Nutrient Management by “Old School” Reefer

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Natural diet and grazing rate of the temperate sponge Dysidea avara (Demospongiae, Dendroceratida) throughout an annual cycle

Recent research on the diet of sponges shows that parasites & bacteria are included in their seasonal feeding.

So, as I discern this, sponges feed on the microbial loop including bacteria, parasites, viruses etc, etc….

Because this thread is about “nutrient management” with recycling as the method I choose. Then, if sponges recycle, what do they produce as a by-product. In 25 year mature tank (my tank thread), large Hippo Tang & Lawn Mower Blennie grazed heavily on Red Finger sponge biomass.

Red Finger Sponge (Ptilocaulis sp.) ​

An attractive red colored sponge that grows vertically. This species is highly variable in branching. We typically collect smaller specimens as they seem to do better in the aquarium. All sponges are filter feeders and should only be placed in established aquariums with plenty of live food available. Do not expose directly to the air as the drying out of any tissue will often kill the sponge. Single specimens are approx 5-8" tall

 

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The Great Oxidation Event on Earth occurred > 2 billion years ago and blue green Cynobacteria made it happen. Previous to the event, earths early athmosphere was methane & sulfur and all microbes were anarobial. Cynobacteria did two things to make earth habitual for people that breath oxygen & exhale carbon dioxide.& plants that breath carbon dioxide & exhale oxygen.

Cynobacteria break down water in two seperate processes. Nitroven fixation is the process in which bacteria chemistry converts free nitrogen gas molecule into NO4 which is absorbed into bacteria biomass along with other nutrients as a primary producer that moves carbon up the food chain. The more important process is reduction chemistry in which bacteria seperate the chemical bond of H20 into hydrogen & oxygen.

The two process discribed above require efficient gas exchange at water air interface to use gas constants of oxygen & carbon dioxide in water to seek Dynamic Equilibrium.

Without nitrogen fixation, planet earth would be brown, not green. One other process to cycle molecular nitrogen into a usable nutrient of NO4 is intense voltage in lightening, that’s why April showers bring May flowers.

Nothing extraordinary about a 2 billion old history event but I thought it was relevant.

 

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I recently saw on r2r a podcast interview of a biochemistry student who used phytoplankton in a reef tank as a means of nutrient export utilizing protein skimming.

With nutrient management in mind, I dosed 2G of live phytoplankton from outside tilapia grow out tank into 30G mature mixed invertebrate with ornamental sponges & flame scallops.

 

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I am considering dosing vinegar to healthy, 25 yr mature mixed garden 75G display,

 

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@Randy Holmes-Farley
Would ornamental macro algae in display tank absorb carbon from vinegar dosing.

 

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Ptesenty, I dose silicates, liquid seaweed concentrate, iron and occasionally, ammonia & iodine.

 

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@Randy Holmes-Farley
Would ornamental macro algae in display tank absorb carbon from vinegar dosing.

That's a more complicated question. I think in general, organics are not going to be effectively taken up by macroalgae, but when I tested vinegar dosing limits in my tank (1 -2 mL per gallon per day), I actually found the pest caulerpa racemosa in the display got worse, not better, despite the water being hazy with bacteria, and a variety of other organisms browning up. I really do not know what the actual cause was, but it was a clear effect when I had thought the caulerpa might receed at the highest doses.

Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemistry Forum: http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-chemistry-randy-holmes-farley/

 

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Musings from the Couch

Nutrient management comes in many flavors; I prefer Recycle.

As an avid Gardner, I am all about growing the soil. To grow the soil means organic biodiversity. Prior to man’s arrival on planet Earth, soil biodiversity provided diverse nutrient pathways to process inorganic nutrients in the soil using biochemistry. Because of destructive agriculture processes over the centuries, the organic carbon that was sequestered in Mother Terra migrated into the atmosphere as inorganic carbon dioxide.

Because I believe in the principal of sustainability, I choose to embrace nutrient recycling instead of nutrient export. To that end, I research the holistic nature of ecosystems to understand how they work And I am like a kid in the candy store with consuming knowledge.

As I learn more, I realize how little I know.

To maintain a sustainable system requires recycling and for that, I emulate Nature. Current research looks at the coral reef as an interconnected & dependant ecosystem called the Coral Holibiont, where bacteria crosstalk to enhance their enviromental conditions, which is gene expression.

While I don’t know the language of bacteria crosstalk, instead I observe bioindicators of the crosstalk. With that said, I enjoy the finesse of interpreting bioindicators and finding appropriate actions, such as enjoying the beauty of display tank.

@brandon429
I did a RIP clean on three year mature 55G tank. The process was done to enable moving dual 55G aquarium stand to kitchen alcove.. During the process, all sand was removed to allow installation of reverse flow undergravel filter.

