Care Capacity

CrayolaViolence · 09/20/2018, 12:56 PM

I have a 90 gallon tank with a 70 gallon lagoon display (24x48x12). I am wondering if anyone has any idea of the care capacity for a tank this size. I don't have a lot of fish but I do have quite a few corals (mostly zoas, shrooms, leathers, gorgs). The tank is about 4 years old now and has been doing great. I do a daily water change and I feed coral food since I have quite a few filter feeding gorgonians. I have no interest in more fish but there are a few coral pieces I would like to add. Was just wondering how others have done with a high population of coral in a reef tank.

der_wille_zur_macht · 09/21/2018, 06:54 AM

The only thing limiting coral population is physical space, outside special cases ie chemical warfare - but that is more a factor of overall compatibility, not total population size.

Corals don't contribute to a "bioload" in terms of waste production in the way that fish do. You can't create a nutrient problem by over populating a tank with coral. In fact the opposite is true, corals consume nutrients and adding more can (subtly) help control nutrients.

Along that line of thought, as you increase coral density, you need to make sure they're not stripping anything from the water. Calcium and alkalinity are the major parameters but there are others.

So, add away, as long as you're not putting things so close that they're stinging each other or growing in a way that shades other corals out.

nereefpat · 09/21/2018, 07:19 AM

Good advice above.

As long as they aren't stinging each other, and you are running activated carbon to remove allelopathic chemicals from leathers and others, you can't go overboard with corals.

mcgyvr · 09/21/2018, 10:00 AM

Is "care" supposed to read "coral"?

nereefpat · 09/21/2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Is "care" supposed to read "coral"?

lol... I was assuming carrying capacity was meant.

CrayolaViolence · 09/21/2018, 04:33 PM

Care capacity=the limit of ones ability to care for an organism (s) based on the availability of resources. Resources in this case being space, nutrients, water quality, etc.

Cliving1 · 09/22/2018, 07:18 AM

Theoretical or actual capacity? Lol. I think the problem is different coral require different "care", and therefore running a tank that tries to meet all tends to be unsuccessful.

09/20/2018, 12:56 PM	#1
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Care Capacity I have a 90 gallon tank with a 70 gallon lagoon display (24x48x12). I am wondering if anyone has any idea of the care capacity for a tank this size. I don't have a lot of fish but I do have quite a few corals (mostly zoas, shrooms, leathers, gorgs). The tank is about 4 years old now and has been doing great. I do a daily water change and I feed coral food since I have quite a few filter feeding gorgonians. I have no interest in more fish but there are a few coral pieces I would like to add. Was just wondering how others have done with a high population of coral in a reef tank. __________________ "The good thing about science is that it's true whether you believe it or not." Neil deGrasse Tyson Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef tank

09/21/2018, 06:54 AM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	The only thing limiting coral population is physical space, outside special cases ie chemical warfare - but that is more a factor of overall compatibility, not total population size. Corals don't contribute to a "bioload" in terms of waste production in the way that fish do. You can't create a nutrient problem by over populating a tank with coral. In fact the opposite is true, corals consume nutrients and adding more can (subtly) help control nutrients. Along that line of thought, as you increase coral density, you need to make sure they're not stripping anything from the water. Calcium and alkalinity are the major parameters but there are others. So, add away, as long as you're not putting things so close that they're stinging each other or growing in a way that shades other corals out. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

09/21/2018, 07:19 AM	#3
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	Good advice above. As long as they aren't stinging each other, and you are running activated carbon to remove allelopathic chemicals from leathers and others, you can't go overboard with corals. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

09/21/2018, 10:00 AM	#4
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Is "care" supposed to read "coral"? __________________ Who me?

09/21/2018, 04:33 PM	#6
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Care capacity=the limit of ones ability to care for an organism (s) based on the availability of resources. Resources in this case being space, nutrients, water quality, etc. __________________ "The good thing about science is that it's true whether you believe it or not." Neil deGrasse Tyson Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef tank

09/22/2018, 07:18 AM	#7
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Theoretical or actual capacity? Lol. I think the problem is different coral require different "care", and therefore running a tank that tries to meet all tends to be unsuccessful.