Do Corals absorb nutrients?

[CoMMaNdeR]

Do corals absorb nutrients like PO4 and NO3 like microalgae do ?

[Reef_bones]

I would think NOT....That seems to me like a human drinking sweat for dehydration

[Travis L. Stevens]

Actually, yes they do. Xenia, for example, takes up quite a bit of nitrates. As do many other soft corals and LPS.

[CoMMaNdeR]

Thanks Travis for your answer.

So you are saying that Soft Corals absorb NItrates, if this is true I think it is better to have alot of soft corals then so they absorb a great amount of NO3 right ?

Another thing, is there any coral that absorbs PO4 ?

[RichConley]

Originally posted by Reef_bones
I would think NOT....That seems to me like a human drinking sweat for dehydration

And you would be wrong. Corals do take up a good amount of nutrients, even SPS NEED some amoutn of nitrate and phosphate. Plants do the same thing.

[jpfelix]

if corals have algae, they need fertilizer in order for corals to grow you need nutrients avail. for algae.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Originally posted by CoMMaNdeR
Thanks Travis for your answer.

So you are saying that Soft Corals absorb NItrates, if this is true I think it is better to have alot of soft corals then so they absorb a great amount of NO3 right ?

Another thing, is there any coral that absorbs PO4 ?

They also absorb a little PO4. But all this absorption is absolutely nothing compared to macro algae and denitrifying bacteria found in the sand and rocks.

[CoMMaNdeR]

So the more corals you have the better for water stable am I right ?

[RichConley]

Originally posted by CoMMaNdeR
So the more corals you have the better for water stable am I right ?

From a nutrient standpoint, yes, but what they add as far as nutrient removal, they go ahead and muck up by screwing up your alk and calcium.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Originally posted by CoMMaNdeR
So the more corals you have the better for water stable am I right ?

Not necessarily. Coral's nutrient uptake is very minimal. In fact, it's hardly noticable until you have a tank that is comprised almost entirely of Soft Corals and/or LPS that are filled like a Tank of the Month. It also depends on your maintenance techniques, husbandry, etc. If you are over stocked, there is no chance that the corals will be able to keep up with the nutrient additions. The same goes for over feeding. On top of that, depending on corals for nutrient reduction is a double edged knife. In short, yes the more the merrier and you will decrease your nutrients in a stable tank, but the more corals you have the quicker they take up available Calcium and Carbonate. Thus having to dose more often.

[Reef_bones]

Originally posted by RichConley
And you would be wrong. Corals do take up a good amount of nutrients, even SPS NEED some amoutn of nitrate and phosphate. Plants do the same thing.

Hence the word "think" in my statement. I was not aware that corals needed waste to be happy...

[CoMMaNdeR]

Thanks alot for your informative info, everyone..

[iantoh]

hi there commander,

nitrogen and phosphates are present in all living cells, that is, they are essential consituents. So all corals, likewise, will require phosphates and nitrogen, in some form or other, for growth and cellular health.

in autotrophic corals, that is, corals that are photosynthetic, it is the symbiotic zooxallanthae algaes present within the coral's tissue that require some nitrates and phosphates to fuel photosynthesis. they, in turn, feed the coral some proportion of the sugars that are manufactured from this process.

However, though corals do contribute somewhat to the consumption of such nutrients as nitrates and phosphates, it amounts to far less than what we contribute to the tank in way of feeding our fishes and inverts, and that generally leads to nutrient accumulation over time.

well.. i hope that helps...

cheers,
ian