Bright light, high temps and vitamin C

[joelespinoza]

I have been working on a term paper for a Marine Biology class and keep reading articles about increased temp (which increases H2O2 and free radical total quantity by increasing metabolism, thus producing more total oxygen products), and by increased PAR and UV (which causes the percentage of oxidative products per quantity of total oxygen produced), and how much this oxidative stress is mitigated by adding ascorbate to test groups.

Anyway the thought occured to me that it might be possible to bump up light and add some Vitamin C to increase growth, or give the corals a greater range of light tolerence, especially corals with a narrow range of light tolerence, like SPS, under something very powerful like LED lighting or the like. Possibly even bumping up temp a couple degrees for increased growth without harming the critters.

Just a tought.

And now time to stop procrastinating and get my ass back to work....sigh....

[joelespinoza]

No one willing to jump on the grenade and try out some vitamin C dosing huh?

I am curious what it would do. I think that if you had metal halides that were to much for a particular coral, that it would give them a greater tolerence for it. But I am not sure if it would help repair photosystem damage and allow greater absorption of light, and more photosynthesis, or if it it would help repair the flouresence system to help reflect more light. Probably the first for most corals, but I dont know.

[SantaMonica]

Remember that algae produces vitamin c

[joelespinoza]

Hmmm I wonder what quantities? I was considering crankung my light up to the point that my corals usually start retracting, then dise with some sodium ascorbate to see if they extend. Anyone ever try this? I was thinking around 10-20 ppm.

[CHOMPERS]

I use to dose vitamin C in my softie tank without any negative side effects. It will cause zoas and pallys to open when they have been closed for a long time. I think you have found the reason why.

There was a write up on RC a long time ago about vitamin C. A lady did some research into it and someone had told her that a certain level was the maximum safe level in a reef tank. She dosed daily and monitored the effects of her corals (mixed). She passed the reported safe level by almost double with no problems from her corals. She continued dosing pretty heavily and it appeared that there really wasn't a maximum level.

The only negative is that vitamin C prevents testing iodine with a Salefert test kit. Apparently other iodine test kits too.