Amino Acids and Their Benefit in a Reef Tank

Amino Acids are quickly becoming one of the most popular additives to any serious reef keeper's arsenal. There are many different reasons why they are being used and many why I suggest everyone should use them. Many vitamins and proteins are including in one easy dosing supplement to provide your corals with much needed elements they would not otherwise get in a closed aquarium environment.

Amino Acids are quickly becoming one of the most popular additives to any serious reef keeper's arsenal. There are many different reasons why they are being used and many why I suggest everyone should use them. Many vitamins and proteins are including in one easy dosing supplement to provide your corals with much needed elements they would not otherwise get in a closed aquarium environment.

In Nature corals will receive these proteins via plankton, micro plankton or even bacterial plankton. However in a close aquarium environment these are normally absent. Zooxanthellae which live symbiotically in many corals "excrete" these acids which in turn feed the coral along with many other substances. In most aquariums the activity of these symbiotic algaes are greatly reduced in which the corals are only "Surviving" and not "Thriving".

Indirect and Direct feeding's are generally not the best method to approach feeding your corals as it generally results in increased nutrient levels such as phosphates and nitrates. This is where the Amino acids come in handy. By dosing high quality products such as Zeovit Amino acid concentrates you are introducing the correct proportions of amino acids found in coral skeletons. This is helping to create the natural living conditions found in a wild living coral reef.

Higher end amino acids on the market are supplying up to 17 important amino acids essential to stony coral growth. These supplements also help coral utilize the absorption of calcium seen in their natural environment and increasing your coral growth in the aquarium. From our experience you will also notice increased polyp extension during their "daylight" hours.

There are many options on the market for amino acids but really there are only a few that aren't using preservatives which decrease the quality of the product. Some are Zeovit Amino Acid Concentrate, Zeovit Amino Acid Concentrate for LPS. Elos OMGEA and Selcon.

The author is an expert in aquarium supplies. He knows the importance of UV Sterilizers in maintaining the water quality of the aquarium. He also recommends Salifert water testing kits for maintaining the correct levels of salts in the aquarium. He has also written many articles that will help to buy the best UV Sterilizers and Salifert kits.