Anyone here dosing Amino acids

[jackson6745]

My 2 cents on Aminos

Save your money and feed your fish

Thank You

 

[ShaunW]

How do you know if they are low? Are there AA test kits? If not, then isn't it pretty much just guess work?

You can observe the differences in your aquarium by looking at algae growth, and coral tissue coloration. But this I concede is an arbitrary observation. I agree that a reef must be nutrient limited to see any benefits.

Shawn, interesting citations but again, just because something is rate-limiting does not mean that it is limiting in our artificial environments. So the question stands, is there a practical test we can do to determine if 14c-aspartic acid is deficient in our aquariums ( or any other amino-acid ) ?

You are correct. But all things being equal, the rate limiting element by definition, when present in limited supplies will slow down the reaction. So if your getting slow SPS growth (most reefkeepers don't realize how fast they can growth when healthy) then something is limited. I am assuming most will have adequent Ca, Alk, light, flow, etc.

There are ways to measure aspartic acid (and other amino acids), but not in any practical sense to the common reefkeeper.

 

[jejton]

Shaun- I agree with what you say but the question still remains - how do you know that aspartic acid, or whatever other combination of AA are present in the supplement, are what is limited? Even if all the nutrients you mention are in adequate supply, there are many other's that can possibly be limited, not just this one amino acid. Additionaly, the paper looked at only one variable, like any good study does, so there are very possibly other amino acids that can be equally vital to coral metabolism, or if present in excess, detrimental to coral metabolism.

 

[ShaunW]

You are correct, you can't be sure for sure ( :lol . Not much reseach has actually been done, beside anedotial evidence, and the few scientific papers available.

As a side note: I have been dosing aspartic acid directly to my tank in the past and have seen increased color and growth. I stopped because I got too adventureous and added glycerol too. It caused a massive cynano algae outbreak that took me 3 months to cure. Last week I started the aspartic acid dosing again however.

 

[ssmtcarlo]

Is aspartic acid the amino in supplements like zeovit amino acid, and warner marine ultimate aminos?

 

[ShaunW]

I don't know for sure about the zeovit products, but I am almost positive that it is one of many present.

I know for a fact in the Ultralith (sp) products it is present, since they list the ingredients present.

 

[kris]

Shaun,
Care to share a dosing amount and schedule for the Aspartic Acid?

 

[tunicata]

I'm going to do more research on it, then try it. Mainly because it makes sense and it would be a neat experiment. I did a similar experiment on sea stars and it worked pretty well because even sea stars can absorb and properly utilize free nutrients in the water. Starvation is hard to come by in properly nutrient rich environments (I 'fed' only AA to stimulate feeding response for 6 m, I did use NSW and maintained seaweed in the tank, no skimmer involved, nothing else added, used basic FW light bulbs for the stars).

 

[iconoclast]

why dont you just grind up some vitamins? make sure they have lysine. use a spice/coffee grinder,.... dissolve in water and dose away! honestly i dont know how much or what type or if this is a good idea.....
why not break out the vodka, too? I hear fish like the cheap stuff =)

 

[GQ22]

.

why dont you just grind up some vitamins? make sure they have lysine. use a spice/coffee grinder,.... dissolve in water and dose away! honestly i dont know how much or what type or if this is a good idea.....
why not break out the vodka, too? I hear fish like the cheap stuff =)

what does lysine do?

 

[iconoclast]

GQ22,
that was more of a joke. a while back lysine was the new 'fad' ingredient in vitamins. its essential, meaning humans can't produce it.