WWC: Corals better on rocks than racks

[jmatt]

I'm just getting started on my frag tank, and was thinking that it would look better if it was kind of a lagoon-style display for frags than the standard egg crate.

When lo and behold, I stumble into a video with ReefBuilders touring World Wide Corals.

"We found that corals seem to grow better in our displays than they do on frag racks" said Bobby Melton of WWC. Frags "grow way faster in our displays than they do sitting on our racks."

Check out the video at the 8 min mark.

Now, you'll notice they have no shortage of frags on racks in the video, but this really grabbed my attention since it what I'm aiming for.

Any speculation on this observation?

 

[tautog83]

I dont think a coral knows if its growing on a rack or a rock ya know . What he is probably getting at is that the display has more fish in it and may just have a little different paramaters

 

[jmatt]

I dont think a coral knows if its growing on a rack or a rock ya know . What he is probably getting at is that the display has more fish in it and may just have a little different paramaters

Well, obviously it's not a choice the corals make, just wondering what parameters change that would result in enough of a difference that an employee of WWC would comment on it.

I was thinking that perhaps it cuts back on flow and for some reason that's beneficial.

 

[Timfish]

In addition to the above observation about fish (fish poop = coral food) there's also likely a much better ratio of cryptic sponges to corals in the display tank (sponges are essential recyclers in reef systems). Microbial prcesses in the water around corals and frags is likely different and the larger colonies would have an advantage in promoting more beneficial microbial stuff.

 

[jmatt]

In addition to the above observation about fish (fish poop = coral food) there's also likely a much better ratio of cryptic sponges to corals in the display tank (sponges are essential recyclers in reef systems). Microbial prcesses in the water around corals and frags is likely different and the larger colonies would have an advantage in promoting more beneficial microbial stuff.

So then, it really could be about reduced flow, since low flow, darker areas are where you'll find cryptic zones where filter feeders like sponges can fit in ecologically.

And I must say, in the video it appears that there is plenty of dark, recessed space below the upper rock platforms that the corals are placed on. It also appears to have a sand bed, not a bare bottom.

It makes me wonder if the bare-bottom egg crate environment is simply too clean and the flow too intense.

 

[jmatt]

Being somebody that doesn't let much stand between me and what I want , I called WWC and asked to speak with Bobby Melton. In two minutes I had him on the phone and asked about the tank, particularly the rock formation.

He said he recalled the video and said it might be Haitian Rock, which is no longer available. He said they don't sell rock but use rock from Real Reef, Life Rock (by CaribSea) and Marco rock. He said he thinks BRS carries them.

When I checked BRS, it looks like LifeRock is what I'm looking for.

He also said they keep tanks with and without sand beds but his personal preference is to have one, fwiw.

I am very grateful to the guy for taking my call during his busy workday. Thanks, Bobby!

 

[Tonycass12]

So then, it really could be about reduced flow, since low flow, darker areas are where you'll find cryptic zones where filter feeders like sponges can fit in ecologically.

And I must say, in the video it appears that there is plenty of dark, recessed space below the upper rock platforms that the corals are placed on. It also appears to have a sand bed, not a bare bottom.

It makes me wonder if the bare-bottom egg crate environment is simply too clean and the flow too intense.

Reefbuilders has a video from their studio for the frag/ Christmas tree worm tank. Most of everything sits on a frag rack and the legs below it are 100% covered in sponges.

 

[ZoWhat]

Absolutely 100%

With zoas and mostly LPS, a ton more growth if it closely attached/glued to a LR

My thoughts are 2-fold:

1) glued to a LR I believe the coral has more ROOM to "be itself" and not nestled up against another frag plug 1inch away

2) smthg with it being close the the LR and being close to the LR bacteria growing on the LR...I believe leads to growth... and not on a sterile plastic rack


.

 

[CoralB]

Did it occur to anyone that a display tank with more fish , rock or plastic has more fish poop ??? And that’s why they might grow faster plus in frag tanks they all get pretty much the same par which might be good for some but not others . Rock or plastic may not make a difference .

 

[jmatt]

Did it occur to anyone that a display tank with more fish , rock or plastic has more fish poop ???

Yes, the second other poster (Timfish) did. But Melton didn't say they noticed that corals in tanks with fish grow better, he said that corals on live rock grow better. Thus the conversation,

I also have to imagine that WWC has fish in their egg crate tanks -- but he didn't mention that as a correlation or causation. He went out of his way to say it about coral growing out in a LR environment.

 

[CoralB]

Yes, the second other poster (Timfish) did. But Melton didn't say they noticed that corals in tanks with fish grow better, he said that corals on live rock grow better. Thus the conversation,

I also have to imagine that WWC has fish in their egg crate tanks -- but he didn't mention that as a correlation or causation. He went out of his way to say it about coral growing out in a LR environment.

What about the par differences . I’ve been in their stores before . The large back tank is set up with rock cascading up 4 ft and coral placed from bottom to top and I’m sure they used a par meter during placement were as the frag tanks up front and most in the back have the same par pretty much . Maybe in the back each tank may have different settings but the frag tanks up front seem the same . Just a theory . I haven’t been there in a while even though their 7 min from me I go to the other side of town to top shelf aquatics and living reef now ) but I personally dont think there is any difference between growing coral on plastic grates or rock as I have a frag racks in my tanks and have not experienced any difference in growth .

 

[iquitreef]

I think it looks more natural on rocks....

 

[StubbyAcro]

Our use of "live sand" has provided another important contribution to food sources. These areas are breeding grounds for many of the worms, crustaceans, microbes, and algae that later directly feed grazers and predators, or add food to the water column with their larvae and gametes. Furthermore, the action of the sand and live rock communities as decomposers and consumers of organic and inorganic material is invaluable. Live rock is also an important source of detritus and other reef food. We have also begun to make use of refugia, small areas or separate tanks separated from, but connected to, the main tank. Refugia provide areas where continual cultures of small flora and fauna can be produced without the intrusion of predators.


From Part 1 of Borneman’s Reef Food article series. There are even some cases where someone almost never feed their tanks because they have so much live rocks that the fishes can survive off by eating the microfaunas.