All desirables that would suffer were put into healthy operating systems.

These pictures are 24 hours after starting the process.

 

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Putting ornamental seaweeds & hardy corals back into RIPPED TANK.

 

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Using bioindication of pulsing Xenia as all clear, I am adding ornamental sponges from outside growout.

PS: Check out micro feather duster?

 

[vlangel]

Ptesenty, I dose silicates, liquid seaweed concentrate, iron and occasionally, ammonia & iodine.

@Randy Holmes-Farley
Would ornamental macro algae in display tank absorb carbon from vinegar dosing.

Patrick, why are you thinking about vinegar dosing? You don't use a protein skimmer do you? I always heard that one must have a protein skimmer running if they are vinegar/vodka dosing. Your tank has flourished for so long, why tamper with success?

 

[vlangel]

Using bioindication of pulsing Xenia as all clear, I am adding ornamental sponges from outside growout.

PS: Check out micro feather duster?

My tank is presently full of those little fan worms. I had one rock in my sump with fan worms for probably 2 decades. Sometimes there were more and sometimes less on the rock but they never really migrated until now. They are in my display by at least the 100s if not 1000s, ha ha. I really like them and they aren't hurting anything so I let them go.

 

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Patrick, why are you thinking about vinegar dosing? You don't use a protein skimmer do you? I always heard that one must have a protein skimmer running if they are vinegar/vodka dosing. Your tank has flourished for so long, why tamper with success?

Amen sister. Once Randy answered that carbon dosing would not primarily benefit algae, I gave the idea up.

I am considering a 14 year old apprentice to help me with outside mariculture. His mother is an Aggie friend on the staff of Austin Reef Club and we share a passion for sustainable mariculture.

 

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It’s 24 hours since I moved dual 55G stand. Not sure how many pods survived the RIP clean. As I transferred some live rock back into the tank, I saw a few pods scurry off.

 

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[Most reef tanks are nutrient deficient compared to the “microbial highway” on the wild reef.’
Charles Delbrick, Curator of San Francisco Aquarium]

Because I am a simple person, I admit with respect to my reef keeping methods, I did not invent “Old School”. I emulate Nature and how does nature work on a coral reef. Let’s investigate the Coral Holobiont.

Microbes in the coral holobiont: partners through evolution, development, and ecological interactions

In the last two decades, genetic and genomic studies have revealed the astonishing diversity and ubiquity of microorganisms. Emergence and expansion of the human microbiome project has reshaped our thinking about how microbes control host health—not only as pathogens, but also as symbionts. In...

www.frontiersin.org

[Microbes in the coral holobiont: partners through evolution, development, and ecological interactions]

Janelle R. Thompson1*, Hanny E. Rivera1,2, Collin J. Closek3 and Mónica Medina3*
1Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
2Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
3Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

[In the last two decades, genetic and genomic studies have revealed the astonishing diversity and ubiquity of microorganisms. Emergence and expansion of the human microbiome project has reshaped our thinking about how microbes control host health—not only as pathogens, but also as symbionts. In coral reef environments, scientists have begun to examine the role that microorganisms play in coral life history. Herein, we review the current literature on coral-microbe interactions within the context of their role in evolution, development, and ecology. We ask the following questions, first posed by McFall-Ngai et al. (2013) in their review of animal evolution, with specific attention to how coral-microbial interactions may be affected under future environmental conditions: (1) How do corals and their microbiome affect each other's genomes? (2) How does coral development depend on microbial partners? (3) How is homeostasis maintained between corals and their microbial symbionts? (4) How can ecological approaches deepen our understanding of the multiple levels of coral-microbial interactions? Elucidating the role that microorganisms play in the structure and function of the holobiont is essential for understanding how corals maintain homeostasis and acclimate to changing environmental conditions.]

So, if I read correctly, bacteria are the “microbial overlords” in the marine environment. Considering quorum sensing bacteria and crosstalk between bacteria in surface film and bacteria in body mass of algae & coral to optimize growth in each, I agree with “microbial overlords”.

PS. In the movie, War of the Worlds, the invading Martians were finally killed by Earth’s “microbial overlords”.

As I reread this post, I liked it a second time. A microbiologist friend from NanoReef indicated the importance of bacteria in his signature:
Microbial Overlords

 

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[As was known way back in the early days of reef keeping; 'The more major elements from the natural reef environment that we can incorporate into our systems, the more likely we are to have a positive outcome'.]

Let’s talk about the sponge loop as a major player in recycling nutrients. I started with ornamental sponges to go with sea apples and flame scallops. Now I find out, they are my secret to reefkeeping. Sponges recycle DOM into detritus which is carbon that is uptaken by detrivores whose larvae move this carbon up the food chain.

