to see that little light at the end of the tunnel and put this set back down to expereince - again!
Had a very interesting chap around last week from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory who, in a sick way, was fascinated by my cyano! He had a good look under my microscope which I have to say is one of the most useful purchases Ive made to date in ridding myself of this algae. He has also taken a sample of the algae and some water to accurately test for nutrients and phosphate. Should get the results tonight.
Had a very interesting chap around last week from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory who, in a sick way, was fascinated by my cyano! He had a good look under my microscope which I have to say is one of the most useful purchases Ive made to date in ridding myself of this algae. He has also taken a sample of the algae and some water to accurately test for nutrients and phosphate. Should get the results tonight.
Share this topic:
Page 1 of 1