Can phytoplankton increase coral coloration and growth?

[Reef By Steele]

ENHANCED CORAL COLORATION AND GROWTH
give our Phyto Buffet Coral Delight a try

PHYTO BUFFET CORAL DELIGHT

FRESH LIVE 10 STRAIN Custom blend of Nannochloropsis, Pavlova, Tetraselmis, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Chaetoceros muelleri, Chorella, Dunaliela tertiolecta, Pheaodactylum tricornutum, Rhodomonas salina, Tisochrysis, cultured in sterilized synthetic saltwater. live food, phyto, reef tank...

reefbysteele.com

​

Do you want the healthiest, most vibrantly colored corals? I think most of us do, but how do we get there. When I first got into the reefing hobby, I was convinced, as were a lot of others in the 80's, that clean water and bright lights (in the right spectrum) was all corals needed. I can truly say that those early years for me were fraught with struggles and challenges. Some success, but lots of failure as well. When we returned to the hobby, oh so much had changed. LED lighting with ability to set your own color and intensity settings and producing so much less heat. Powdered coral foods, just add water. Bottled coral foods with trace elements, carbohydrates, amino acids, and vitamins, to feed and enhance corals and their coloration. However, these products seem to come with a potential drawback as they tend to increase nutrients (Phosphates and nitrates) in our aquariums. For some this isn’t a problem, but for many of us, nutrient export or reduction is a major battle we face. So, what is the best option to get our corals the proper nutrition they need, without raising nitrates and phosphates? Is there a more natural method to provide for our corals needs?
Why, thank you for asking! At Reef By Steele, we are constantly researching to ensure we have the most up to date products, techniques, and knowledge? Recently I was researching the various strains of phytoplankton to ensure success in our new aquaculture endeavor and kept coming across a common theme. Certain strains of phytoplankton produce carotenoids. There are some amazing claims about the uses of these carotenoids in science, health care, and beautification products. What I found really exciting is that these carotenoids have been shown in studies to be consumed by corals and have been connected to enhanced coloration of corals and fish in aquaculture.
Isn’t all phyto the same? How does a reefer know if they are getting the right stuff? But which strains of phytoplankton can it be found in?
These are all great questions, so right off the bat, no not all phytoplankton is the same. Each and every strain is unique. They vary in cell size, vitamins, carbohydrates, fatty and amino acids produced and vary by color. When we started selling product on Reef2Reef, it was to try to offset the culturing expenses so we could continue to dose to our own tanks. When we made the decision to go commercial and make this a business, I had decisions to make. Among those decisions was what to offer for a phyto blend. There are so many different choices and each seems to have a different number of strains. Is more the merrier, or is basic the best? What I found is that no two strains are the same, each offers differences in the levels and types of nutrients provided. For this reason we started out with 10 separate strains trying to hit at least one in every category. What I found when we started is that the non-green phytoplankton are more nutritious and beneficial for almost all the inhabitants of our reefs, leading us to focus 60% of our strains in these specific strains. What we learned from our customers is that there is a perception of phytoplankton that it should be green. Questions like, why is brand x greener than yours. Unfortunately, I would guess that some customers may not reach out but instead assume that our product isn’t as rich as the green bottles they have previously purchased. Another belief that I have encountered is that many reefers believe that brown colored phytoplankton is going to make their tank water “dirty”, again an impression based on visual cues. The truth is, no phytoplankton is going to dirty your tank water, it will actually make it clearer. In a discussion I had yesterday with a friend who has been in aquaculture and phytoplankton production for over 30 years (has published articles) brought this same point up with me.
