Soft Corals

2. Soft Corals • Soft bodies made up of a large number of polyps connected by fleshy tissue. • Lack the limestone skeletonand do not produce calcium carbonate • Some contain zooxanthellae and appear brown in color • Thrive in depths varying between 15-95 feet • Does the amount of force and direction of the power head’s current effect the movement pattern of the soft corals?

3. Hypothesis • Original Hypothesis: The increasing and decreasing of the current from the power heads directly effects the movement of the soft corals. The stronger the current, the further the soft coral will move.

4. 5 Questions • 1. How is the growth of algae effected by the currents of the power heads? • 2. How do soft corals adapt based on the different currents of the power heads? • 3. What is the difference of algae growth in corners versus high flow areas? • 4. When the current of the power heads are directed straight on the Xenia and Neptheado the corals change positions faster? • 5. When the power heads are not directed straight toward the Xenia and Nepthea will they move?

5. How we got started? • Repositioned the power heads to have the current directed onto the Xenia. • Traced the Xenia on the glass. (See Wiki) • Set up a bi-weekly schedule to measure the movement of the Xenia. • Then we hit a bump in the road.

6. Data This was the starting position of the Xenia before it was killed off by the charcoal bag

7. Data This was the tank after the coral had died and had been removed from the tank

8. Dead Coral • Unfortunately after we added a new charcoal bag all of the Xenia in our tank died off. (See Wiki) • "Along with the removing of unwanted organic and inorganic chemicals, activated carbon also removes essential trace elements vital to the health of marine livestock. The amounts removed are of unknown quantity and significance, but nonetheless a precautionary approach towards offsetting them by performing regular water changes is recommended" (Adam Jenkins).

9. Re-Model Ideas • The death of the Xenia in our tank has caused us to think of new project ideas such as: • Buy new Xenia and continue with the same project concept • Re-design our tank by moving corals around, trading corals, and scrubbing rocks for new organisms to grow.

10. The Make-over • Cleaned live rock • Built a bridge/reconstructed the live rock. • Built a Xenia corner • Introduced new corals, purple sea fan, Button coral, ________.

11. Button Coral • Family: Zoanthidae • They are a colonial animal with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock or coral rubble. • They are very easy to maintain in the reef aquarium

12. Other coral

13. Sea Fan • Phylum: Cnidaria • A colony can be several feet high and across but only a few inches thick. • Usually colorful • Purple (ours) • Red • Yellow

14. Bibliography 1- "Aquarium Filter and Fish Tank Filtration." Tropical Fish, Aquarium Fish, Care for Saltwater and Freshwater Fish, Aquarium Setup. Web. 19. Oct. 2011. 2- Davis, Ernst M., and E.F Gloyna. "The Role of Algae." JSTOR. JSTOR, 8 Nov. 1969. Web. 19 Oct. 2011. 3- Jenkins, Adam. "Activated Carbon." Wetwebmedia, Aquarium, Pond, Marine and Freshwater Fish, Reef Tanks, and Aquatics Information. Web. 01 Dec. 2011.

15. Bibliography 4. Kuhlmann, Deltrich H.H. "The Sensitivity of Coral Reefs to enviormental Pollution." JSTOR. JSTOR, 1 Nov. 1988. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. 5. Logan, Lara. "Pulsating Xenia." Home Page. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. 6. Viola, Roberto, and Pi Nyvall. "The Unique Features in Red Algae. "JSTOR. JSTOR. Web. 19 Oct. 2011.

16. Bibliography 7- "Water Movement; Placement of Powerheads." The Reef Tank. Web.18 Oct. 2011 8. McFadden, Catherine S. "Contributions of Sexual and Asexual Reproduction to Population Structure in the Clonal Soft Coral.”