dendronephthya (carnation coral) AM I WINING OR LOSING

[papipapi]

I found this article

 

[sixty_reefer]

I found this article

Thank you for the link, it brings confidence that what we trying here may not be in vain as there suspicions on feeding seem similar (organic dissolved nutrients), I had a look at my bottle of ATI and it seems that is the same as you shared earlier, they must of changed the ingredients to all and keept the old photos to advertise the product.

I was using 4 times the recommended dose I my system with a supplement of 2 ml of amino acids from reef elements and a sodium silicate solution. From my observation silicates are essential to other organisms to thrive like tunicates and other sponges, this clavelina was almost perishing until I started adding silica, now just keeps on getting bigger and bigger

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I also have this running at all times

How to automate a phytoplankton culture

How to automate a phytoplankton culture In this article I will illustrate how to automate a phytoplankton culture, automation has been the key to successfully achieving stability in our hobby and with phytoplankton I feel that is no different...

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Although in the past I’ve realised that phytoplankton on it’s own wasn’t enough supply enough food to the coral and something may be missing

this thread was a interesting discussion also

NPS corals, heterotrophs or mixotroph

Does anyone know if NPS corals are full heterotrophic or do they have the capability to become. I have in mind a few common NPS like the often called sun coral that has a calcium carbonate skeleton, would we consider a sun coral to be heterotrophic?

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edit: one of the observation I made also and not sure is how is related is that I most diving videos I’ve watched, this corals tend to share they’re environment with macro algae and sea fans. Not often seen sharing the space with full blown sps coral reefs.
It always made me wonder if I’m the waters they habitat would be more rich in nutrients in comparison to coral reefs. That thought comes from all those field of algae needing a lot of dissolved nutrients to sustain life in comparison.

 

[papipapi]

Thanks for all this info, soft corals need a raised nitrate index and strong water movement but not too fast.
I think this is the most important and the most difficult thing after the food they need!

 

[damsels are not mean]

Thanks for all this info, soft corals need a raised nitrate index and strong water movement but not too fast.

I don't agree with this, in the wild most of the soft corals we keep are found tucked among SPS corals in the shallowest and highest-energy waters. I suspect most soft corals will tolerate higher light and flow than most acropora. Just look at this dive video by the late jake adams.


The shallowest part of the reef is 90% softies, interspersed with porites. The dirtier, deeper waters is where you start to see more acropora. It's possible soft corals tolerate low nutrients better, but they by no means prefer it any more than any other coral would.

 

[papipapi]

I don't agree with this, in the wild most of the soft corals we keep are found tucked among SPS corals in the shallowest and highest-energy waters. I suspect most soft corals will tolerate higher light and flow than most acropora. Just look at this dive video by the late jake adams.


The shallowest part of the reef is 90% softies, interspersed with porites. The dirtier, deeper waters is where you start to see more acropora. It's possible soft corals tolerate low nutrients better, but they by no means prefer it any more than any other coral would.

Anyway nitrate and phosphate it's not bad thing in logical levels.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Not all corals are as hard as dendronephtya, this Nephthyigorgia seems to be fairly easier at keeping mass and recovery.

not so long ago I’ve picked one almost dead from a local LFS and by keeping it in the same tank I’ve observed some of the key nutrients that benefit them,

this is how I’ve picked it up, I’ve seen it in thefor months and months without opening.

a couple days in and she was already showing some signs of recovery (27 September), This is how the coral is this morning , there is no need to place them inverted in the tank as they are getting plenty of nutrients.

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unfortunately some of the other normal soft corals are getting some side effects of the excess nutrients, this green Kenya tree has been looking like this for a wile (maybe a sign of stress) maybe just excess nutrition.

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The one thing in my system that is also benefiting from the excess nutrients import/export bacterial driven is this red starfish, she has grown a bit since first introduced a few months back.

and now

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