I reached out to him, as we prepare for the next phase in our continued development of our business as we start aqua-culturing three new products. Part of this discussion was the proper food sources for our rotifers which we will use to rear the new invertebrates we are breeding. His recommendation is feeding rotifers only brown and gold phytoplankton for our goals. We already harvest in this manner as this is required for culturing our Parvo pods. It was during this research that I came across study after study linking these same strains of phytoplankton to enhanced coloration and growth in many corals. Especially SPS, and red, yellow and orange LPS and NPS corals. I learned that the red strains, Rhodomonas lens, Rhodomonas Salina, and Porphyridium cruentum would enhance coral colors, but the fact that the diatoms do this as well was something I had not found in my previous research.
For this reason, we have expanded our phytoplankton culturing system adding 7 new strains. Also, we are going to offer our “Parvo” blend (this is what we have previously only used in house) which will be a combination of all 5 of our brown diatoms, all 5 of our red/purple strains and both of our gold strains. This blend will still be a powerhouse for nutrient export and silicate removal, superior copepod nutritional value (yes, copepods are a better food source when eating phytoplankton vs detritus and nuisance algae) and target coral reefs growth and coloration.
Yes, we understand that this is going to increase the confusion on our website. However, this decision is being made, not because it might drive increased sales, but because it offers real options for our customers to get the RIGHT PRODUCT for their needs. We have done the same thing with our copepods.
Initially I too felt “more is better” which is true from a marketing standpoint, but our underlying purpose at www.reefbysteele.com is to provide our customers with the highest quality product that will give them the best product to meet their needs. So, selling our pelagic pods to reefers who do not have high metabolism cruising fish like leopard wrasses and Anthias would be doing them a disservice. This is the driving force behind our expansion remodel, which will allow us to offer some new products which we find difficult to obtain (more to follow as this come to fruition).
We can now target a new offering to those customers whose goals are the brightest, healthiest corals naturally with the same food source available to them in the ocean. Phytoplankton is the first step in the global food chain. Not only does all life and nutrition start with phytoplankton, but it is also the largest oxygen producing organism on the planet.
Wow, so just adding this to our reef tanks will immediately brighten our corals and exhibit new growth immediately? Of course not. Dosing phytoplankton will have immediate positive impact on our tanks ecosystem, but as with many things in life, consistency is key, and it can take several weeks of consistent application to see the results. These results can be achieved through broadcast and targeted feedings, personally I like to broadcast with only circulation pumps running and return pumps off as it is more natural. Target feeding could cause the target to close so the food hits it in high quantities but the coral doesn’t take in as much. This is especially true of SPS corals, where LPS corals may catch the phyto on their slime coat. Our dosing recommendations for this product would be the same we have for our full blend. Ramp up to allow your system to acclimate, and then dose 1 ml per system gallon for lightly stocked or younger tanks, 2 ml per system gallon for more established or more highly stocked tanks and 3 ml per gallon of system volume for tanks with filter feeders, clams and other mollusks, or NPS corals such as gorgonian and sun corals. Maintain or increase testing to monitor nitrates and phosphates. If they begin to sharply decline reduce dosage or supplement with products such as Brightwell neo-nitrate and neo-phosphate if you are happy with the results and don’t want to reduce the phytoplankton.
Corals also “eat” consume copepods. Again this is well documented but I believe under appreciated. Here is one place that size matters. Our Harpa pods are tiny little cousins to the Tisbe biminiensis and even as adults are the perfect size for SPS corals. Here again, their nutritional content will depend on their diet. Utilizing copepods as a micro-CUC (Clean Up Crew) is advantageous, but they provide so much more utility to our systems than just feeding Mandarins and eating GHA. Almost if not every living thing in our reef tanks will benefit from a strong copepods presence and consistent application of live phytoplankton. But once again, targeting your tank’s specific needs is paramount to the success you are striving to achieve. PM me or visit our website and start a chat and I am more than happy to help you choose the right products to get the best results for your specific needs.

