Research Ideas

[Chris’s fish]

Hello everyone!

I have been reefing a while and am currently in college working towards a degree. I am currently working in a lab where I am running a project with a 75 gallon saltwater tank and sump and have access to do whatever research project I want. The only problem is I don’t know what to do! I want the study to be coral related most likely, but it could also be inverts. Not fish because there are a bunch of regulations in academic settings. As far as coral goes I can keep any coral, but I’d like to stick to easier corals as of now, so no acros or high demand sps yet. If anyone has ideas for stuff I could research or experiment with please share below!!

 

[J1a]

If your lab have equipments, it will be awesome to do some flow studies on acropora.

If you can set up a schlieren imaging system, it will then be possible to visualise the flow at the boundary layer of corals.

Flow is one of the least quantified aspect of reef keeping. It will be awesome to do some work on this.

 

[GARRIGA]

Research the affects of different levels of phosphates on a variety of SPS species.

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks for volunteering to do an experiment.

Do you have funding for the tests? If not you can possibly get an online vendor to volunteer some coral. Just an idea.

Since experiments usually require a 'control'. it might be an idea to divide the tank into 2 sections but such that the water can easily flow between the 2 sides. This would allow for example. different lights on Side A vs Side B. One flow on Side A and one flow on Side B. etc etc.

 

[Chris’s fish]

If your lab have equipments, it will be awesome to do some flow studies on acropora.

If you can set up a schlieren imaging system, it will then be possible to visualise the flow at the boundary layer of corals.

Flow is one of the least quantified aspect of reef keeping. It will be awesome to do some work on this.

That would be cool although we do not have that equipment.

 

[Chris’s fish]

Research the affects of different levels of phosphates on a variety of SPS species.

That is definitely a good idea. Study the grow patterns and rates too

 

[Chris’s fish]

Thanks for volunteering to do an experiment.

Do you have funding for the tests? If not you can possibly get an online vendor to volunteer some coral. Just an idea.

Since experiments usually require a 'control'. it might be an idea to divide the tank into 2 sections but such that the water can easily flow between the 2 sides. This would allow for example. different lights on Side A vs Side B. One flow on Side A and one flow on Side B. etc etc.

Of course! Yes I have funding to get pretty much whatever I need to do the tests I choose to run.

As for the online vendor for coral that is a good idea. I might be able to get equipment too if I try. Yeah Ideally we would have many systems up and running but we only have one lab as of now. We have endless 10 gallon tanks so I might try to get several set up and test a variety of different things.

 

[MnFish1]

Of course! Yes I have funding to get pretty much whatever I need to do the tests I choose to run.

As for the online vendor for coral that is a good idea. I might be able to get equipment too if I try. Yeah Ideally we would have many systems up and running but we only have one lab as of now. We have endless 10 gallon tanks so I might try to get several set up and test a variety of different things.

Having multiple tanks - may work better than the 1 75 gallon tank.

 

[Chris’s fish]

I am also thinking about doing par variations for different corals, but that is a bit of an already explored sector if this hobby.

 

[Udest]

another interesting and one coud be the interactions between macro algae and corals.

 

[Chris’s fish]

another interesting and one coud be the interactions between macro algae and corals.

That could be interesting. Which aspects would you think would be interesting to study?

 

[Udest]

I heard something interesting about how macro algae leaks carbohydrates into the water column and that corals may absorb some of that.

 

[Chris’s fish]

I heard something interesting about how macro algae leaks carbohydrates into the water column and that corals may absorb some of that.

Interesting. I could possibly take a look at that

 

[damsels are not mean]

I really would love to see a study on the relationship of alkalinity, nitrate, and phosphate levels.

 

[Chris’s fish]

I really would love to see a study on the relationship of alkalinity, nitrate, and phosphate levels.

This sounds like a popular thing people would like studied. I think I will start with phosphates and growth rates

 

[J1a]

This sounds like a popular thing people would like studied. I think I will start with phosphates and growth rates

It's gonna be a bit tough if you have a single aquarium. Not so easy to have controls

 

[Chris’s fish]

It's gonna be a bit tough if you have a single aquarium. Not so easy to have controls

Yeah that is one thing I’m trying to work around. Still not sure how yet