Exposure to air - High tide, low tide

[TapeWorm]

So, I was reading Veron's book tonight and a lot of the tabling acros are used to getting exposed to air during low tide. They seem to thrive under crashing waves and open air.

Has anyone tried recreating that? High tide/low tide, exposure to air and big waves?

Any ideas what kind of benefit we could derive by replicating exactly what they get in nature? (I dont think SCWD is exactly the same effect

I am thinking about setting up an open to tank with a huge surge tank, just for the experiment.

Any opinions?

 

[drake66]

I remember reading on these things not too long ago, and the user reported extreme growth in the acros to where it looked like they were bleaching but the tips were growing so fast that they couldnt color up fast enough Also, by looking at the second link, I think, if used correctly we could probably save on energy and such, thats just me though its neat concept it would be cool to see it in action much like this video.

http://www.reefeyecandy.com/verticalsurge1.mpg


here's a few links i found:
http://www.masla.com/reef/csm.html
http://avdil.gtri.gatech.edu/RCM/RCM/Aquarium/CirculationSystem.html
http://www.breedersregistry.org/Reprints/SeaScope/v13_sumr/surge.htm

 

[Ramble On Rose]

There is someone in our local reef club that has many surge tanks and one of them is setup with two sections with several different surges such that the water level is on a cycle that goes from the tank being completely full to being half full over about 2 hours. From what he said, certain corals don't seem to mind being exposed for the short period of time that they are, but some definatly did not like it.

 

[TapeWorm]

I think it would be neat to create, lets say a 300 gallon tank, with a reef slope. The surge will come into one side, wash all of the hyacinthus and others with power and then slow down as it washes the staghorns and others.

I think it all boils down to placing the right species where they are supposed to be according to nature.

Just have to make sure all corals are well anchored, that is some serious flow

Thanks for the links drake.

 

[jiggy]

speaking of reef slopes.. has anyone ever mad agrocrete to conform to the sides of their tank.. n then put corals on it... so its like the reef walls in the ocean..