This combo consists of 1 X50g 100% Reef Safe Amino acid jar plus 1 X 50g refill pack. If bought separately these would be $33.

The role of 100% Reef Safe Amino Acids in coral feeding and growth

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 reasons why I suggest everyone should use them. Many vitamins and proteins are included in one easy dosing supplement to provide your corals with the much needed elements they would not otherwise get in a closed environment.

In Nature corals will receive these proteins via plankton, micro plankton or even bacterial plankton. However in a closed 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 algae’s 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 100% Reef Safe Amino Acid Supplement, you are introducing the correct proportions of amino acids found in coral skeletons that is helping to create the natural living conditions found in a wild living coral reef.

Feeding

Similar to other animals, amino acids play important roles in the lives of corals being essential to enzyme production, tissue growth and skeleton formation. In addition, amino acids are known to affect coral feeding behaviour. After the addition of frozen or live feeds to an aquarium, corals are often observed to extend their tentacles, a phenomenon which may be attributed to amino acids. Studies have found the addition of the amino acids glycine, alanine or glutamate to the water resulted in opening of the mouth, tentacle extension, swelling of tissue and expulsion of digestive filaments for many scleractinian corals ie; those with a skeletal structure. Thus, these amino acids elicit the same feeding response as when zooplankton is supplied. It is possible that corals have receptors which recognize organic compounds, including amino acids. This ability to detect specific chemical compounds, known as chemotaxis, may allow coral polyps to recognize zooplankton and prepare for prey capture.

Skeletal growth

The important role of amino acids in the growth of living organisms is well-documented, and scleractinian corals are no exception. Not only do corals require amino acids to build protein for tissue growth, they also need these for synthesis of a so-called organic matrix. This organic matrix is a framework of proteins, polysaccharides, and glycosaminoglycan’s, lipids and chitin, and is essential to bio mineralisation. In many corals, it forms a physical link between soft tissue and the skeleton, regulates and accelerates calcium carbonate deposition in the skeleton (calcification), providing strength. The building blocks of the organic matrix are secreted by coral cells into the skeleton.

Contains: Alanine, Arginine, Aspartate, Cystine, Glutamate, Glycine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Valine, Tryptophan, Lysine, Methionine, Histidine, Proline, Serine, Tryosine, Phenylalanine, Threonine.

No Preservatives - does not contain Phosphate based preservative. 50g net weight

Recommended Dosage: ½ to 1 level scoop (please note no scoop included in refill) per 500lt of aquarium water. Mix the required amount of Amino Acid Protein Supplement in a container, let stand for 1 hour then slowly add to the aquarium. Generally we recommend adding coral food to the same mixture for better absorption by the corals. Dose 1-2 times a week.

Given this is a protein product your skimmer may produce excessive skimmate with the addition of this supplement to your tank, many turn their skimmer off for half an hour to an hour to avoid skimming out the product. Also due to amino acids being proteins its best to be prepared fresh for each dose.