BioRock Experiment

[ScubaSteve]

Oh, and just to throw a monkey into this even more... this does work with softies as well! Just something to think about.

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Oh, and just to throw a monkey into this even more... this does work with softies as well! Just something to think about.

I recall reading something about it (or something similar) a couple of years ago. I think, if I remember correctly that the way it helps things grow faster is that it puts the cathode (and anything attached to it) at a different (lower?) potential than it would otherwise be at. This makes it easier for the coral to build the calcium carbonate structure that makes up the hard part of the coral. The calcium actually wants to come out of solution which makes the corals life a lot easier...

In the article I read it was being investigated as a way to keep corals growing in conditions where the ocean was being acidified such that they'd normally have problems building a skeleton.

Presumably then, it would have a similar effect on the growth of any stony coral, though this assumes (maybe a big assumption) that it is the ability to grow skeleton that is the rate determining factor in the coral growth, not food or something else.

Dunno whether that helped or made it more confusing..
Rob.

[Ian]

Sooo interested in this wish I was a worth consideration but my tank is too new and I am lacking experience with sps.....kinda tweaks my molecular biology background though...keep us informed and if it works I want in on the 2nd round of trials

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by SmallFry

I recall reading something about it (or something similar) a couple of years ago. I think, if I remember correctly that the way it helps things grow faster is that it puts the cathode (and anything attached to it) at a different (lower?) potential than it would otherwise be at. This makes it easier for the coral to build the calcium carbonate structure that makes up the hard part of the coral. The calcium actually wants to come out of solution which makes the corals life a lot easier...

In the article I read it was being investigated as a way to keep corals growing in conditions where the ocean was being acidified such that they'd normally have problems building a skeleton.

Presumably then, it would have a similar effect on the growth of any stony coral, though this assumes (maybe a big assumption) that it is the ability to grow skeleton that is the rate determining factor in the coral growth, not food or something else.

Dunno whether that helped or made it more confusing..
Rob.

Ya, I've heard a few theories and realistically it's probably a combination on them: affects the corals ability to uptake calcium carbonate through potential, local modification of pH, witchcraft, you name it.

I can understand the theories as they pertain to stony corals but not softies. That's a noodle-scratcher.

Originally Posted by Ian

Sooo interested in this wish I was a worth consideration but my tank is too new and I am lacking experience with sps.....kinda tweaks my molecular biology background though...keep us informed and if it works I want in on the 2nd round of trials

Wicked! I'll definitely keep you in the loop. If you can help me figure out how this thing is affecting coral growth (if it does what I hope it will) I'll totally give you a high-five . It's helpful to have a few different views on the results.

[dunl]

Bumping this for latest results?