Three ways to increase coral growth in your tank

[seabass]

4/1/16

1) Growth hormone
Elanco (a division of Eli Lilly) manufacturers Posilac, which is an FDA approved, cow-specific form of GH, called bovine somatotropin. It's most commonly used for increasing milk production in dairy cows; however, the benefit of enhanced coral growth in coral aquaculture has only recently been discovered.

You can purchase Posilac in either 25 or 100 count syringes. You inject the GH into your sump, or other high flow area of your display (or frag) tank. One syringe is enough to treat a two hundred gallon tank packed full of coral. Any unused portion must be kept in the refrigerator, but do not freeze.

Activated carbon and protein skimmer must be discontinued while dosing Posilac. Each dose is effective for approximately two weeks. After each round, perform a 25% water change and run fresh activated carbon for a day. Subsequent dosing can be performed after you have removed the activated carbon.

 

HUMAN WARNINGS: Avoid prolonged or repeated contact with Posilac with eyes and skin. Posilac is a protein. Frequent skin contact with proteins may produce an allergic reaction in some people. Always wash hands and skin exposed to Posilac with soap and water after handling.

2) Caffeine
This common stimulant is consumed by just about everyone in some form or another. But only recently has anybody studied its effect on increasing the metabolic activity of coral. While testing is still being done, initial studies show significantly increased growth rates of practicality all species of coral compared to control specimens.

While optimal dosages are still being worked out, 100 milligrams (dosed at the beginning of the light cycle) seems to effectively treat a 100 gallon tank. It's recommended to continue use of fresh activated carbon for are least 24 hours following treatments. Additional treatments can be performed as often as every 24 hours.

3) Increase the number of light cycles
Some people have been running two light cycles per day to increase coral growth rates for awhile now. It's been discovered that zooxanthella activity peaks at about three hours (and falls off fairly quickly after that). By limiting each light cycle to four or five hours, we are able fit more light cycles into a 24 hour period.



By increasing the number of daily cycles to three (most commonly 4 hours on, and 4 hours off) we can increase the amount of energy created by photosynthesis in a 24 hours period. More energy means more coral growth. Some argue that you can achieve even better results with cycles of five hours on and three hours off.


Don't be fooled, and get growing. What are some of the things you do to improve coral growth rates?

[tetraodon]

i wonder how fast i can get things to grow if you use all three, time to get gas powered pruners and a grease gun full of super glue.

[seabass]

i wonder how fast i can get things to grow if you use all three.

The only problem is that you can't use activated carbon while dosing growth hormone; and since corals don't have kidneys to filter out the caffeine, they recommend using activated carbon when dosing your tank with caffeine.

[tetraodon]

Only problem is that you can't use activated carbon while dosing growth hormone, but they recommend using activated carbon when dosing caffeine.

dose the growth hormone, and on the day you use carbon between hormone doses, use the caffeine. coupled with 8, 3-hour light cycles should yield some impressive growth.

[Pjanssen]

So now I can literally have a cup-o-joe in the morning with my underwater friends!

[seabass]

So now I can literally have a cup-o-joe in the morning with my underwater friends!

Most people use dissolved caplets (like NoDoz). Some people have tried using coffee grounds in a fine mesh bag; however, even with activated carbon, some discoloration of the water usually occurs.

[Dylan.N]

I've had a lot of luck with this:

[Alexraptor]

Hey, don't forget to spray your Acro's with DDT against AEFW's

[seabass]

I've had a lot of luck with this:

I could be wrong, but I believe that this product was responsible for the Hasselpaly morph.

[niQo]

Great post!

Urine works great too, if you need to increase nutrients. Just make sure it's the first leak you take in the morning. The right dosage being 1 tbsp per 10 gallons. Just don't pie straight on the tablespoon, I know from experience it gets really messy.

[Laybackk]

Loving the April Fools post! I also heard brackish water is perfect for growing corals!

[seabass]

Loving the April Fools post!

I'm amazed at what we actually do in this hobby these days. I mean do any of those things sound crazier than dosing vodka into your tank, or dipping your corals in Bayer Insect Killer?