How to control zooxanthellae in the reef aquarium

[gpwdr]

Zooxanthellae enter the host animal through the water column. Corals can adjust the algae population on a daily basis by releasing or by taking up algae as needed.

Elevated nitrate can excessively spur the growth of zooxanthellae, which in turn can actually decrease the growth rate of the host coral.

So, my question is how to reduce zooxanthellae in corals to produce lighter colors?

Do you increase coral food to reduce the zooxanthellae?

What would be the best type of coral food to use?

Maybe the question is how to increase the zooxanthellae to produce brown corals?

 

[Bao]

Nitrate and Phosphate go up will help zooxanthellae to reproduce more in the corals which cause the corals to have that brown color.
If you want to reduce the amount of zooxanthellae, then reduce nitrate and phosphate. Zeovit also has a product called Zeospur that help to reduce the amount of zooxanthellae as well. Obviously, there are more to this than just nitrate and phosphate. If you bring the corals up high enough, it will bleach out and reduce the amount of zooxanthellae as well. But certainly this isn't a healthy way of doing it.

 

[gpwdr]

I wonder what Zeospur is? How does it work?

My Po4 is
0.016 mg/l

I'll check my Nitrate.

 

[twilliard]

My po4 is .014
No3 is 2ppm
I have found I can control the colors of some but not others with the amount of no3 in the water.

 

[Nowell]

Zooxanthellae enter the host animal through the water column. Corals can adjust the algae population on a daily basis by releasing or by taking up algae as needed.

Elevated nitrate can excessively spur the growth of zooxanthellae, which in turn can actually decrease the growth rate of the host coral.

So, my question is how to reduce zooxanthellae in corals to produce lighter colors?

Do you increase coral food to reduce the zooxanthellae?

What would be the best type of coral food to use?

Maybe the question is how to increase the zooxanthellae to produce brown corals?

Zooxanthellae are dinoflagellates (protozoans) and not algae. When I first studied coral reef ecology, they were thought to be algae. This has subsequently been proven false.

 

[gpwdr]

Good information Nowell, what do the corals consume without the protozoans, to get lighter colored corals rather than browner colored corals.

My No3 is oo.o ppm Red Sea test kit

Phosphorus is 00.0 ppb Hanna

Phosphate is 00.0 ppm Hanna


Last week I shut off the protein skimmer for two days per week, thinking the corals can take more food from the water instead of taking food from a lot of zooxanthellae?

Any suggestions?

Gene

 

[Russ265]

Good information Nowell, what do the corals consume without the protozoans, to get lighter colored corals rather than browner colored corals.

My No3 is oo.o ppm Red Sea test kit

Phosphorus is 00.0 ppb Hanna

Phosphate is 00.0 ppm Hanna


Last week I shut off the protein skimmer for two days per week, thinking the corals can take more food from the water instead of taking food from a lot of zooxanthellae?

Any suggestions?

Gene

0 no3....
what resolution/test kit?

if corals are starved of no3/po4 they will pale out, brown, then die.
usually the greens will turn violet and the violets turn brown.

a tell tale sign is that when actinics are on, your greens dont pop.