Phytoplankton improve coral's health?

[patrick123]

Anyone experience improvement in the coral either the color, health, or size after dosing Phytoplankton? What kind of improvement do you experience?

Thanks.

[nicholasloh]

well it depends on wad coral u're toking abt... generally most soft corals, polyp corals and mushie take them. goniopora and alveopora are the only hard corals to take them

fans take them, tube worms, bivalves, sponges, squirts....

[nicholasloh]

the changes i've seen is that the corals are opening up more(xenia,zoos, leather) and that the color wouldn't fade off(some mushies), and they survive longer than usual(mushie, polyp, xenia...), but u muz also make sure that the other conditions are suitable for the coral lor.

[tineng]

for me, i can't tell.....seem to me that even scrapping algae of the tank glass will trigger some sort of feeding reaction from the corals....

but then I only start corals since March/April...so not much info i can share....maybe one of the more experience reefer who have experimented before can tell you more....

[lightningstrike]

well, for me, i used to dose DT, bioplankton, coralplankton, cyclopeeze and GPs (in mixed micron sizes) to my tank, so even if my corals do thrive, i do not know which plankton actually contributes to it practically.

but this is what DT claims:

Phytoplankton provides essential nutrition for reef and sand dwelling invertebrates. Including: clams, scallops, many corals, gorgonians, fan worms, tunicates, sea apples and other cucumbers, some sponges and zooplankton including rotifers. By enriching rotifers or bring shrimp, this nutrition can be made available to fish and larger invertebrates.

[patrick123]

Anyone not dose anything but the coral still growing?

[tiger]

I think frequent wc also help if not dosing.

[RAV-65]

Dun 4get clams needs lotsa phyto too!

[ryz]

only when less than 3"... when they attain a size more than 3" they are more dependent on light for nutrition.

[ReDDeviLs]

when i dont dose any.. they always die out after 1-2 or 3mths,now is start dosing.. no sighs of softies dying..

[patrick123]

So sounds like it is more beneficial to dose phyto. Just started and will continue for a few months to see. Thanks guys.

[RAV-65]

So sounds like it is more beneficial to dose phyto. Just started and will continue for a few months to see. Thanks guys.

Bro, u should...

[patrick123]

Bro, u should...

Thanks bro.

BTW, do you cultivate your own phyto?

Cheers,

Patrick

[RAV-65]

Nope... buy it off shelf as it's much more concentrated, unless u got time on your hands, if not I suggest u buy it off the shelf too, most of the cultivated ones lose out in intensity too, in my opinion... so i rather buy...

[patrick123]

So you are using DT then?

[Bali Brain]

Where do you buy your Phyto - what brand and how much is it?