[youtube width=”640″ height=”505″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6MUPVyFDUM[/youtube]
Simon Garratt, our reefing friend across the pond, recently posted a video of his latest experiment an intertidal reef-flat biotope and we were able to garner a few nuggets of wisdom from Simon on the genesis of the tank and a little detail on the success of the system so far. With an intertidal reef, the ebb and flow of the tides expose many different critters to the atmosphere, yet they seem to thrive. Garratt took this as inspiration and developed quite a unique system and methodology. He was kind enough to give us a quick rundown of the system and what’s happening so far. A Q&A and more after the break.
为什么设置系统？
因为我太容易受到影响……？老实说，我不应该责怪。您会看到，斯科特·费尔曼（Scott Fellman），杰克·亚当斯（Jake Adams），乔·耶和罗（Joe Yaiullo），理查德·罗斯（Richard Ross）和查尔斯·德尔贝克（Charles Delbeek），“仅举几例，”我在2009年在我所讲的iMac研讨会上欺负了我。我们围坐在谈论我们想尝试的系统和生物台面，我愚蠢地说，我想尝试一个潮间带的珊瑚礁 - 弗拉特生物群，以了解珊瑚如何处理曝光。从那里开始滚雪球，口头手套不起作用，如果它不起作用，我永远不会听到它的结尾，我会在剩下的礁石保持职业生涯中被嘲笑。那么在这种情况下我还能做什么？
好的，您有30秒……告诉我们这一切。
哦，天哪……Erm，基本上是一个潮汐系统，可以复制每天两次不同的潮汐系统，并在某些地方必须适应一些珊瑚必须适应的每月曝光期。该系统不是固定的重复性潮汐，而是在设定的时期内变化以复制更自然的条件。据我所知，它具有大量的流量和实验性波浪设备，迄今为止尚未在私人系统上使用。
系统的目的是什么？
Well, firstly I was interested in what defines a corals adaptability to what we consider adverse conditions and how it makes those adaptations. Then it opened up from there to the degree I’m at now, where I’m looking at coral mucus production and its roll as both protection and as a nutrient transport mechanism, coral feeding and energy input with its combined effects on adaptability under adverse conditions, and a few other interesting areas as well to do with these environments. It’s still in the early days but its racing along quite nicely and the corals are doing superbly well.
Where can we find out more?
Ah well. If you manage to make it out to BAYMAC in 2011 you’ll find out all the results, observations, and juicy stuff there or “touch wood” — MACNA 2011 if they take up my offer to speak. Either way I’m hoping it will be an interesting experience for those in attendance, and hopefully open a few eyes to just how tough some corals can be if you give them what they need to thrive even without exposure.
Happy reefing to all.
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