Amino Acids?

[PaulKreider]

Are they harmful for sps? I just read that on the web somewhere looking for other info, bought a bottle of "reef plus" concentrated vitamin and amino acid supplement, should i not use it if i have sps in tank? On another page i read its good for zoa and paly coloration? Im confused! Please help!

 

[franklypre]

Are your corals looking good or are they pale/white? AAs=Amino Acid can cause algae growth if the tank is high in nutrients, sometimes it doesn't even have to be high and you'll get algae. That said if you are truly nutrient poor they will help, I use Elos and have seen great results.

 

[spspirate]

I use seachem's fuel which is almost identical to reef plus but with added polyunsaturated fatty acids which comes from a single-celled green algae (chlorella) Chlorella is also high in protein. Ive been using reef plus and now since the aquavitro line came on a couple years back Ive been using the fuel and the reef has never been healthier. Where did you read that it was harmful?

 

[RavePartyReef]

I use seachem's fuel which is almost identical to reef plus but with added polyunsaturated fatty acids which comes from a single-celled green algae (chlorella) Chlorella is also high in protein. Ive been using reef plus and now since the aquavitro line came on a couple years back Ive been using the fuel and the reef has never been healthier. Where did you read that it was harmful?

Not sure because these days nothing is for sure in this hobby. I watched a video with an explanation fresh water algae although ingested by some corals, is not digested...therefore chrorella is rich in nutrients sps cannot process. But again I also learned minerals although bought in bottles(trace, Fe...) are not stable in liquid form and cannot be absorbed by corals...if we really try to learn about the industry, we find it is not credible even though they say have put lots of research I to it. It a mess left for us to really get a grasp on

 

[RavePartyReef]

I've used amigos from brightwell aquatics, and dosed as recommended. The broadcast feeding ends up being the best option, and I noticed algae increase overall and not much difference/could not tell if it worked...

 

[RavePartyReef]

I use seachem's fuel which is almost identical to reef plus but with added polyunsaturated fatty acids which comes from a single-celled green algae (chlorella) Chlorella is also high in protein. Ive been using reef plus and now since the aquavitro line came on a couple years back Ive been using the fuel and the reef has never been healthier. Where did you read that it was harmful?

Here is the video I mentioned. Around 2:10 he talks about foods outside the marine environment fed to corals. Again, are they credible? Is seachem more? Who knows. Use your judgment I guess...I wish we all had a fact not a bunch of he said , she said.

 

[RavePartyReef]

Sorry here it is
Red Sea Reef Care - Coral Nutrition Program (episode 4/5) HD - YouTube

 

[Pappy]

Wayyy overrated ime. Dosed bright well and seachem and saw no change whatsoever. Then again I do weekly wc's and regular maintenance and feed fish heavily.

 

[spspirate]

Very informative advertisement. It seems that in this hobby after it's all said and done thru old tanks new tanks tank after tank you end up hopefully with a successful reef. Through trial and error and many dollars spent you find out what works for you. You create your own philosophy of reef keeping. There are many things that I particulary do together in consistency that creat a healthy balanced ecosystem. Using a supplement is one of them. Does it work? I can't prove it? Is it snake oil? Can't prove that either but what I can say is that my SPS are happy over prolonged dosing.

 

[caudill187]

Fish food contains every amino acid corals can utilize.

 

[RavePartyReef]

Fish food contains every amino acid corals can utilize.

Hummm...not saying it isn't true, again we are all trying to learn here. But how did you learn that? You mean what foods?

 

[maharsreef]

Here is the video I mentioned. Around 2:10 he talks about foods outside the marine environment fed to corals. Again, are they credible? Is seachem more? Who knows. Use your judgment I guess...I wish we all had a fact not a bunch of he said , she said.

I have been using the Red Sea program for over a year, and I am very happy with the results. But their amino acids are supposed to be used with the rest of their low nutrient system. You shouldn't just dump amino acids in your tank if you have a nutrient rich tank, because it would darken your SPS and possibly contribute to algae problems. The video was basically saying that their Reef energy A and B formula (amino acids) is specifically blended so that it is more easily used by your Sps and Lps corals better than reg fish foods. I use it daily, my chalices definitely grow pretty well, I can see a difference. SPS, I am not sure, but I believe it helps because they are not faded like you would see in a nutrient poor tank. I hope this makes sense and it helps, as I am tired as I type this.

 

[Big E]

Coral produce most aminos on their own. This has been known for a loooong time.

NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Corals


Click on the PDF on the page to see the article---
Biosynthesis of 'essential' amino acids by scleractinian corals.

Most people that are getting pale or starved corals lack nitrate and phopsphates. Fish food contains all aminos a coral needs or may be missing. The fish pass most phosphate through their systems for the corals and bacteria to take some & nitrates are produced from the normal nitrogen cycle that happens when a fish poops. The corals can eat bacteria that contains the nutrients needed.

Aminos contain nitrogen.............when they break down the nitrogen is released. Amino acid products get away with saying they contain no nitrate are just splitting hairs. The nitrogen is contained in the molecule, so it's not actually nitrate when in the form of an amino. That's why some people get algae if they dose too much amino.

