Acropora ~ the coral that spawned a crusade

[Aquabucket]

An ongoing quest to recreate nature in glass cages has led us to an era of captive reefkeeping that years ago was merely a vision.

Soon after the dawn of the protein skimmer hobbyists and biologists alike began to develop captive reef conditions that could replicate some of the most pristine seas the world has to offer.

With the advent of the captive acropora the crusade was on. Soon substantial advances in technolgy and methodoligy helped fuel the cause. The fast growing desire to create captive acro forests led to the development of the latest and greatest methods, gadgets, and pricey toys to play with.

Soon complex life support systems were desired. Street lights were placed inches above transparent cages and the bright shimmering lights splashed accross the walls. Suspicious lawmen sometimes knocked on doors looking for hydroponic weed stashes.

Some acro dominated systems seen today utilize more reactors than Three Mile Island. There have reactors for calcium, ozone, zeovit or zeolites, others remove phosphates and nitrates.

Thousands of high end systems today have chillers, generators, controllers, UV sterilizers, algae scrubbers, wave machines, and complex plumbing systems. Some even have micro cameras placed in miniature remote controlled submarines with wireless feeds to mobile phones for monitoring carefully sculpted underwater gardens.

All hail to the acropora a fragile and delicate species of coral with the potential to radiate spectacular colors along surfaces of cactus-like branches sprinkled with polyps that bloom like miniature wildflowers.

There are alarms, warning signals, digital gauges, auto top off systems and dosers to protect them. At times I can't help but think of the Matrix upon viewing some of these high tech systems.

Sometimes we hear the tragic stories ~ "$10,000 reef destroyed by a wedged snail" ~ "temperature probe malfunctions ~ all that remains is a foul smell eminating from a tank that looks like a clear tub full of clam chowder".

Some of the modern systems I see today resemble something right out of the Matrix.

So what does it all mean? To me its somewhat ironic.

Striving to recreate the stability that nature provides ~ the hobby has become highly mechanized over the years.

The question is with all the reliance on the technology that is available today are these complex systems really that stable in the long run? Failure of a single componant can crash an entire system in a matter of hours.

The desire to keep acros alive long term in captivity has divided factions of experts on how to provide the best possible enviornment for these delicate organisms.

We need to only look at the current state of RC to see the passion in their beliefs and methods. The ongoing debate regarding subtrates is a prime example. One expert promotes DSBs and another swears a bare bottom is best. Some are inbetween. All sides have something in common ~ the desire to stock thier systems full of acroporas and other hard to keep SPS.

Most of those that choose not to stock these corals can lay back and be somewhat amused at all the bickering and debating. Chances are the corals they choose to keep are much hardier and adaptive than the cactus like corals the experts are so passionate about.

Why must man try to command its will against many of the planet's wildest creatures like the acropora ~ the fastest growing of all corals. The backbones of our ocean's natural reefs.

Do some may hide behind an altruistic facade? Will there be a day that man will be responsible for seeding dying reefs with aquacultered corals?

Nature is a tough thing to manipulate. In many cases what's taken from the wild and forced to adapt to captive conditions often has difficulty adapting again in nature.

Have the experts and their organizations tried to seed a declining reef or a test area with aquacultered corals? Is the conquest of the acropora simply driven by the need decorate our walled-in structures with a prestegious living sculpture?

Could aquacultured corals be more tolerent to the climate changes the world's reefs are currently undergoing?

Could a future re-introducton of aquacultured corals invite an invasive strain of sorts that may facilitate an imbalance or plague?

Coral destruction from poaching destroyed much of the protective barrier that helped shield Sri Lanka's shores from coastal tidal waves. Here man made concrete barriers were no match for natures fury. Its no coincidence that these areas suffered the most human casualties.

In the coastal areas where natural reefs were left intact the surging wave's fury was quelled considerably.

Could this be the place were man returns the acropora back to the sea? Maybe this is something all the experts should be thinking about. I guess they are too busy laying down starboard, debating DSBs, and tinkering with zeolites.

Maybe its time the experts start figuring out a way to give something back to nature.

I hope it begins with an acropora.



I can't get into any specifics but the above is a 1st draft of a practice article for an aquarium publication. I was requested to write something unique about acroporas.

please feel free to post any comments

[bookfish]

Reseeding wild reefs is an ongoing project for some of us. Both Tongan and Samoan reefs are being reseeded. I'm not quite sure if you're asking the questions for real here or just previewing a whimsical hobbyist article. If you're interested in talking to some of us involved in this work, PM me and I'll point you to the forum where you can learn about these efforts.-Jim

[Aquabucket]

Thank's Jim.

I realize that re-seeding reefs is occuring in some areas of the world. I am not familiar with the projects you mentioned however. I suspect that the seed corals used are cultivated through sea cropping.

My intention was to view the hobby from an outside perspective and was influenced partly in response to the mass exodous of RC's departed experts over petty bickering with regard to the great substrate debate.

I also wanted to establish the acropora's profound influence towards the evolution of the hobby.

[fishes2889]

you could make a book about it=)