Probably the most fascinating subject in terms of coral husbandry to me.
There is no paper (at least in hobbiest literature) which can compare to Bornema's Reef food series of articles.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/eb/index.php
Even though this series of articles started way back in 2002, it still amazes me how many people adhere to the philosophy of minimal feeding, intense lighting, good skimming and strong flow, combined with stable parameters to keep "sps" corals such as acroporids.
Sure there are a lot of people who have had "success" with sps corals following the above recipe, but I believe feeding is the missing link between tanks where sps survive and those in which sps thrive.
Keep reading this line over and over:
(from part four of Borneman's series.)
Another article i keep refferring back to: http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/207/9/1461
Even though most of it is way above my mental capacity, the bottom line is what strikes home each time!!!
While searching for a link to Bornemans series of articles (you would think I have it bookmarked, I read it so often), I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is reference to it in the latest issue of reefkeepig.com!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/atj/index.php (Even though this reffers mostly to lps corals, its all relevant)
My question, as always, is how do we go about providing our corals with the optimum quantity, quality and variety of foods to get a bit closer than to what they are used to in their natural environment??
(And please don't tell me that if you feed your fish their poop is enough) Don't get me wrong, there is merit to it, but poop and light just can't be enough!!
IVAN
There is no paper (at least in hobbiest literature) which can compare to Bornema's Reef food series of articles.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/eb/index.php
Even though this series of articles started way back in 2002, it still amazes me how many people adhere to the philosophy of minimal feeding, intense lighting, good skimming and strong flow, combined with stable parameters to keep "sps" corals such as acroporids.
Sure there are a lot of people who have had "success" with sps corals following the above recipe, but I believe feeding is the missing link between tanks where sps survive and those in which sps thrive.
Keep reading this line over and over:
In all cases except for Galaxea and Symphyllia, more energy is acquired by feeding than by photosynthesis, and for the typical "SPS" species, the ratios tend to be higher.
(from part four of Borneman's series.)
Another article i keep refferring back to: http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/content/full/207/9/1461
Even though most of it is way above my mental capacity, the bottom line is what strikes home each time!!!
Our results suggest that the increase in the rates of calcification in fed corals might be induced by a feeding-stimulation of organic matrix synthesis
While searching for a link to Bornemans series of articles (you would think I have it bookmarked, I read it so often), I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is reference to it in the latest issue of reefkeepig.com!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/atj/index.php (Even though this reffers mostly to lps corals, its all relevant)
My question, as always, is how do we go about providing our corals with the optimum quantity, quality and variety of foods to get a bit closer than to what they are used to in their natural environment??
(And please don't tell me that if you feed your fish their poop is enough) Don't get me wrong, there is merit to it, but poop and light just can't be enough!!
IVAN
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