Question, re: SPS Polyp Extension

[Whatigot]

Originally Posted by Whatigot

dont most corals eat their non photo synthetic food at night?

Originally Posted by Der_Iron_Chef

Interesting. So why do some people get crazy polyp extension during the day? What's the secret?! Providing food during the day?

Tony, I had considered your theory, because I do agitate the zeolites at night, usually right before, or right after lights out. I'm going to test that theory out some more!

Thanks for the input, all.

I wondered the same, but lately I have been watching a lot of blue planet, planet earth and undersea explorer (gifts from a friend) and every one of them mentions repeatedly that corals do most of their eating at night.
I wondered why my polyp extension is almost always so much better in the day too if this was in fact the case.

[Delphinus]

Brad, the reason I asked about the reactor is just because it will only help encourage the feeders to come out even more. I know corals already do most of their feeding at night but generally speaking if there's something for them to eat, they'll eat, and there's just more of it at night therefore there's more. I remember when Canadian_Man had his 230g running he would dump rotifers into the tank during the day and boy did those fuzzy sticks become even fuzzier. It's like Field of Dreams - if you build it they will come - "if you feed them they will eat." (To a degree anyhow.)

But yeah for the most part it's pretty common that PE is greater at night. Doesn't mean that PE can't happen during the day though, it depends on probably a number of different things.

[christyf5]

I found that PE increased when I added a couple of tunze 6060s to my tank (previously using MJ1200s and/or Hagen 802s). PE increased even more (I hadn't known it could) when I added a wavebox

I do have a couple corals that have hardly any PE during the day but they're incredible looking at night. I usually try to feed reef roids or something like that a couple hours after the lights go out, or a couple hours before they come on in the morning.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Originally Posted by christyf5

I found that PE increased when I added a couple of tunze 6060s to my tank (previously using MJ1200s and/or Hagen 802s). PE increased even more (I hadn't known it could) when I added a wavebox

I do have a couple corals that have hardly any PE during the day but they're incredible looking at night. I usually try to feed reef roids or something like that a couple hours after the lights go out, or a couple hours before they come on in the morning.

Interesting. I do have reef roids...maybe I'll give it a go during the day and see what happens.

[Reefer Rob]

Is there a reason why you want polyp extension during the day? The coral is just trying to do what though evolution has worked best for it; feed at night when there is the most abundant food, and the least predators. From what I understand, any PE during the day normally has to do with optimizing the available light. Forcing PE during the day may be detrimental to the coral.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I don't necessarily NEED PE during the day! I just have always heard people say, "Oh yeah, my SPS is so healthy....great polyp extension! Like fuzzy sticks! Yada yada yada...."

So when I wasn't getting that, per se, I wondered if I was doing something wrong.