Reef Supplements

[cbayer]

Are there any supplemnets that you guys would recommnend for bringing out the color in corals and anemones. I have heard the reason many corals colors fade or are not as colorful is because the lack of Zooxanthellae and I was curious if there was something to supplement that.

[urban79]

iodine

[cbayer]

Yea I supplement iodine and phytoplex I was talking more along the lines of zooplex and chromaplex. I was told that they help bring out the colors in corals by making them healthier. Im not sure if the guy telling me this knew what he was talking about or just trying to sell me somehting.

[urban79]

That is just food for your corals. And you really dont need it. every time you clean your glass. Your feeding your corals. If your going to use anything go for more of the line with a self life. DTs works just watch your phosphate levels. The other is oyster eggs.. ANd there is Marine Snow. I heard thats ok. What ever you dose just keep your eyes on your phoshates. Or you be asken about the red slime later.. LOL

[matt]

Actually most corals, at least stony corals, don't eat algae or phytoplankton. They eat animals, or zooplankton. The idea behind feeding phytoplankton is that it helps develop a population of small animals in your tank, which then reproduce and get eaten by corals, usually in their larval stages when they're just moving around in currents. DTs is the best source of phytoplankton I've seen.

I would not supplement iodine at all; there's no proof that corals need it, and unless you can test for it in your water, you may already have elevated levels over seawater. Most aquariums do, just by the salt mixes. I don't know what chromaplex is, but it sounds like something you'd get for a camera.

Most people that have very colorful corals have very stable high alkalinity and calcium levels and vry strong intense lighting. The zooxanthellae in the corals are not responsible for the color, they're brown. Some people have written that the colorful pigments corals have may be somewhat in response to very high light levels and may be protective. It's definitely true that shallow water corals tend to be much more colorful than deeper water ones, where much less light and a more limited spectrum reaches them.

[tg1119]

Since I have started using ESV 2 part B-ionic all of my corals have gotten much brighter. I also started feed DT's phytoplanton around the same time. I am very happy with both products. Also, I soak small mysis and brine shrimp in the DT's and then spot feed my GBTA and it has never looked better. Along with my candy cane but that is just because I think its cool to watch them eat.

[OceanInMotion]

ive been using the 2 part b-ionic as well. on the last tank i had i got fantastic coraline growth, my zoos spread faster and the tank just seemed healthier.