 

[gongshow1988]

ENHANCED CORAL COLORATION AND GROWTH

​

Do you want the healthiest, most vibrantly colored corals? I think most of us do, but how do we get there. When I first got into the reefing hobby, I was convinced, as were a lot of others in the 80's, that clean water and bright lights (in the right spectrum) was all corals needed. I can truly say that those early years for me were fraught with struggles and challenges. Some success, but lots of failure as well. When we returned to the hobby, oh so much had changed. LED lighting with ability to set your own color and intensity settings and producing so much less heat. Powdered coral foods, just add water. Bottled coral foods with trace elements, carbohydrates, amino acids, and vitamins, to feed and enhance corals and their coloration. However, these products seem to come with a potential drawback as they tend to increase nutrients (Phosphates and nitrates) in our aquariums. For some this isn’t a problem, but for many of us, nutrient export or reduction is a major battle we face. So, what is the best option to get our corals the proper nutrition they need, without raising nitrates and phosphates? Is there a more natural method to provide for our corals needs?
Why, thank you for asking! At Reef By Steele, we are constantly researching to ensure we have the most up to date products, techniques, and knowledge? Recently I was researching the various strains of phytoplankton to ensure success in our new aquaculture endeavor and kept coming across a common theme. Certain strains of phytoplankton produce carotenoids. There are some amazing claims about the uses of these carotenoids in science, health care, and beautification products. What I found really exciting is that these carotenoids have been shown in studies to be consumed by corals and have been connected to enhanced coloration of corals and fish in aquaculture.
Isn’t all phyto the same? How does a reefer know if they are getting the right stuff? But which strains of phytoplankton can it be found in?
These are all great questions, so right off the bat, no not all phytoplankton is the same. Each and every strain is unique. They vary in cell size, vitamins, carbohydrates, fatty and amino acids produced and vary by color. When we started selling product on Reef2Reef, it was to try to offset the culturing expenses so we could continue to dose to our own tanks. When we made the decision to go commercial and make this a business, I had decisions to make. Among those decisions was what to offer for a phyto blend. There are so many different choices and each seems to have a different number of strains. Is more the merrier, or is basic the best? What I found is that no two strains are the same, each offers differences in the levels and types of nutrients provided. For this reason we started out with 10 separate strains trying to hit at least one in every category. What I found when we started is that the non-green phytoplankton are more nutritious and beneficial for almost all the inhabitants of our reefs, leading us to focus 60% of our strains in these specific strains. What we learned from our customers is that there is a perception of phytoplankton that it should be green. Questions like, why is brand x greener than yours. Unfortunately, I would guess that some customers may not reach out but instead assume that our product isn’t as rich as the green bottles they have previously purchased. Another belief that I have encountered is that many reefers believe that brown colored phytoplankton is going to make their tank water “dirty”, again an impression based on visual cues. The truth is, no phytoplankton is going to dirty your tank water, it will actually make it clearer. In a discussion I had yesterday with a friend who has been in aquaculture and phytoplankton production for over 30 years (has published articles) brought this same point up with me.
I reached out to him, as we prepare for the next phase in our continued development of our business as we start aqua-culturing three new products. Part of this discussion was the proper food sources for our rotifers which we will use to rear the new invertebrates we are breeding. His recommendation is feeding rotifers only brown and gold phytoplankton for our goals. We already harvest in this manner as this is required for culturing our Parvo pods. It was during this research that I came across study after study linking these same strains of phytoplankton to enhanced coloration and growth in many corals. Especially SPS, and red, yellow and orange LPS and NPS corals. I learned that the red strains, Rhodomonas lens, Rhodomonas Salina, and Porphyridium cruentum would enhance coral colors, but the fact that the diatoms do this as well was something I had not found in my previous research.
For this reason, we have expanded our phytoplankton culturing system adding 7 new strains. Also, we are going to offer our “Parvo” blend (this is what we have previously only used in house) which will be a combination of all 5 of our brown diatoms, all 5 of our red/purple strains and both of our gold strains. This blend will still be a powerhouse for nutrient export and silicate removal, superior copepod nutritional value (yes, copepods are a better food source when eating phytoplankton vs detritus and nuisance algae) and target coral reefs growth and coloration.
Yes, we understand that this is going to increase the confusion on our website. However, this decision is being made, not because it might drive increased sales, but because it offers real options for our customers to get the RIGHT PRODUCT for their needs. We have done the same thing with our copepods.
Initially I too felt “more is better” which is true from a marketing standpoint, but our underlying purpose at www.reefbysteele.com is to provide our customers with the highest quality product that will give them the best product to meet their needs. So, selling our pelagic pods to reefers who do not have high metabolism cruising fish like leopard wrasses and Anthias would be doing them a disservice. This is the driving force behind our expansion remodel, which will allow us to offer some new products which we find difficult to obtain (more to follow as this come to fruition).
We can now target a new offering to those customers whose goals are the brightest, healthiest corals naturally with the same food source available to them in the ocean. Phytoplankton is the first step in the global food chain. Not only does all life and nutrition start with phytoplankton, but it is also the largest oxygen producing organism on the planet.
Wow, so just adding this to our reef tanks will immediately brighten our corals and exhibit new growth immediately? Of course not. Dosing phytoplankton will have immediate positive impact on our tanks ecosystem, but as with many things in life, consistency is key, and it can take several weeks of consistent application to see the results. These results can be achieved through broadcast and targeted feedings, personally I like to broadcast with only circulation pumps running and return pumps off as it is more natural. Target feeding could cause the target to close so the food hits it in high quantities but the coral doesn’t take in as much. This is especially true of SPS corals, where LPS corals may catch the phyto on their slime coat. Our dosing recommendations for this product would be the same we have for our full blend. Ramp up to allow your system to acclimate, and then dose 1 ml per system gallon for lightly stocked or younger tanks, 2 ml per system gallon for more established or more highly stocked tanks and 3 ml per gallon of system volume for tanks with filter feeders, clams and other mollusks, or NPS corals such as gorgonian and sun corals. Maintain or increase testing to monitor nitrates and phosphates. If they begin to sharply decline reduce dosage or supplement with products such as Brightwell neo-nitrate and neo-phosphate if you are happy with the results and don’t want to reduce the phytoplankton.
Corals also “eat” consume copepods. Again this is well documented but I believe under appreciated. Here is one place that size matters. Our Harpa pods are tiny little cousins to the Tisbe biminiensis and even as adults are the perfect size for SPS corals. Here again, their nutritional content will depend on their diet. Utilizing copepods as a micro-CUC (Clean Up Crew) is advantageous, but they provide so much more utility to our systems than just feeding Mandarins and eating GHA. Almost if not every living thing in our reef tanks will benefit from a strong copepods presence and consistent application of live phytoplankton. But once again, targeting your tank’s specific needs is paramount to the success you are striving to achieve. PM me or visit our website and start a chat and I am more than happy to help you choose the right products to get the best results for your specific needs.
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Great write up!!

