Bacteria’s only role is to filter water? Yeah right.

[FrugalReefer]

Thought I’d share this article from Reefkeeping.com about bacteria and the role bacteria plays in the reef keeping hobby. Although the article is older from 2003, I believe the information from it still very much applies to this day. The discussion about bacteria as a food source for corals is especially intriguing since it seems most reefers view bacteria only as biological water filters and nothing else.

https://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/eb/index.php#:~:text=All%20corals%20studied%20consume%20dissolved,in%20a%20number%20of%20ways.

 

[Aiptaisia anemone]

https://reef-workshop.com/product/coral-symbio/ this product claims to feed corals with bacteria

 

[FrugalReefer]

https://reef-workshop.com/product/coral-symbio/ this product claims to feed corals with bacteria

I don’t think you would need a specific product to feed corals with bacteria. They would naturally capture it from the water column.

 

[Timfish]

Our understanding of microbial stuff in reef ecosystems has certainly expanded since 2003. Here's some additional links:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC and how it benefits, or hurts corals in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of these complex relationships found in reef ecosystems


Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes


Microbial view of Coral Decline


Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont


BActeria and Sponges


Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)