Amino Acids

[Freenow54]

I have seen Randy Holmes Farley post and talk about Amino acids . I just bought Seachem Reef Zooplankton . It says it contains amino acids. Also bought Tropic Marin Zooton . No mention of it containing them. So how important are they for as I understand SPS Coral , and has anyone used either of them ? I would like opinions. Thank You

 

[EnterName]

I have seen Randy Holmes Farley post and talk about Amino acids . I just bought Seachem Reef Zooplankton . It says it contains amino acids. Also bought Tropic Marin Zooton . No mention of it containing them. So how important are they for as I understand SPS Coral , and has anyone used either of them ? I would like opinions. Thank You

This is quite a "controversial" topic and it is not well understood yet.

We know that corals can biosynthesize most amino acids on their own or together with the zooxanthellae and/or gut bacteria, but we don't know if they additionally rely on getting these amino acids from the water column. However, we know that they consume many amino acids fast when they are available, but it is possible they just use them as a nitrogen and carbon source which ammonia/nitrite/nitrate and carbon dosing would achieve as well.

In reef tanks most amino acid concentrations seem to be far lower than in actual coral reefs, which the community was able to find out using Organo-MS analysis results. Amino acids also have a very short half-life in reef tanks, and you would need to dose them very frequently to keep levels "stable".

I'm currently trying to gather ideas for experiments, which hopefully will shine some light on the actual benefits or disadvantages of amino acid dosing.

 

[Freenow54]

I hope to read about it soon

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

I dose aminos 2x/day in my SPS dominant tank. That and some occasional cat food. Hasn't done me wrong yet!

*cat food is an inside joke lol*

 

[Darbna]

I’ve noticed significant difference in growth with aminos then without using. Recently ran into some issues with Acropower getting a white sludge through the bottle once opened. Couldn’t get a response from Two Little Fishies so couldn’t get refunded. Switching to the Red Sea Aminos. Has anyone else had the same Acropower issues?

 

[Waters]

I have tried dosing multiple types...never noticed any difference in SPS growth. That being said, I also do large frequent water changes. I think it becomes more important if you skip water changes.

 

[CHSUB]

I add daily RS AB+ with reef Roids directly to corals with pumps off. Everything is a guess in this hobby but if I thought it was worthless, I would not do it. Color and growth is best I’ve experienced and nutrients, no3 and po4, are near undetectable with hobby testing. Imo, this is the ultimate combination, plentiful food without residual nutrients just like natural reefs.

 

[tigre44]

I dose aminos 2x/day in my SPS dominant tank. That and some occasional cat food. Hasn't done me wrong yet!

*cat food is an inside joke lol*

I actually use fancy feast shrimp and fish to the tank in very small amounts fish and coral love as do my cats

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

I dose aminos 2x/day in my SPS dominant tank. That and some occasional cat food. Hasn't done me wrong yet!

*cat food is an inside joke lol*

I actually use fancy feast shrimp and fish to the tank in very small amounts fish and coral love as do my cats

 

[Darbna]

I Run two separate systems, a 400 and 265 long both mixed reef, although the 265 is primarily soft coral, Shrooms, & Nems and have gone long periods without dosing and long periods with dosing. I see a pretty noticeable difference in color and growth when I’m not dosing. Could be a nutrient thing I’m not really sure. I feed fish small cube of frozen Rods Food once daily and do target feed of coral twice monthly with Reef Roids. I dose Acropower, following instructions daily, but switching to RedSea when this bottles done. Nitrates & Phosphate look the same with or without dosing on both tanks. Nem tank always runs high on NO3 and P, my 400 runs .25-.5 P and maybe five NO3.

 

[Science/G]

This is quite a "controversial" topic and it is not well understood yet.

We know that corals can biosynthesize most amino acids on their own or together with the zooxanthellae and/or gut bacteria, but we don't know if they additionally rely on getting these amino acids from the water column. However, we know that they consume many amino acids fast when they are available, but it is possible they just use them as a nitrogen and carbon source which ammonia/nitrite/nitrate and carbon dosing would achieve as well.

In reef tanks most amino acid concentrations seem to be far lower than in actual coral reefs, which the community was able to find out using Organo-MS analysis results. Amino acids also have a very short half-life in reef tanks, and you would need to dose them very frequently to keep levels "stable".

I'm currently trying to gather ideas for experiments, which hopefully will shine some light on the actual benefits or disadvantages of amino acid dosing.

Excellent synopsis!

 

[Featherweight]

I’ve noticed significant difference in growth with aminos then without using. Recently ran into some issues with Acropower getting a white sludge through the bottle once opened. Couldn’t get a response from Two Little Fishies so couldn’t get refunded. Switching to the Red Sea Aminos. Has anyone else had the same Acropower issues?

Yes, I had a new bottle with snot in it

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I'll now have to look at my acropower. I really liked the Aquaforest aminos I had years ago. I also does daily neonitrate, microbacter clean, brightwell coral inertia and polyp ignite among other normal stuff as well. I think aminos help or can help with polyps extension and feeding. It could be helping them to intake more food as well. Question is are we using or giving the right kind of aminos?

 

[SantaMonica Verified Sponsor]

Interestingly the amino's on reefs are made by algae. The faster algae grows, the more amino's it produces/exudes.