MULM in a Reef Tank by @Paul B

[I think one of the most important, and least understood or mentioned things in a reef tank is "mulm". That stuff that grows in the dark portions of a tank if it is set up long enough. "Mulm" is a combination of algae, sponges, bacteria, pods, worms, detritus, poop and any thing else that can be propagated or grown in the dark. I realize most people would immediately get out the sponge, razor blade or grenade to remove it but there is a word I like to use to describe those people. That word is "wrong". Mulm is a natural product that you will find in the sea all over the world. Our tanks run on bacteria, algae and a food chain. Bacteria and a food chain are dependent on having a place to reproduce. Mulm is the perfect place. Rocks and glass are flat surfaces that are only two dimensional. Mulm makes these places three dimensional allowing much more space for bacteria and microscopic organisms to grow and do the macarana. (Then love to dance) Pods, which are needed for any small fish also need to eat and their numbers are directly related to how much food they can get their hands on (or whatever pods use to eat with) The more food, the more pods, the more pods, the easier to keep smaller fish. Larger fish such as copperbands and angels also eat pods.
Many people try to keep fish such as pipefish, mandarins or other dragonettes in a sterile tank and while feeding them a couple of times a day with tiger pods or some other expensive food. Those types of fish will not live for long in such a tank and they certainly won't spawn which I consider the "only" criteria to determine the state of health for any paired fish.
Mulm (after a while, maybe a few years) should grow on the back and sides of glass as well as under rocks.
Here in this picture of my clingfish, the mulm appears green. It is really brownish and that fish is on the side of my tank. I brightened up the picture and turned it sideways because it was in the dark and the fish was hard to see.
There is a thick layer of it on the back of my tank where my mandarins and pipefish like to hunt. My long spined urchin also grazes there most of the time as there is not much algae in my tank for him to eat. He is many years old as are the mandarins and pipefish and they are dependent on this food source.
A sterile tank IMO is the biggest problem we have keeping certain fish healthy.
Sterile is good in an operating room but very bad in a tank.]

I am having flashbacks of what I wrote.

 

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I would say that back in the day, while we didn't have the in depth knowledge of the various microbes present on the reef or in a reef aquarium (and in/on the coral itself) that we have today, we did have a pretty good general idea that microbes were in the driver's seat. It was inconceivable that any competent reef aquarist would add substances/products of any sort that had the potential to disrupt a healthy, properly functioning reef biotope.

Nowadays, with the addition of so many products to 'fix anything' (and so little known about possible long term consequences to the microbial communities)...let's just say that things are 'different' and leave it at that.

So, if I read correctly, bacteria are the “microbial overlords” in the marine environment. Considering quorum sensing bacteria and crosstalk between bacteria in surface film and bacteria in body mass of algae & coral to optimize growth in each, I agree with “microbial overlords”.

PS. In the movie, War of the Worlds, the invading Martians were finally killed by Earth’s “microbial overlords”.

 

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[I briefly described how CO2 as a gas can seek equilibrium with water to combine with alkalinity & photosynthesis to produce glucose which is carbon. So, let’s follow nitrogen as a gas, as it seeks solubility equilibrium to dissolve in water. Add bacteria, like Cynobacteria, to convert free nitrogen gas into available nitrogen in a process called “nitrogen fixation”.]

Let’s look at another process with N2 gas. Denitrification is the process in which bacteria in low oxygen environment scavenge oxygen from NO3 to release free nitrogen gas to be exported by gas exchange.

Air Fractionators, protein skimmers, are excellent for gas exchange, but from my point of view, skimmate is carbon for the reef, so I don’t use protein skimmer. Tumbling & cascading water as it drains to sump is very efficient gas exchange. Aggressive circulation of surface in display tank is a third excellent method of gas exchange.

PS. @Lasse puts skimmate underneath his plenum to be consumed by anarobic bacteria. In municiple waste water treatment, this would be called an
“anaerobic digester”.

This type of gas exchange is always good.

 

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@DaddyFish
The particulates that you are removing with filter socks and rollers are food for detrivors that move carbon up the food chain. I view their use as stripping out a critical component of the microbial loop, which is my only objection to protein skimmers.

I have no rollers, no filter socks, no mechanical filters, no protein skimmer and pristine water.

UV is a tool. I have ambivalent thoughts on continuous use, especially on a new system.

I thought this was worthwhile to bring up again.

 

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The skimmer is killing the things in the cup. For me I want the stuff alive not dead.

My solution for the oxygenation was to run a pump about 10 times a day (technology ftw) that pulls in air. The big benefit of this is that the surface stays clear of scum that impedes gas exchange and gives a short time with increased surface area.

I have come to really dislike skimmers. One upside for them though is in a small tank chemical warfare is real, and skimmers can help with that. For me I think the downsides far outweigh the upsides.

I really like this post. Kudoes to @HuduVudu