Sterile verses not too clean

[Paul B]

I don't know where I am exactly going with this post but I would like to know what people think. Since it is again summer (or almost) I have once again began putting "stuff" in my tank from local marshes that I probably shouldn't. Thats not the point. When I do this as I have been since the sixtees a wierd thing happens. The corals and especially the gorgonians look the best that they ever did. I could swear the dam things grew an inch in a few weeks. One gorgonian that I thought died and was in the back behind the rocks came back to life (most, not all of it)
The stuff I have been putting in is seaweed and other "stuff" that grows with it on docks in marina's in New York.
Now don't get crazy, I don't really put the stuff in my tank per say, I collect it and rinse it in clean tank water a few times because it is scuzzy looking stuff. Then I put it an a container with holes in it so the amphipods and other stuff can swim out. In a day I discard this stuff before it rots. My protein skimmer removes a couple of quarts during this process.
On the down side, between doing this and feeding a fat moorish Idol my tank seems to be suffering. Not health wise (I don't think) but it is a pain to remove the fine growth that covers any bare rocks (and in my tank bottles) It looks just like the stuff I see while diving in the Sound.
My reef was never sterile looking and has always been healthy, the fish live forever. I would just like to find out the substances that are in this stuff that are beneficial and remove the stuff that is not. I know the thousands of amphipods that I dump in there help but I can't see them helping with corals like torches, bubbles
and mushrooms. Of course I have to clean the thing much more than I really want to so it is the health of the inhabitants verses maintenance.
I know most people srtive for sterility in their reef and I have seen a lot of really nice healthy reefs out there, especially here on RC but I am curious if that sterility will hurt the health of the fauna over time. A couple of years do not really mean much, most animals will live that long no matter what you do, I am talking about the natural life span or corals which may live almost forever.
Just a thought.
Have a great day.
Paul
Here is that stuff I am talking about, loaded with amphipods

[Paul B]

I don't know why that picture keeps disappearing. I know there was a picture there. What am I getting senile?
Anyway, here is a picture of a gorgonian last December. (If the picture stays here)


And here it is today.
I know the tentacles are out but it still looks a lot bigger and this thing is about 10 years old

Paul

[Kent E]

Sounds like your are providing some sort of "refresher". I really think that we (average reefer) don't feed our tanks nearly enough. Along with that, however, we need massive nutrient removing. So, I think your adding some good stuff along with the bad, but the bad finds its way out.

I think overall I'm with you on this type of reefkeeping.

[Dwayne]

My tank never looked as good as when I supplied a steady and overabundant feeding of phyto, rots, and pods. That was the main diet for the tank other than the occasional feeding of some shrimp/fish specially chopped up for the tank fish. I also never use a Ca reactor or such tools.

I think you're feeding the small 'stuff' in the tank and the rest of the tank is benefitting. But what do I know.

[Paul B]

I don't know either but I don't think it is just the food. I think it has something to do with the nutrients in the algae.
But what do I know either.
Paul

[CaptiveReef]

Paul from your description, (skimmer putting out 2 quarts when you add the aquatic life), and the marine life in your tank jump starting after you add the new aquatic life, tells me one good thing.
The marine life you add are exporting trapped nutrients, which is a form of pure trace elements/amino acids, that is a great boost for the system. In the natural reef the food chain is supplemented with waste products from the aquatic life, each take what they need from the nutrients,(marine snow).
We easily forget that the waters in a reef are a nutrient soup, in which all marine life take what they need. Everything is used up, and the leftover bio matter is converted by bacteria into it's final broken down form which is amino acids.
With powerful protein skimming, use of HydroCarbon, alot of these needed nutrients are ripped right out of the water, before the life in the tank are able to use it. That is why dosing the system is needed each week, we have to keep it clean, but still recreate the food web.
I dose with Reef Plus once a week, and turn off the skimmer for a few hours after I dose. The Reef Plus adds amino acids and vitamins, and trace elements, which is same as whats provided in the natural reefs.

CaptiveReef

[Paul B]

Captive reef ,I so totally agree. I have been putting this stuff in there for many years and I believe that if it were detrimental my reef would have crashed years ago.
I just came back from taking the girls from my wife's office on a moonlight boat cruise and since they are party animals (we have been doing this since high school) we had a great time. Of course I didn;t collect anything but I will be out there tomorrow. We are supposed to get flood watches and torential winds but since I am a man I just love it.
We tried to go around Manhatten but there was just a little too much lightning.
Take care and have a great night.
paul

[Agu]

Paul,

I've collected all kinds a macro algae and weird stuff and added it to one of my tanks. Some of it survived and some of it turned into skimmate. Haven't done it for a while and that tank doesn't look as good as it has in the past. Coincidence, maybe. Or maybe the bio diversity is no longer there ? By introducing new organisms we keep the diversity in our tanks adapting and evolving ?

[Paul B]

Agu, it's true that a lot of that stuff dies, probably most of it. From experience I know which type will live or die. I don't collect anymore horseshoe crabs, hermit crabs, pipefish or many of the local seaweeds, but green crabs, fiddler crabs, Japanese shore crabs, sea robins and codium seaweed do fine.
I think the most important thing I collect is the stuff I mentioned above. I am sure it introduces bacteria along with the microfauna. If your tank runs a long time the bacteria eventually will become just one type with no diversity and if that particular bacteria is just good for one function then we could be missing the advantages of other types of bacteria. I think an infusion of various bacteria is beneficial to a captive reef. Of course I am not a researcher or bacterioligist so it is all conjecture on my part. The only thing I can go by is the experience I have gained with my 35 year old tank.
Have a great day.
Paul

[MCsaxmaster]

Sounds like you're providing some really nutritious food to me. What could be better for a reef tank?

[Fredfish]

I always enjoy your posts Paul. You do such interesting things.

I don't know that you will get a good answer to your question. Not even the researchers have much of an idea beyond generalities what specific corals eat.

I think you make a good point about bacteria. It seems to come up as a possible food source a lot.

You may well be adding a wide range of foods when you add this stuff, from bacteria and micro inverts to pods...

Wish I lived closer to the ocean.

Fred

[Paul B]

Today it is 88 degrees and a perfect collecting day. The boat is full of gas and I will be leaving in a few minutes. I also found a new location to collect all the encrusting sponge I could ever need to feed the moorish Idol. Of course I will also collect amphipods, worms and such. The tank is doing grate as it always does after I start adding all of this stuff.
Have a great Fourth of July.
Paul