Question about coral nutrient consumption and gorgonians

KleineVampir

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So I hear some gorgonians are non-photosynthetic and rely on nutrients in the water to live and grow. My question is, what is the nature of these nutrients? And could they conceivably contribute to the overall nutrient uptake in the tank? Ultimately, I want to know if corals can take nutrients away from nuisance algae such as hair algae and others.

As a side note I noticed that when I feed the coral food to my corals I end up getting worse algae problems. This also got me to thinking!

Also while we're talking about this I would like to know how and what nutrients are going into the corals. The polyps cilia to draw nutrients into their stomachs, from my understanding. But would those be micronutrients or are they on the macro level? Or perhaps somewhere kinda in-between? I'll do my own research again but you guys might be able to put this to rest once and for all.
 

Gareth elliott

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Nps corals for the most part uptake, mirco foods. Think of them like a living filter sock, that does not need to be cleaned.

Your photosynthetic corals, are the ones that will uptake broken down nutrients directly.

So nps will eat leftovers and waste before they breakdown(earthworms), your photosynthetic corals breakdown what wasn’t filtered(plants). Using a garden consuming compost as the analog.
 

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This is my gorgonian that I grew from 2inches. I have some nutrients in my aquarium but low numbers. I think all coral has a part in taking up some form of nutrients but I don’t think it takes away from the nuisance algae.
 
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KleineVampir

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Maybe I should get a small gorgonian and see what happens with it in my tank. My tank has high nutrients and often grows hair algae though I seem to be getting them under control.

Also I can't help but notice that people with lots of coral in their tank also seem to have pretty clear water. Given they probably have the money to also have a skimmer and whatever fancy equipment they want, but still.
 

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Gorgs won’t clean your water. They’ll take out some particulates but if clear water is your goal you may have to start doing daily water changes. There are people who run tanks without a skimmer. Even some are run with an HOB. You just have to make wise choices about your live stock. Some gorgs are easier to keep than other. My suggestion would be to get knobby purple or brown gorgonians. They tend to be very resilient and are photosynthetic. So you’ll need a coral light. They’ll take feedings but I’m pretty sure they can’t exist just on being fed
 
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KleineVampir

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Gorgs won’t clean your water. They’ll take out some particulates but if clear water is your goal you may have to start doing daily water changes. There are people who run tanks without a skimmer. Even some are run with an HOB. You just have to make wise choices about your live stock. Some gorgs are easier to keep than other. My suggestion would be to get knobby purple or brown gorgonians. They tend to be very resilient and are photosynthetic. So you’ll need a coral light. They’ll take feedings but I’m pretty sure they can’t exist just on being fed
So on one hand you say they won't clean my water but in the next sentence you say they'll take out some particulates. How can you take particulates out of the water without considering that cleaning?
 

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Completely depends on the gorgonia species (genus) you get. I have had over 16 species in my tanks over the years and for many years all together. They do eat zooplankton and up to even mysis shrimp depending on polyp size. They need to be fed to get big and happy. Many are photosynthetic too, but still need food. Not nutrients from the water per say.

They will not clean your water, in fact you will get nice dirty water keeping gorgs as they love to eat, so what love food, gets rid of food too. :)

Clean up crew, maintenance and finding how nutrients get added to the system (reducing this) is the best methods of control.
 

DeniseAndy

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Oh, gorgonias are also very toxic to other corals. Especially many of the easy to grow ones. Corky finger is a big example. I have found the Grube's gorg to not be so bad for other corals.
 
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KleineVampir

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Yeah that is the other concern. If I need to feed it, then it becomes like a fish in that it can just raise your nutrient level. I just find it paradoxical that it eats stuff out of the water yet nobody says it cleans your water. Is there any coral you could say cleans the water?
 

MixedFruitBasket

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Yeah that is the other concern. If I need to feed it, then it becomes like a fish in that it can just raise your nutrient level. I just find it paradoxical that it eats stuff out of the water yet nobody says it cleans your water. Is there any coral you could say cleans the water?


Corals are animals. Animals eat. Animals poop.
 

MixedFruitBasket

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Oh, gorgonias are also very toxic to other corals. Especially many of the easy to grow ones. Corky finger is a big example. I have found the Grube's gorg to not be so bad for other corals.


I've heard of sponges being toxic but not gorgonians. And ones like the corky finger are aggressive growth wise. I'd like to know if they truly are toxic because I have a few myself. I have them isolated to keep them from over growing my other gorgs, but still.
The only mention I've seen of gorgonians and toxicity is towards animals that try and eat them. Mushrooms (I am thinking rhododactis but don't quote me on that) are like the number one most toxic coral you can own.
But only if you eat it. And it apparently kills quite quick.
 
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KleineVampir

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Really? Well there goes my dinner plans!

Do corals really emit waste appreciably? That could be a reason they don't clean the water I guess, though surely some of those nutrients would get locked up in their biomass.
 

MixedFruitBasket

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Really? Well there goes my dinner plans!

Do corals really emit waste appreciably? That could be a reason they don't clean the water I guess, though surely some of those nutrients would get locked up in their biomass.


Yes. Again, they are animals. They expel what they don't use just like and more complex species, even people. And sure some of the energy from what they consume is used for development etc. But every animal is like that. Even humans retain (i.e. what we don't expel) nutrients for growth, healing, over all tissue regeneration.
 

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Maybe I should get a small gorgonian and see what happens with it in my tank. My tank has high nutrients and often grows hair algae though I seem to be getting them under control.

Also I can't help but notice that people with lots of coral in their tank also seem to have pretty clear water. Given they probably have the money to also have a skimmer and whatever fancy equipment they want, but still.
Good morning,
I know that there is photosynthetic gorgonians available as well that are much easier to keep.i Acquired one a (purple gorgonian )year ago and I had tons of growth on it and made several cutting off it during that time. I occasionally feed with reef roids when I was feeding other coral.
Good luck

6B02F1B0-86F4-4482-94AF-3A6C23F95E3D.jpeg
 
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KleineVampir

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Yes. Again, they are animals. They expel what they don't use just like and more complex species, even people. And sure some of the energy from what they consume is used for development etc. But every animal is like that. Even humans retain (i.e. what we don't expel) nutrients for growth, healing, over all tissue regeneration.
I guess we couldn't say we clean the area we're in by eating. Lol.
 

MixedFruitBasket

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I guess we couldn't say we clean the area we're in by eating. Lol.


Different type of clean. We can eradicate a food source. We can alter the eco system. But life is not only acidic it's dirty. Even the air we exhale is fouled.
 
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KleineVampir

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Would a sponge be more along the lines of what I'm looking for? Or what about something like a scallop or a feather duster? Isn't there anything other than macroalgae that can reduce nutrients in the tank?
 

Paul B

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Yes, sponges are much more the lines you are looking at. In My tank sponges are by far the largest living organisms. They are growing all over the place.
This blue sponge is growing on every part of my tank and I have to trim it to add a coral.



My most common coral is gorgonians as I just like the movement. This encrusting gorg over the Anthius grows wild in my tank and I think I have it over 10 years. Maybe 15, I forget.

 
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KleineVampir

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Do you think they (sponges) actually reduce the nutrient level in the tank and help with nuisance algae?
 

Paul B

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The sponges in my tank I am sure filter the water in my entire tank a couple of times a day at least.
I am not sure what they remove but I do feed clams every day with their associated juices which makes the sponges grow very fast so I know they filter out that.
 

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