Corals - Plants in the Reef Tank ;)

[Spanky]

Maybe you guys need to stop thinking of corals as animals, and start thinking of them more like plants.

Example, ever grow a plant? If you listen to the fertilizer salesman, you'd think it won't grow without adding X amount of dollars of his brand of fertilizer. But yet, experience will tell you, if you plant it in good nutrient rich soil, you won't have to fertilize at all and if you do, you notice no difference.

[Geoff]

Originally posted by Spanky
Maybe you guys need to stop thinking of corals as animals, and start thinking of them more like plants.

or mushrooms. some do just fine without light, if other needs are met.

G~

[Spanky]

Geoff,

That's a good one, you really made me think! and you're right. Except mushrooms don't have the ability to absorb the nutrients they need all over their bodies or in other parts like leaves.

Come on people, this can be a fun thread.

How much nitrogen do corals really need? how many different ways do they have of getting, keeping, and sharing it? What's the role of zoox? and can you really turn incomplete amino complexes into combined proteins using ATP stores?

[galleon]

I think I'm going to sit out on this one .

[Spanky]

Chicken

[foobuddha]

The only thing I can contribute is that when people see my tank for first time they generally think the corals _are_ plants...

Actually maybe I can add something else...they do seem to be like trees in that the 'outside' (bark) is the live part and the inside is skeleton (dead wood). But then again, as the song goes:

Don't know much biology...

[SAT]

Originally posted by Spanky
How much nitrogen do corals really need? how many different ways do they have of getting, keeping, and sharing it? What's the role of zoox? and can you really turn incomplete amino complexes into combined proteins using ATP stores?

Ack! Now my head hurts. Sounds like we should just pour Miracle Grow into the tank. How much can it take without burning the roots? Do I have to water it in? Would it be better to just spray the leaves? Do you think some Funginex would keep off the algae?

[aquaticsdeptleader]

jerel

i think your plants example is not very good all farmers rotate fields (maybe one of the most important farm mgmt tech ever) and add fertilers of all kinds because one type of plant will use different stuff also the rose you plant in that nutrient rich soil wont flower as well in the years to come without fertilaztion. where is some of the best crop land in us along the banks of the mississippi river every few years big flood new nutrients. mushrooms dont photo at all they absorb nutrients and of course are not a plant but a fungus

in the case of the corals your discussing i believe your fertilizer would be calc.

all the cloroplast in the world is not much good without a cell wall or membrane

jim

[Geoff]

Originally posted by aquaticsdeptleader
mushrooms dont photo at all they absorb nutrients and of course are not a plant but a fungus

not all coral are photo. there are several that require no light at all, Tubastrea aurea. the critters we keep are more dependant on the water around them then the light we give them. if not then why are all of my acro's, and porities open thier fullest after lights out. also why would Plerogyra sinuosa have a predatory mode at night. also why is it so difficult to keep Goniopora's. light is obviously not the only source of nutrients necessary for their long term survival. wheather or not it is necessary to dump as much "food" we do into our systems that we do is still being determined. do we really need DT's, should we be doing more zooplankton than photoplankton. are either of them necessary at all.

i have no idea, this is why i am here.

G~

[NewReefer]

If you plant it, they will come!

Maybe an Indept study of corals is needed, like each plant has his own needs, you don't treat fruit trees the same as tomatos, even though they both are fruits, right?

Light? Hey what is all that life they find several thousand feet under the ocean? (whoo wee they glow in the dark)!

[aquaticsdeptleader]

Geoff

of course you are correct although as the with the mushroom none photo corals will need to be feed how much how often and with what in order to ensure long term survival is really unkown, doent help the system to be fed doesnt help the animal to not be fed lose lose if you ask me

why corals open at night well for those animals whom dont see very well in the dark and whom are stupid enough to be swimming around the most likely time for them to bump into a non moveing predator with stingers i wonder

and corals wont get all there nutrients necassry for survival simply from the sun (mh) they need to build and maintain there skeltons for that they will need calc for those that have them of course


jim

[Alice]

Jerel, is it raining?

Jim's right; in the wild, corals generally put their polyps out to feed at night. It's just another way they adapt to life in our tanks that has them opening during the day for us.

Do they open during the day in our tanks to take full advantage of the light we are able to give them, not needing to do so in the wild because the natural light is so much more intense? Or is it because we generally feed the tank when the lights are on and they're exhibiting a Pavlovian response?

Quote: and can you really turn incomplete amino complexes into combined proteins using ATP stores? :End Quote

I need to remember to have more caffiene before I read in the Think Tank in the AM

Alice

[galleon]

Alice

It is instinctual adaptivity behavior, you have a set pattern of behavior that in general, doesn't change from wild colonies being imported... Instinctual triggers from chemical pathways (nitrogen present) extend polyps at night. However, corals react to nitrogen stimuli, especially polyp extensions, and "food reactions" (a set pattern of behavior generally qualified in the presence/capture of food), which are being brought about by not only feeding during the day but the nitrogen present in captive water, thus the coral adapts to a continue provocation of a food reaction. Its all about conserving energy/metabolic expense.

[aquaticsdeptleader]

intersting chris so was the capture of food by the polyps simply a secondary benfit in the orginal extension of polyps, or were they out at all times and those that could restrict energy use by evoulatinarly learning food was most prevelent when nitrogen levels were elavated.

and doesnt your statment above contradict jerels statment on the other thread increased nutrient levels are inversly propoutinet to increased absorbincey of the corals assumeing we are discussing the same corlas or perhaps your statement only holds true for none photo corlas

jim

[SAT]

Seems like gross generalizations. What happened to your "I hate - corals" thread, Jerel?