More on Tropic Marin Reef Actif
Hello everybody,
A number of you recently asked me specific questions about this product here on this forum and on my Facebook page. Your questions raised issues on the difference between NP-Bacto-Balance and Reef Actif, copper contained in Actif and Reef Actif's role in nutrient reduction. I promised that (hopefully) I would provide you with intellectually acceptable answers.
I approached Herr Hans-Werner Balling of Tropic Marin yesterday and asked him a number of questions and sought clarification on our understanding of Reef Actif. I also took the opportunity to state my own understanding of this product so as to verify it.
I have just received his reply. Having read it, I have realised how little I know about reef bacteria. This area clearly presents a new learning opportunity for me. Below is the full transcript of my conversation with Herr Balling. I hope you will find it as informative as I have:
My fellow reefers and I would like some clarification on the following points please:
- QUESTION: What is Reef Actif's objective in a reef tank? Is it for nutrient reduction or to make nutrients more accessible to corals, symbiotic bacteria living on corals and filter feeders, or both? Or what? My understanding is that it is a very clever transport mechanism that changes the state of nutrients from unusable (i.e. inorganic) to useable (i.e. organic) by corals and filter feeders by allowing symbiotic bacteria to decompose bio-polymers which lock inorganic nutrients?
ANSWER: Yes, you are completely right. Reef Actif binds nutrients and changes them from the inorganic state to the organic state in this way.
- QUESTION: Are symbiotic bacteria different from heterotrophic bacteria? If so, how?
ANSWER: Symbiotic bacteria are living on and in corals and fish. A balanced consortium of symbiotc bacteria protects its host and makes additional nutrients accessible to it. This is the case in corals as well as in fish.
- QUESTION: What does Reef Actif offer that NP-Bacto-Balance doesn't? NP-Bacto-Balance contains a carbon source.
ANSWER: Reef Actif offers a choice of polymeric substances that are only accessible to specialized bacteria. There is a pronounced beneficial effect to corals and also fish that is visible in just a few days. We found them testing substances that might adsorb nutrients. NP-Bacto-Balance has oligomeric substances that are accessible to much more kinds of bacteria and which do not adsorb nutrients to their molecular structure.
- QUESTION: What are exactly natural marine bio-polymers and how do they differ from other organic carbon sources, such as vodka, vinegar, sugar? The confusion here is that in the translated version you stated "REEF ACTIF contains a carbon source in the form of the mentioned biopolymers. These, like most organic compounds, are mainly carbon." Specifically, if bio-polymers are a carbon source, then are they consumed by only specific bacteria? Is that why you used the term symbiotic bacteria? Are symbiotic bacteria different than facultative heterotrophic bacteria (Question 2 above).
ANSWER: Vodka, vinegar and sugar are monomeric or oligomeric substances which can and will feed many kinds of bacteria including detrimental ones. These substances are metabolized and oxidized by the bacteria rapidly which may cause bacterial blooms and oxygen depletion. For our liquid organic carbon additives like NP-Bacto-Balance we chose the substance that caused the least bacterial slime buildup and to which corals seemed to react best. Reef Actif is even more safe and more beneficial to corals and fish than NP-Bacto-Balance. It has a prebiotic effect which means it seems to feed mainly harmless and beneficial (=mutualistic, mutualism = a beneficial kind of symbiosis) bacteria.
- QUESTION: Some people find a contradiction in the translated version regarding copper. For example, "œREEF ACTIF does not contain copper as an effective substance" and "œAs a biopolymer mixture of natural origin, it can contain traces of copper." What is the difference between containing traces of copper and not containing copper as an effective substance?
ANSWER: Some trace element additives that make the corals lighten up contain copper as an effective substance which means the copper contained causes a more or less severe bleaching of the corals. Because Reef Actif also lightens up the corals (you describe the effect below {*}) it was suspected that it might contain added copper as an effective ingredient but this is not the case. As natural substances the biopolymers may contain traces of copper but they are not responsible for the lightening effect. We ascribe the lightening effect to the adsorption of nutrients and the conversion of the nutrients to the organic state like described above.
- QUESTION: If we use NP-Bacto-Balance, K+ and A- elements as part of a nutrient reduction strategy and decide to use Reef Actif as well, is it a good idea to increase the amount of A- and K+ elements beyond the recommended levels as corals start to grow faster, which has been my experience.
ANSWER: The K+ and A- Elements may be dosed to the double recommended dosage if the trace element demand is high. It is best to decide if the effect of the increased dosage is beneficial watching the corals. If you can´t see any beneficial effect of the increased dosage after one or two weeks it is better to stick with the normal dosage.
{*} After using Reef-Actif since 25th May 2017 in conjunction with NP-Bacto-Balance, A- and K+, I can clearly see subtle improvements on my corals and reef in general. Corals are now growing much faster, their colours look a little more pronounced (possibly because of zooxanthellae expulsion), sponge growth accelerated and aquarium glass cleaning frequency has dropped.
