Corals withstand low tides

Frankie · 12-08-2008, 01:06 AM

Written by Tim Wijgerde

Did you ever wonder for how long your stony corals are able to survive above water? Nature shows us for how long; two hours seems possible. Watch a video shot from Lautoka, Viti Levu in the Fiji Islands. It shows the upper reef flat, which becomes exposed to strong winds and battering sunlight.
These corals have to withstand this ordeal every day, facing dehydration and massive DNA tissue damage due to strong UV radiation from the sun during noon. This shows how resilient corals actually are, being able to withdraw into their limestone skeletons for refuge.
For complete reading and video visit Coral Science - Corals withstand low tides

Adam Black · 12-08-2008, 01:33 AM

Those sticks look sharp! I would hate to fall on that!

BigAl07 · 12-08-2008, 09:09 AM

Yeah that was AMAZING! We saw that same video at MACNA-XX and it was awesome! Mother Nature takes care of her own VERY well indeed

It's MAN that usually messes things up the most

Frankie · 12-08-2008, 09:39 AM

That picture I found on my own on the net. I also found this one but liked the one I used better

JoJo · 12-08-2008, 09:58 AM

the first one made you think, the second one is just mind boggling

cheeks69 · 12-08-2008, 10:53 AM

Very cool Frankie thanks for posting, interesting to also see the "very sensitive" Linckia starfish exposed during low tide.

BigAl07 · 12-08-2008, 10:55 AM

I agree with you Robert. After all the care and trouble we go through to make sure they aren't exposed and there they are out in the open like that. Of course our "handling" practices may introduce so much stress that "normal" things over-come our captive critters.

Dentoid · 12-08-2008, 11:01 AM

Perhaps this is the link we are missing with our tanks, no tides! I wonder if this cycling of exposure/submerging is necessary for the life cycle of some of these corals?

trippkid · 12-08-2008, 01:34 PM

I do this as part of my acclimation process/dipping procedures for all my new corals(SPS only, I don't do LPS or softies anymore, so I can't say how they would fair), after dipping and rinsing with clean salt water, I will let them exposed to air for about 15min, or at least until they slime up pretty good, then rinse them off again in different clean water, and put into the tank. I also 2 to 3 times a week, should do it more frequently but I just forget to sometimes, but any way inject air, either through airline and pump or just by putting 1 or 2 of my modded PH's at the surface so the will suck in air and chop up into fine bubbles(dreaded mircro bubbles, I can hear you all now) for about 15 or 20 min, then put them back in place. The corals will slime(one of nature's way to rid them of wastes and other pathogens(bacteria, bugs, etc.)), and the bubbles are gone within a couple of minutes, the skimmer takes out the coral slime eventually(it is not like you have a tank full of slime, just little strings, that eventually go to the sump or filter and get pulled out there). This is just what I have been doing for about the last 4 months(after reading of others that do it and seeing some pics of tanks, I kind of said the same thing to myself about how these things are exposed to the air 2 times a day, and why not give it a try), I am not reccommending everyone to do this, but it is something to try or consider if you feel comfortable with it. Have a good one guys.

Matt

Limpits Reef · 12-08-2008, 01:37 PM

Looks like someone swiped my video without asking!
I guess I should be flattered that they liked it so much.

Limpits Reef · 12-08-2008, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAl07

Yeah that was AMAZING! We saw that same video at MACNA-XX and it was awesome! Mother Nature takes care of her own VERY well indeed

It's MAN that usually messes things up the most

They played that at Macna XX?
Wish I would have known about that as I was there.

BigAl07 · 12-08-2008, 01:43 PM

I'm pretty SURE they did.... it was either there or one of our LOCAL club meetings but SOMEWHERE I saw it in a "Group" setting a few months back...

JoJo · 12-08-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheeks69

Very cool Frankie thanks for posting, interesting to also see the "very sensitive" Linckia starfish exposed during low tide.

i must be blind, i cant find the starfish

BigAl07 · 12-08-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoJo

i must be blind, i cant find the starfish

Did you watch the VID? I see one (quick look back) around 2min 42 seconds but there are more...

JoJo · 12-08-2008, 02:09 PM

i was looking at the pics. the vid is crazy

12-08-2008, 01:33 AM	#2 (permalink)
Adam Black Plate Coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: CA Posts: 729 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Corals withstand low tides Those sticks look sharp! I would hate to fall on that! __________________ 65G RR,2-250 Aquamedic pendents(Hamilton 14k DE) with 2 Vho supplements fired with IC440.29g sump. Octo extreme 200 skimmer,Mag 7 return, 2 Maxi 1200 with 2200gph mods.

12-08-2008, 09:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Corals withstand low tides Yeah that was AMAZING! We saw that same video at MACNA-XX and it was awesome! Mother Nature takes care of her own VERY well indeed It's MAN that usually messes things up the most __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

12-08-2008, 10:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 7,386 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Corals withstand low tides Very cool Frankie thanks for posting, interesting to also see the "very sensitive" Linckia starfish exposed during low tide. __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

12-08-2008, 10:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Corals withstand low tides I agree with you Robert. After all the care and trouble we go through to make sure they aren't exposed and there they are out in the open like that. Of course our "handling" practices may introduce so much stress that "normal" things over-come our captive critters. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

12-08-2008, 01:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
trippkid Fire Coral Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lewisberry, PA Posts: 84 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Corals withstand low tides I do this as part of my acclimation process/dipping procedures for all my new corals(SPS only, I don't do LPS or softies anymore, so I can't say how they would fair), after dipping and rinsing with clean salt water, I will let them exposed to air for about 15min, or at least until they slime up pretty good, then rinse them off again in different clean water, and put into the tank. I also 2 to 3 times a week, should do it more frequently but I just forget to sometimes, but any way inject air, either through airline and pump or just by putting 1 or 2 of my modded PH's at the surface so the will suck in air and chop up into fine bubbles(dreaded mircro bubbles, I can hear you all now) for about 15 or 20 min, then put them back in place. The corals will slime(one of nature's way to rid them of wastes and other pathogens(bacteria, bugs, etc.)), and the bubbles are gone within a couple of minutes, the skimmer takes out the coral slime eventually(it is not like you have a tank full of slime, just little strings, that eventually go to the sump or filter and get pulled out there). This is just what I have been doing for about the last 4 months(after reading of others that do it and seeing some pics of tanks, I kind of said the same thing to myself about how these things are exposed to the air 2 times a day, and why not give it a try), I am not reccommending everyone to do this, but it is something to try or consider if you feel comfortable with it. Have a good one guys. Matt

12-08-2008, 01:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
Limpits Reef Midas Blenny Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wisconsin, US Posts: 89 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Corals withstand low tides Looks like someone swiped my video without asking! I guess I should be flattered that they liked it so much. __________________ I do not claim to be an expert, I simply share with others my past experiences. Happy Reefing! Visit my reef videos at: http://www.youtube.com/LimpitsReef

12-08-2008, 01:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Corals withstand low tides I'm pretty SURE they did.... it was either there or one of our LOCAL club meetings but SOMEWHERE I saw it in a "Group" setting a few months back... __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

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