Is there such a thing as coral bioload?

[jgatmaitan]

We've all talk about keeping fish bioload down so I'm just curious if there is an effect of having a tank that is highly populated with corals?
I was just wondering, do coral produce waste?

[Stixbaraca]

I've also thought about this recently as I have like quadrupaled the smount of SPS in my tank.

[MinibowMatt]

yes. Think about all that slime that comes off your corals. The expelled zooxanthellae, (poop) etc....

Now, it isnt the same as a big yellow tang, but yes.

[sjfishguy]

I would think a coral's bioload is negligabe since the coral's zooxanthallae is likely to cancel out the animal wastes the coral itself produces. I do not have any data to say this is indeed the case, but it makes sense to me.

[jgatmaitan]

I've also thought about this recently as I have like quadrupaled the smount of SPS in my tank.

My tank is really full right now that's why I was asking.

[Gordonious]

I think the biggest thing that contributes to bioload, both with fish and corals, is feeding. If you have a big fat fish that eats a lot in contributes to the bioload significantly. If you feed your corals then wether the food is eaten by your corals or not then it will be broken down into waste in your tank.

Corals such as sun coral that have to be fed a lot add to the bio load significantly. Your little acro frags, usually not as much.

With corals I think you'd usually have to worry about coral war fare before bio load.

At least thats my two cents.

Jon

[mkbtank]

Jiggs, Please ask this in the sps forum. I would love to know also, since I am quickly running out of room in my 180. I am now planning to change the rockscape to give more surface room for gluing. :)

I think I remember hearing that sps are completely negligable in terms of bioload, but I am a total novice.

[krikor]

Im sure my lps make some sort of bioload.... i feed my brain chunks of shrimp and it tries to and does eat snails... how can it not produce waste?

[sjfishguy]

Yeah, that makes sense if you feed your corals, you are obviously adding nutrients to the system. But corals in themselves I doubt have much effect.

[Jay4Robin]

You will have some sort of bio load on your system. You rock has many organisims in it. Worms bacteria pods etc. They all produce waste. I have not fed my tank in over a month and my skimmer still produces a ton of muck.