Hi Purp,This would not be hard to experimentally verify, at all. Several tanks, same conditions, vary the rubidium dosing. Since you are the one making the assertion (and have a financial interest in people buying into your supplements and program), then the burden is on you to prove your theory.
I read the paper you listed earlier (Allison, 1996), and there is absolutely nothing in there that indicated that rubidium was in any way important to the function and growth of these coral. It merely listed the potential presence of Rb in coral using an extremely sensitive analytical method and different distributions in coral species throughout a relatively tight geographic area. Furthermore, in the abstract they note that the analysis of Rb may have been subject to interference and was not demonstrably real. Rubidium wasn't listed in the summary at all. It was so inconsequential (and again potentially not real) that they called it out initially in the abstract, and didn't talk about it in the summary. That should tell you something.
If you want my opinion, you know that most people are a) not going to read the papers you post and b) don't have sufficient chemistry or biology education to refute your assertions. You are using this knowledge to sell people products that are not based on anything other than feelings. I'm not saying I know better, but I do know that in my cursory reading that i am 0% convinced that with current data, that Rb is biologically imperative to coral growth.
To note, Rb is generally in associated with clay minerals, as it is an easy replacement ionically for several other elements in aluminosilicate minerals. If I was a betting man, I would put just as much money on the Rb being an inclusion from suspended clay minerals in the water column being assimilated into the surface of any coral as I would that they needed Rb to function biologically.
I was asked for my opinion on Rubidium, exclusively by the Author of this thread and I fulfilled that, and I said it right at the beginning that I'm not proving anything or can prove anything, right? So for me case closed.
Not want to argue about this, and as you mentioned very correctly, these papers are not read by majority of members here, and I mentioned that wasn't even sure where I got all the data from. Sometimes these articles are just summaries of other referenced scientific publications, and I didn't keep a log where I found what. Goes back to what I said right at the beginning.
Concerning proving anything because it was in my interest to sell the products..... nope!
I was confronted by many others to sell them my products, wasn't even my idea
But I helped with the digital calculators, assessment tools and many help others to become as successfull with the right method as I am. Pretty good so far with a great growing community.
But I had to made it a small business, since that's the only way the government allows me to practice to hand out elements and supplements. Anyways, if I do get the chance to prove this, and many other thingsI have in mind, I will!
Again, I was asked for my opinion on Rubidium, exclusively by the Author of this thread and I fulfilled that. He didn't ask for anything else from my end.