wasp Posted September 12, 2005 Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 Just thought I'd start a thread on the subject I know a few guys are doing this now. My own experience is I've tried one brand that did nothing, then I got a bottle of Salifert Coral Food, which seemed to have an effect, then I got talked into trying Reef Booster, which definately had a positive effect, and now of course Pohls Coral Vitaliser has been released so I had to get a bottle, and it's only been a few days but I'm impressed. Anyhow feeding sps is quite new and somewhat experimental, so hoping some will add their thoughts, knowledge or experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted September 12, 2005 Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 Who knows what works, best just use what ever works for you. I have tried so many and they all seem to have a effect, Only way to tell is to put pics up before pics and after pics. i doubt you have to feed acros, i have seen no real improvements in acros since feeding, so i only feed whenever. I note that i do get improvements in Goniopra,gorgonias etc. What are the ingredients of the vitiliser?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 Not sure what the ingredients are, it's a secret :lol: . However, it has a fish oily type smell something like Reef Booster, combined with a vinegary type smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 12, 2005 Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 cyclop-eeze, seems to work for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBlog Posted September 12, 2005 Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 When you say "positive effect", what do you mean? Higher growth rates?? deeper, richer colors?? And, over what timeframe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 Positive effect, with the Reef Booster, when I used it I noticed better polyp extension. There's debate about the meaning of polyp exptension, but it is largely agreed that it can be related to respiration, and therefore presumably metabolic activity and therefore growth. However with something slow growing like sps, it is a bit hard to gauge the true effect of something over a short time, but polyp extension is generally taken as a good sign. Timeframe with reef booster, I fed it once a week for several weeks. However as one capsule contains several times as much as one dose for my tank I then kept it in the fridge once open and spun one capsule out to a daily dose for one week. The effect on the sps then lessened, it may be it does not take well to being refridgerated, although Cookie I believe refridgerates it and is happy with that. That's why it's all a bit vague as a hobbyist about the effects of sps feeding, it's just observation but can be influenced by imagination and what you want to see. So I'm hoping to get some more feedback and see what others have found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 I am under the impression that corals as a general rule onlu derive less than 2% of their food from the water, the rest is photosysthosised sugars. I am also under the impression that polyp extension is a good sign. Sps only secerete their limestone skeleltons at night when the polyos are out. I notice that if polyp extension is good (at night time I am talking about) growth is better (faster). I feed Salifert and Cyclopsezze and a few other home-brew things to the tank for feeding. For me it defininatly invlolks a feeding responce (mega polyp extension). However I have no evidence as to if this has a postive impact of the corals or not, other than my beliefs that it does. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 with something slow growing like sps Most SPS are hermatypic and fast growing. 94 to 98% of all the organic nutrients are produced by the zooxanthella; they are the main source of the polyps’ organic nutrient requirements when i dose cyclop-eeze, the polyp extension is quite crazy! they love the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 Light, nitrogen and carbon are the things that have major effects on sps growth. Most coral foods are carbon and nitrogen suppliers, and are probably have more effect on zooxanthellae than directly on the corals themselves. It's difficult to tell why sps extend polyps, they have so many functions, you can't really tell why just by looking. They can extend for various reasons: To release toxins Defence Increase light collection To feed To increase growth rates i'd be doing three things. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 I'm hangin man! What three things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 I already told you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 Light, nitrogen and carbon zooanthellae are extremely adaptable to lower light conditions. just takes time,... apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 zooanthellae are extremely adaptable to lower light conditions as long as they have a carbon source most sps will grow even in less lit tanks but could well starve in heavy lit and underfed (no carbon source) systems. they will show great colour and some growth until the whole coloney collapses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 Ummmm so where does the carbon come from? Should I add some? Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 hydrogen CARBONate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 You mean Calcium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 Nope I mean hydrogen carbonate, as in alkalinity. Apparently calcium has little effect on growth in levels in excess of 350ppm. Alkalinity is a major factor in calcification rates. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 Over my head like an aeroplane. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 Well I've got a photo, unfortunately my photo skills are not the best however, this millepora frag in the middle of the pic. I've been feeding Pohl's Coral Vitaliser daily for a week now. Around a week ago this frag was brown. Does not show properly, however it is now red / peach. It also has little yellow new "buds" on it, just wish I could photo better it is a lot more obvious in real life. These buds have appeared in the last week, and also on all the other milleporas in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 Nope I mean hydrogen carbonate, as in alkalinity. Apparently calcium has little effect on growth very true. calcium reactors should really be called carbon reactors, because its the carbonate that is used by most stone corals as well as calcerous algae for skelleton building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 yep, that is why it is a waste of time trying to get calcium levels above 420ppm, just stuffs the kh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 Wasp - That looks great! Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 looks 10x better in real life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBlog Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 I love the milleporas!! Very nice little frag. Is that bubble algae just below? I have that as well and I've found that it's a real PITA to get rid of. Do you have any successful strategies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 Yes it's bubble algae, I've got a ton of it, the fastest growing thing in my tank :lol: Do I have any successful strategies? Well yes, I'm doing really well at producing it in large quantities :lol: But if you find out how to get rid of it let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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