Ammonia uptake by corals

[Heres_doe_]

So I see everyone ammonia dosing. The ammonia hits the water column and doesn’t hit the corals directly and it just gets diluted. Once that happens the nitrifying process is already happening. If we look to a new tank we want 1ppm to be converted to 0 in 24hr or less. A more established tank I would assume can do this a ton quicker. Also what percentage of that ammonia gets used by the coral. Does the coral turn it into nitrogen after using it. Would it not just be better to use the nitrogen in the system. If there was no available nitrogen I would see why this would be better.

 

[KrisReef]

Ammonia is a “better” food for microorganisms than nitrates, it is more efficient energy source for metabolic pathways.

They can and do use nitrates for energy and growth which is why people dose both when/ if nitrates are low or absent in a reef system.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ammonia is the nitrogen they want. They can use nitrate by spending energy to convert it to ammonia, but that is not preferred by them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This has more:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/ammonia-is-our-friend.1062/

 

[Heres_doe_]

Ammonia is the nitrogen they want. They can use nitrate by spending energy to convert it to ammonia, but that is not preferred by them.

1. Zooxanthellae photosynthesize, making sugars from light and CO₂.
2. They take up ammonia and combine it with sugars to make amino acids.
3. Some of this is shared with the coral host, while the rest supports zooxanthellae growth.
4. The coral uses this to grow tissue, reproduce, and repair.

Does this sound correct?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

1. Zooxanthellae photosynthesize, making sugars from light and CO₂.
2. They take up ammonia and combine it with sugars to make amino acids.
3. Some of this is shared with the coral host, while the rest supports zooxanthellae growth.
4. The coral uses this to grow tissue, reproduce, and repair.

Does this sound correct?

It’s a highly simplified summary of a lot of very complicated biochemical pathways. I would add that zoox share sugars too and coral bodies also need ammonia. :)