coraline algae

[tito martinez]

I have a 75gls tank with a kalk reactor,calcium reactor,250watt MHs.Calcium is at 480,magnesium is at about 1300,undetectable phos and trates.My curiosity is that the coraline that my tank only grows is green and despite all my efforts my tank barelly grows purple,red and pink coralline .Id appresiate if anyone out there underwent this same (phenomenon) and beated it would share.

 

[Krish]

LOL...I've heard that coraline will start out green in some cases, and then turn purple thereafter. I've had some green that turned, but not very much of it. The purple I have came on the rock and just spread from there. I think low lighting is "key" as coraline loves lower light, but will adjust to the higher wattages. But if I remember correctly, it's mostly blue spectrum that get's the coraline to grow well and about 1 watt per gallon (but don't quote me on that as I may be wrong)

 

[tito martinez]

in the wild ive seen what you are talking about.But in our tanks i dout what ever light we use could be equal to what they recieve in the wild.I also have other tanks i take care of that have the same lights and spectrum (250w-14k) as i have and these can grow a real nice coraline.This really puzzles me.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Tito you never said anything about your Alk. I think if you let your calcium come down a little. Use this formula remember this Krish? (holding up glass to Bob) 400ppm Calcium/1200 ppm magnesium or 3-1 ratio ppm. With your magnesium at 1300 your calcium should be 433.3 ppm. I think if you get that Mag/calcium ratio and alk balanced things will turn purple in your tank. Keep those elements working together.

 

[tasos]

I do have 4 watts per gallon PC lighting with 50/50 actinic and my coraline gets crazy!!!!!Check also you strondium level besides alkalinity that is a must.......

 

[tito martinez]

ED, my alk is 12dkh.But is curious that I take care of other tanks with very similar parameters and the coraline is going crazy.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Every tank is different due to unforseen circumstances. My tank, I set up a Calcium Reactor and my Coraline went crazy.

 

[Ed Hahn]

where is that Wizard Randy Holmes Farley when I need him? He had a post of NSW levels.

Ok, I cheated... http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=783737

 

[wrightme43]

Another thing that might help is getting a starter of pink, and purple coraline. I take care of tanks too, and I see all different kinds of coraline, one of my favorites is the purple kind that makes these shelves on the rock. It looks just like the fungus that grows on stumps but its purple.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Congo sent this to me. I was looking for this for a long time.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
Maybe this will help someone.
One thing I remember hearing is its good to have a few types of Algae in your tank. I believe Bob F. recomended sharing even the same type of Algae but from other friends tanks. I wonder if this meant coraline algae also. I also remember he talking about the use of two refugeums running opposite of each other.
I wish you were close to me. I have to scrape the glass quite often for coraline. If it would seed your tank, it would be a pleasure. That offer goes to anyone that wants coraline algae close by.
good luck,
Ed

 

[Ed Hahn]

here is Randys Reply..

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm


Good coralline growth is encouraged by appropriate calcium, alkalinity, and pH, and possibly by them all near the high end of their ranges. Coralline deposits a lot of magnesium, but I am not sure if it is actually necessary. In any case, I'd watch it. Phosphate and organics should be kept low as they can inhibit calcification.

Water flow should be medium or higher, and lighting should be appropriate for the coralline species. Too low certainly stops growth, and too high may reduce it in some cases.


__________________
Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[tito martinez]

Ed, my PH is at 8.4-8.6 as i said mag is 1300, alk is 12dkh,calcium is 480 trates and phos 0.In terms of seading I have purple coraline in the base of corals Ive aquired but its not been produced on other rocks and glass as it ussually grows on other tanks like i said the only coralline color growing is green.Its also strange that it ussually starts a little blueish and as it grows it turs green.Isnt this strange?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Your Alkalinity is a little High. My Ph goes from 8.-8.3. That is what sticks out to me. High Calcium and high Alk they need to balance each other out. Something will percipitate out pretty quickly. I would lay off use of the Kalk until your ph goes down. When you do your testing are you waiting at least 4 hours after making changes(water change or adding additives) in your tank? What is your saliinity and was it checked with Refractometer? Phosphates, organics prevent calcium from working properly when in excess.
These are things I would check if it were me. Again, its hard to use the same formula on identicle aquariums and get same results. You could have clams or load of corals taking your calicum, temp fluxuation, different flow, Or your tank could just be too clean and not having enough phosphates. You could trade rock from established tank and see if it seeds your tank with coraline algae like Krish and Steve suggested above which is a good idea in my oppinion. If your coraline is taking off, there is a good chance your corals are growing properly. Do you have corals in the tank you are talking about?
How long has this tank been set up?
here are some guesses from a rookie that reads a lot, but I am still guessing.
hope this helps,
Ed

 

[4251cpd]

Here is a crazy idea, but observing my tank, I had a small rock that was encrusted in pink. I saw a few seperate instances that some of the hermits tear into that pink coraline. As you all have seen they are messy eaters and some of it gets into the water column. Now I have that particular pink coraline on the back wall and glass at the back, yet none of the lr is near it. My thinking is if you have a particular variety of coraline, scrape some to get in the water column or spread it on a particular spot. I'm starting to do that very thing just a few days ago w/ this deep burgundy. I'll let you all know how it works out.

 

[tito martinez]

Well, my salinity is 1.023 and before i used kalk PH would fluctuate 7.9-8.3 during the day but at that time there werent no coralline at all.When i started the use of kalk the rocks got stained with what i though was going to be coralline but that was it.It never really grew.I keep in my tank lps ,sps ,softies, mushrooms,zoos,gorgonians,clams, a hippo tang, yellow tang,yellow head jaw fish,purple seudochromis,green mandarine and a royal grama.My sps have grown about an inch in 1 1/2 month so if the sps growth is good I guess the calcium level and alk should be good on those parameters because sps and coralline both seem to have allmost the same chemical requirements.This riddle is kicking my butt.