Carbon dosing?

[bobby.w.hodges]

I watched a video fairly recently that mentioned acropora and other sps use bacteria as food. I can't seem to find that video or remember who made it.

I know that dosing carbon via vodka or vinegar can lower N and P (building blocks @jda ) . My thoughts are that if sps can use bacteria as a source of gut loaded food, could dosing carbon help bacterial growth and therefore there would be more available bacteria (food) available for my corals?

Would a small daily carbon dose be beneficial to coral growth?

My no3 is 10 (salifert), po4 0.08 (hanna), I'm not trying to lower these values and I do realize that I may need to feed more to maintain them.

Thanks for your time and responses in advance.

 

[Spare time]

I am not sure if carbon dosing would promote the bacteria that the coral would feed on. I think the much simpler option would be to dose amino acids or something like reef energy.

Here is an interesting read that you might like.

Study reveals corals' influence on reef microbes

As they grow, corals are bathed in a sea of marine microbes, such as bacteria, algae, and viruses. While these extremely abundant and tiny microorganisms influence coral communities in a variety of ways, a new study reveals that corals also have an impact on the microbes in waters surrounding them.

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[jda]

There is no evidence that coral eat bacteria at all. Some can eat certain sizes of zooplankton in the wild, but not likely in captivity.

 

[dwest]

I watched a video fairly recently that mentioned acropora and other sps use bacteria as food. I can't seem to find that video or remember who made it.

I know that dosing carbon via vodka or vinegar can lower N and P (building blocks @jda ) . My thoughts are that if sps can use bacteria as a source of gut loaded food, could dosing carbon help bacterial growth and therefore there would be more available bacteria (food) available for my corals?

Would a small daily carbon dose be beneficial to coral growth?

My no3 is 10 (salifert), po4 0.08 (hanna), I'm not trying to lower these values and I do realize that I may need to feed more to maintain them.

Thanks for your time and responses in advance.

I wouldn’t do it. I think the possibility of causing problems is large.

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

I am not sure if carbon dosing would promote the bacteria that the coral would feed on. I think the much simpler option would be to dose amino acids or something like reef energy.

Here is an interesting read that you might like.

Study reveals corals' influence on reef microbes

As they grow, corals are bathed in a sea of marine microbes, such as bacteria, algae, and viruses. While these extremely abundant and tiny microorganisms influence coral communities in a variety of ways, a new study reveals that corals also have an impact on the microbes in waters surrounding them.

www.sciencedaily.com

Thanks, that was a good read.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I like the added filter feeders and other life that a carbon source brings to my tank so I would say go for it. Starting slow on a low dose should cause zero issues if your watching the tank daily. Your water might also clear a little too which is always nice.

 

[Spare time]

There is no evidence that coral eat bacteria at all. Some can eat certain sizes of zooplankton in the wild, but not likely in captivity.

They eat picoplankton, which is a combination of some prokaryotic and eukaryotic phototrophs or heterotrophs. You can read this in the article I shared above.

 

[jda]

Porites did. I know that nobody has that particular kind of Porites since Atlantic stony corals are forbidden from being kept, but does anybody even have another type of porites?

The original question was about acropora. Details matter, and especially coral type. It is not smart to assume that one species in a study is a bellwether for all species of coral.