SPS' and LPS' in the wild

[geoffrey]

ok guys, ive been thinking a bit about this...

i read somewhere on the forum that LPS corals prefer a system with a bit of nutrients, where as SPS corals don't like nutrients at all.

so now how does this apply in the oceans where the sea isn't exactly rife with nutrients in one spot and completely absent in another, surely it changes all the time... this makes no sense to me?

if one of u gurus could help me here it would be great:yeahdude:

 

[lappiesreef]

I think it has something to do with river mouths and lagoons also intertidal zones.
There is nutrient fluctuations in those areas... I guess.

 

[jacquesb]

Hi Geoffrey - I have contested and debated this many many many times before. I SCUBA dive, and have seen SPS corals in the wild.
The reefs where I have seen SPS and soft-corals (I cannot remember seeing LPS corals yet) are FULL of POC's (particulate organic material)........ When I want to take pics underwater, then I cannot use my flash, unless I get my camera RIGHT up to the subject, because the POC's in the water caused MAJOR back-scatter.... causing a lot of white spots all over my picture.

NOW - I know that POC's are not directly nutrients.... but they do contribute to nutrients....

I cannot say exactly what the nutrient levels are over the reef when I dive (perhaps I should take a small vial with me, and then test the ammonia/nitrate/nitrite/pH/alk/calcium/SG levels next time when I go diving in a tropical area where there are tropical reefs and SPS/soft-corals..... then I would be able to see myself...

Perhaps one of our members who dive and live along the KZN coast could perhaps do this experiment for me/us?

On the other hand - I do indeed know that nutrient levels in marine estuaries are FAR higher (ie. at St. Lucia in the KZN north coast, and for example the Knysna marine estuary).... and many times LPS corals are gathered from these area, instead of on the reefs itself.....

 

[Mekaeel]

Im no guru. I would say that nutients probably come and go with the current (Tide's) and waves. Therefore low nutrients to keep SPS happy and at times higher nutrients to feed LPS. But at the same time, the ocean consists of plankton, etc....to feed all corals all the time.
Sheesh,dont know if im making any sense

 

[jacquesb]

Im no guru. I would say that nutients probably come and go with the current (Tide's) and waves. Therefore low nutrients to keep SPS happy and at times higher nutrients to feed LPS. But at the same time, the ocean consists of plankton, etc....to feed all corals all the time.
Sheesh,dont know if im making any sense

No - you're 100% right.... making perfectly sense to me!

 

[geoffrey]

thanks guys... appreciate it. so basically one is more likely to find LPS' closer to the nutrient higher esturies and such and the SPS' further out... hey jacques do u ever see SPS' and LPS' co-existing in the wild?

 

[jacquesb]

No Geoffrey-Only SPS and soft-corals. Never seen LPS in the wild as yet..... I have seen soft-corals and SPS grow inbetween each other........ Competing for reef space....

 

[geoffrey]

oh ok. cant wait to get out and do some diving.... got to see this stuff in real life...

 

[jacquesb]

Go to Sodwana - or even southern Moz - you will be REALLY pleasantly surprised....

 

[scubaninja]

yeah sodwana is brilliant, i wish i could take specimens from there

 

[bushwacker_69]

dont sticks colour better with higher nutrients or something along those lines

 

[Mekaeel]

dont sticks colour better with higher nutrients or something along those lines

Other way about, they show brighter colour's under low nutrients

 

[jacquesb]

dont sticks colour better with higher nutrients or something along those lines

No Bushwacker - the lower the nutrients and the stronger the lighting (ie 400watt compared to 150watt) the more the SPS colors up.....
The higher the nutrients and the lower the lighting, usually SPS becomes brown because of a LOT more zooxanthellae....

In nature, ie at Sodwana, the corals are AWESOME (growth wise), but barely ANY coloration - all looks either green or brown...

 

[cybervic]

Have a look at this Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine - Feature Article: Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and the Reef Aquarium: an Initial Survey, Part I .

This might have some of the answers your were looking for