 

[Reef By Steele]

Great write up!!

Thank you.

 

[Saffer1]

A great read, thank you.

I have been dosing phytoplankton (5ml per 40 litres) twice a week in the hope that it will clear an outbreak of diatoms. Is that too little or too much?

All my water parameters are normal, NO3 5ppm, PO4 0.01.

 

[Reef By Steele]

A great read, thank you.

I have been dosing phytoplankton (5ml per 40 litres) twice a week in the hope that it will clear an outbreak of diatoms. Is that too little or too much?

All my water parameters are normal, NO3 5ppm, PO4 0.01.

I would say too little. A lot depends too on what phyto you are dosing. I haven’t really focused on Dino’s yet, probably the next step. What I have read is that silicate can play a role. If dosing silicates then you phyto needs to be diatoms vs greens. Either way, the phyto needs to outcompete the Dino’s. Short of an algae bloom I do not believe you can over dose. That being the case I would dose at between 10-20 ml per day as you roughly have 10 gallons. With you standard parameters the phyto isn’t going to go crazy, but I would increase phyto and test daily or every other day while having a nitrate and phosphate additive on hand to avoid bottoming out. Chaetoceros any strain, Thalassiosira, Pheaodactylum are all diatoms which means they need silicate to produce their cell walls.

As stated I haven’t personally studied this, but I understand battling Dino’s may take different paths depending on the exact strain you are battling.

 

[stephanjupillat]

What’s the link to this Parvo blend?

 

[Reef By Steele]

What’s the link to this Parvo blend?

Sorry, I added it to the website but then got kind of lost. It is called Phyto Buffet Coral Delight. I also forgot to update the description which I will attempt to do tonight after we get packages to UPS.

Here is the link.

PHYTO BUFFET CORAL DELIGHT

FRESH LIVE 10 STRAIN Custom blend of Nannochloropsis, Pavlova, Tetraselmis, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Chaetoceros muelleri, Chorella, Dunaliela tertiolecta, Pheaodactylum tricornutum, Rhodomonas salina, Tisochrysis, cultured in sterilized synthetic saltwater. live food, phyto, reef tank...

reefbysteele.com

 

[Neptune 555]

I was dosing my tank with Phyto and tisbe pods to establish my pod population for my mandarin, wrasse, and Anthias. I did this for a year... and now I have 100 BTA's in my 180 reef. Sooo I am assuming that the Phyto was the growth engine to my BTA's? I stopped about 1 year ago and am still struggling to get my BTAs to a more manageable qty. Do you have any Phyto that would grow pods and NOT BTA's? My mandarins passed after I stopped adding pods monthly : (. I want to add madarins again and need to figure out how I can feed my mandarins before I source them. ???? I thought in a 180 gallon after dosing for a year that I would have had enough pods established to sustain my mandarin but apparently not.

 

[Reef By Steele]

I was dosing my tank with Phyto and tisbe pods to establish my pod population for my mandarin, wrasse, and Anthias. I did this for a year... and now I have 100 BTA's in my 180 reef. Sooo I am assuming that the Phyto was the growth engine to my BTA's? I stopped about 1 year ago and am still struggling to get my BTAs to a more manageable qty. Do you have any Phyto that would grow pods and NOT BTA's? My mandarins passed after I stopped adding pods monthly : (. I want to add madarins again and need to figure out how I can feed my mandarins before I source them. ???? I thought in a 180 gallon after dosing for a year that I would have had enough pods established to sustain my mandarin but apparently not.

I too would be surprised at that. What do you have for stocking list. Might be more pod predators than just a mandarin. Do
You have a refugium? Or a sump with a chamber you could place some rubble? This would give the pods a predator free breeding ground.

As for Phyto that won’t feed the BTA’s my best guess would be Nannochloropsis or Nannochloris. This is just speculation as they are higher fat but lower HUFA and less amino acids etc. at least the gold and browns are much higher in these.

Another solution if you have the time and room, would be to get one of our culturing kits.

I highly recommend the kits with back up as you can have them cleaned and ready to go for your split. Here is one that would do pods and Phyto. Apocyclops would be my number one choice as I feel they colonize better in the aquarium and nannochloris probably the easiest Phyto to culture.

Custom Culture Kit, Double Active W/Back-up

Want to cultured your own phytoplankton and/or copepods?We have a culturing kit for you. Ready to go upon arrival, you supply an air pump and fresh saltwater, then you can be set up and running same day. Get the basic set up (active vessels) or the harvest ready double pack (active vessels plus...

reefbysteele.com

With this you would have unlimited pods for life if properly maintained.