If there was a company that would provide just the four aminos a coral can't produce and list it on the bottle it would make more sense, but they aren't going to do that because you'd be able to get it dirt cheap. I don't now of anywhere you can buy specic aminos, but that's what is needed................not a soup some commercial company produces that boasts thier product contains all of the "essential aminos acids"

Basically if you want to give your corals what they need you can throw in a slurry of fish food or buy aminos. Fish food is cheaper and you know what you are putting in the tank. Commercial amino contents are a mystery and cost more and you will never know for sure if they contain all the aminos that are provided by just having fish in the tank.

 

[RavePartyReef]

Very informative advertisement. It seems that in this hobby after it's all said and done thru old tanks new tanks tank after tank you end up hopefully with a successful reef. Through trial and error and many dollars spent you find out what works for you. You create your own philosophy of reef keeping. There are many things that I particulary do together in consistency that creat a healthy balanced ecosystem. Using a supplement is one of them. Does it work? I can't prove it? Is it snake oil? Can't prove that either but what I can say is that my SPS are happy over prolonged dosing.

I agree with you. I've been frustrated lately trying to buy some supplements for my tank too. What else have you dosed that has brought good results to your tanks? Any pics? Thanks

 

[RavePartyReef]

Coral produce most aminos on their own. This has been known for a loooong time.

NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Corals

I agree with you. Photosynthesis accounts for 85% of the corals nutrition, when we talk aminos, and feeding, we are trying to supplement the other 15%.
You are absolutely correct with all stated in your post. As mentioned by other posts, the aminos dosing is for low nutrient systems, which is the case in most sps tanks. I have a small tank(20 gal long) with sps, 2 small fish, gfo in a reactor, run carbon and a good cone skimmer rated for 150 gal tanks. I feed very sparingly so my system is a low nutrient system. Most corals do well with good lighting through photosynthesis. Getting a good dial of the other 15 percent could lead to better coloration and growth perhaps. My concern with heavy feeding the fish is that the food will break down and that would take longer giving room for parameters to rise and decrease which is what we wouldn't want. We hope a good skimmer would take care of that but that is not always the case in reality. Aminos are already broken down, ready to be absorbed, and as you add them, they will be brought in to coral tissue in less time. If you dose it sparingly, the larger amount would be consummed for corals and the left over nitrate will be cleaned up(hopefully). Fish food will provide those aminos, but how much to feed is the question. Lots say you must watch and decrease feeding if algae starts growing, but in that case, when you see algae there is an abundance of po4 or nitrates, and that swing is what we don't want with sps.

Click on the PDF on the page to see the article---
Biosynthesis of 'essential' amino acids by scleractinian corals.

Most people that are getting pale or starved corals lack nitrate and phopsphates. Fish food contains all aminos a coral needs or may be missing. The fish pass most phosphate through their systems for the corals and bacteria to take some & nitrates are produced from the normal nitrogen cycle that happens when a fish poops. The corals can eat bacteria that contains the nutrients needed.

Aminos contain nitrogen.............when they break down the nitrogen is released. Amino acid products get away with saying they contain no nitrate are just splitting hairs. The nitrogen is contained in the molecule, so it's not actually nitrate when in the form of an amino. That's why some people get algae if they dose too much amino.

If there was a company that would provide just the four aminos a coral can't produce and list it on the bottle it would make more sense, but they aren't going to do that because you'd be able to get it dirt cheap. I don't now of anywhere you can buy specic aminos, but that's what is needed................not a soup some commercial company produces that boasts thier product contains all of the "essential aminos acids"

Basically if you want to give your corals what they need you can throw in a slurry of fish food or buy aminos. Fish food is cheaper and you know what you are putting in the tank. Commercial amino contents are a mystery and cost more and you will never know for sure if they contain all the aminos that are provided by just having fish in the tank.

Thanks for the articles

 

[PaulKreider]

Well i already bought the bottle so the price is no worry to me, im gonna give it a test and see if it helps/hurts anything, the instant i see any real changes for the worse il stop, or if theres an algae outbreak. But as of now "1week" i havnt noticed any difference at all.

 

[RavePartyReef]

Well i already bought the bottle so the price is no worry to me, im gonna give it a test and see if it helps/hurts anything, the instant i see any real changes for the worse il stop, or if theres an algae outbreak. But as of now "1week" i havnt noticed any difference at all.

It will be fine, just start slow, maybe a bit less than the recommended. If you see a low increase of algae, no need to worry, it means you have more nutrients but if it gets worse, lower dosage. Let us know how it all goes! Good luck

 

[spspirate]

I agree with you. I've been frustrated lately trying to buy some supplements for my tank too. What else have you dosed that has brought good results to your tanks? Any pics? Thanks

This is a pic of my reef today. This particular reef has been set up for over a year now and have been dosing since.

 

[spspirate]

I agree with you. I've been frustrated lately trying to buy some supplements for my tank too. What else have you dosed that has brought good results to your tanks? Any pics? Thanks

Fuel is the only supplement that I dose. Along with a variety of foods and from time to time oyster feast. I also believe in very heavy skimming good flow and fresh bulbs.

 

[PaulKreider]

Used it for 3 days and had an outbreak of redslime algae. That will be the end of my amino acid dosing.