Do corals help water quality?
- Thread starter babyduke
- Start date
That is one of those questions that I often ask experts and never get a good answer. They should, because they are animals, degrade water quality as they produce waste products. Yet, the zooxanthellae in a coral can uptake nutrients and that could help maintain water quality.
The best I can come up with is that they probably produce more waste than the zooxanthellae can consume. Otherwise corals would be self sustaining without the need for food capture. Maybe Greenbean or one of our other biologists can better explain.
I can tell you that tanks with just corals, and no other natural filtration, become ammonia factories over time.
The best I can come up with is that they probably produce more waste than the zooxanthellae can consume. Otherwise corals would be self sustaining without the need for food capture. Maybe Greenbean or one of our other biologists can better explain.
I can tell you that tanks with just corals, and no other natural filtration, become ammonia factories over time.
1602reefer
New member
I've read somewhere that they maintain and balance out your ph. And they make your tank look for natural.
iamwrasseman
New member
an overcrowded SPS tank will remove all nutrient to the point of needing supplementation of" food matter "not just calcium and alkilinity along with the other consumable items .so IMO i would say that yes in certain circumstances they will clean the water of nutrient at the same time they would have to be exporting waist also.
For many people, a reef aquarium is a place to grow coral, with fish thrown in as an afterthought. For other people, an aquarium is a place to keep fish, plus a few corals to make it pretty.
If growing corals is what your tank is all about, then it really doesn't matter whether they make a net positive or negative contribution to water quality.
Instead of macroalgae, some people grow corals like xenia as a nutrient export system. The xenia absorbs nitrates, phosphates, etc. from the water, and is then harvested periodically.
If growing corals is what your tank is all about, then it really doesn't matter whether they make a net positive or negative contribution to water quality.
Instead of macroalgae, some people grow corals like xenia as a nutrient export system. The xenia absorbs nitrates, phosphates, etc. from the water, and is then harvested periodically.
drummereef
Team RC
Where did you get this information, 1602reefer? That in my estimation is false.
But this I can agree with.
Spend some time diving into these good reads. http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605
Last edited:
1602reefer
New member
I don't maybe I'm wrong but I thought I remember reading it in some book or somewhere on the internet.
Oh well... thanks drummer I will for sure check those links out I need to learn more about water chem.
Oh well... thanks drummer I will for sure check those links out I need to learn more about water chem.
When one of you has the REAL answer, fill me in too.
Similar threads
