Allelopathy

[Myka]

Hi all! My 90 gallon reef is primarily LPS corals. I haven't kept leathers in my tanks until now for fear of allelopathy, and the fact that I don't like to run carbon very often. I recently upgraded from a 33 (it was quite well stocked with corals), and figured a large leather would be a prime candidate to take up some real estate in the larger tank until I can find some more corals I like. So
in question of allelopathy, I have a mat of GSP that was recently pruned down to 8x4" (although I plan to allow it grow over the entire overflow box), two typical Sinularia both about 8" around, and a 3" frag of a unique Nephthea. I do plan to remove the two large Sinularia within the next 6 months, and I haven't seen any signs of allelopathy, but what are the chances this will occur given the species I have?

Thanks for any help!

 

[rando45]

well you could add the coral into the tank and if you do see signs of the alleopathy, then start running carbon

 

[lancer99]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. One of my tanks has lots of softies (Lobophytum, Sarcophyton, Nephthea) as well as LPS (Lobophyllia, Echinopora, Leptastrea), and they are all thriving, even though I don't run carbon at all.

-R

 

[Myka]

Ok thanks guys!

 

[rando45]

no problem anytime glad to help

 

[Lotus99]

The only time I had a problem was when I had a softie on a frag plug about 2" from a sun coral. The softie was upwind of the sun coral. The sun coral did not come out until about a week after I moved the soft coral away (it was a leather).

I think some LPS are more sensitive than others. Try to have your soft corals downwind of LPS, if you're worried.

 

[lancer99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15344212#post15344212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lotus99
The only time I had a problem was when I had a softie on a frag plug about 2" from a sun coral. The softie was upwind of the sun coral. The sun coral did not come out until about a week after I moved the soft coral away (it was a leather).

I think some LPS are more sensitive than others. Try to have your soft corals downwind of LPS, if you're worried.

I'm not quite convinced!

Did you try this experiment more than once? Did you get the same results? Has anyone else tried the same thing and duplicated these results?

I don't mean to be unkind, but this is typical anecdotal evidence that reefcentral so often relies upon....someone tries something once, and assumes it's true.


-R