Coral - January/February 2010

BANNED IN TERRE HAUTE

Having read the article by Dr. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg in the latest CORAL e-newsletter, I’d like to request that you not send the magazine issue containing this feature to our store as we will not be selling it. (Editor: the article appears in this issue.) This man is either an idiot or a criminal. He cites the IPCC as experts despite the fact that they have been exposed as a complete FRAUD.

We will not participate in further spreading the untruth of manmade “climate change” or the fascist solutions promoted by the criminal at-tendees to Copenhagen.

Readers interested in learning more can find informative links at Climate Depot: http:// www.climatedepot.com.

Again, do not send us this issue!

Morgan Lidster
Aquatic Technologies/Inland Aquatics
Terre Haute, Indiana

Editor: The IPCC is the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, participants in the 2009 U.N. World Climate Conference in Copenhagen. More information is at http://www.climateshifts.org/.

PLANTING CORALS,
MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Concern, discussion, observation, analysis, debate, concern, consternation, debate, analysis, monitoring, study, consternation, debate, use management, analysis, discussion, debate, and more consternation: such is the history of science and the coral reefs.

This is a very necessary part of the scientific process and it must be done, for it is critical to know what is happening before remediation can be attempted. Once in a while, however, there is an individual—a mixture of scientist, naturalist, environmentalist, entrepreneur, visionary, and realist—who has the knowledge, opportunity, drive, and passion to strike out in a new direction and actually accomplish something that attacks the very root of the problem.

If we read Ed Haag’s interview with Ken Nedimyer in the last issue of CORAL, we find a profile of just such an individual.

Through his singular efforts, Ken has demonstrated that the coral reefs are not dead. They may be in decline

due to changes in environmental conditions (climate change, nutrient loading, and terrestrial development), biological degeneration (loss of biodiversity, including the herbivory that was provided by Diadema sea urchins), and over-exploitation by people seeking food, recreation, and development. But Ken has shown that some corals, resilient genotypes, can still survive and thrive if they are cared for properly as small fragments and planted in the proper places.

Working with his family and friends, Ken has used this basic knowledge and drive to pioneer successful proactive coral reef restoration. There is a long way to go and many avenues to establish and explore, but Ken is showing the way—and the future of our coral reefs is brighter because of his work. Fortunately, for us and the reefs, Ken has found a way to expand and extend his coral culture and outplanting efforts, and once again we can see thickets of Staghorn Coral on the Florida coral reefs. We can make a difference, but not if we don’t try.

Martin A. Moe, Jr. Lower Matecumbe Key, Florida

USING LANTHANUM CHLORIDE

I read Daniel Knop’s online article about the use of lanthanum chloride to reduce phosphates (November/December online) with great interest. I have been using it for about a year in my 1,700-gallon system, with a 700-gallon display aquarium. It really works.

I have used it when the phosphates get to 0.15– 0.20ppm as measured with a Hanna C200 colorimeter. By using RO-DI makeup water with zero measurable phosphates, I now only need it once a month or so to keep PO4 levels under 0.07 ppm or so. The way I use it is to mix it into 5 gallons of top-off water and drip it into a 5-micron filter sock in the sump. The precipitate stays in the sock and I just wash after use. It’s very economical.