Growth rate increase

[acroman]

No weiss product, its a vitamin. Vitamin D. Since in humans, herps, birds and probably most terrestrial animals, vitamin d is almost essential for calcium use. Would it work in a reef tank to speed up coral growth? I tried a vitamin d tablet in a two gallon with some Halimeda, Caulerpa racemosa, and a damsel. They had been living together for about 2 months prior in natural sunlight. (Under a window) I then put a tablet in, and the two days later, the damsel died; but was stiff instead of being usually soft. I kept the tank running, and after about a week I noticed that the halimeda, which previously was growing very slowly, had suddenly started growing almost as fast as the caulerpa.

I was wondering if anyone had any comments, input, or suggestions as to the use of Vitamin D. Thanks a Lot,
Nick

 

[randy holmes-farley]

I do not believe that corals use vitamin D for any aspect of calcification (at least it isn't known that they do). This article details what is known about calcium use in calcification:


The Chemical and Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/chem.htm

 

[randy holmes-farley]

duplicate

 

[Anonymous]

Too much vitamin D is deadly. You probably poisoned the damsel.

 

[CraigBingman]

No weiss product, its a vitamin. Vitamin D. Since in humans, herps, birds and probably most terrestrial animals, vitamin d is almost essential for calcium use. Would it work in a reef tank to speed up coral growth? I tried a vitamin d tablet in a two gallon with some Halimeda, Caulerpa racemosa, and a damsel. They had been living together for about 2 months prior in natural sunlight. (Under a window) I then put a tablet in, and the two days later, the damsel died; but was stiff instead of being usually soft. I kept the tank running, and after about a week I noticed that the halimeda, which previously was growing very slowly, had suddenly started growing almost as fast as the caulerpa.

I was wondering if anyone had any comments, input, or suggestions as to the use of Vitamin D. Thanks a Lot,
Nick

Well, I unfortunately have to agree with the poster who suggested that you might have overdosed the fish on vitamin D. You have a tiny tank, and that is a mighty small fish. Pharmacological doses of vitamin D can be fatal.

I'm also a bit skeptical that organisms in a brightly illuminated reef tank would be likely to become vitamin D deficient. It is made from a simple sterol precursor by a purely photochemical mechanism, with near UV radiation. Essentially all aquarium lights give enough radiation in that range to make plenty of vitamin D for organisms that require it.

I don't know if corals need vitamin D or not. I suspect that many such questions will be addressed when we have a genomic sequence for a model cnidarian.

Craig Bingman

 

[acroman]

Thanks y'all