Coraline algae

[power.polo]

Hey guys. I have heard that a deep purple coraline algae thrives off lower lighting and a brighter, pinker coraline algae thrives off bright and more intense lighting. Well, about 5 weeks ago I bought a 10 lb live rock absolutely covered in a deep purple coraline with all types of mushrooms all over it. But as the days went on, the deep purple changed to a brighter purple. I also noticed that my coraline algae throughout the tank and this rock included started to have this whitish stuff on it like it was peeling skin. Have you ever got a bad sunburn and like 3 days later you peel? Well this is what some of my coraline is doing it seems like. Why is it doing this?

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

It sounds like it's dying. Make sure that your Alk, Cal, pH, Magnesium, and Strontium are in line for optimal Coralline Algae growth.

 

[Blown 346]

I agree it is dying from either high lighting, or not enough essential elements.

 

[boxfishpooalot]

phosphates as low as .03ppm inhibit the growth of coralline algae by as much as 90%. Check your phosphates.

Also, some corralines have magnesium concertraions of 1% by weight by weight. You may want to check that also.

 

[Vibrantcreature]

How in the world can corline algae die from high lighting? I have seen lots of corline under VHOs before.

 

[Blown 346]

VHO's dont have the intensity that Halides do, Corraline likes lower lght situations over high.

 

[Vibrantcreature]

Are PCs too intense then? Say you have your standard 220 watt Jebo fixture over a 55 gallon tank. Is that too bright for coraline to thrive off?

 

[reefnewbie54321]

When I was trying to speed up the seeding process for my rocks my uncle told me to light the tank with incandescent lights for the first 2 months. It worked great so I'm assuming coralline prefers lower light situations. My growth usualy starts from the bottom of the rock and spreads upward

 

[Blown 346]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7386582#post7386582 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Vibrantcreature
Are PCs too intense then? Say you have your standard 220 watt Jebo fixture over a 55 gallon tank. Is that too bright for coraline to thrive off?

Your missing the point, PC's arent to intense nor are certain halides. But halides are the most intense light you can have other than the sun.

Corraline prefers lower light to grow. I Had 4 96 watt PC's over my 75 gallon tank and had corraline everywhere, now that I have Halides it doesnt grow as heavily as it did with the lower lighting. Where it does grow is on the very bottom of the glass, a liltte on the overflow box, and where the light isnt as intense, which is toward the bottom.

 

[Ursus]

I increased flow in my tank and noticed my coralline algae really started to grow. Could be coinsidence but you might try it.

 

[crypto]

i have an area of corraline in my tank that get's fairly strong light and it seems to shed thin translucent layers frequently. i usually scrub it with a toothbrush every week or 2 and it's seems fine (it hasn't died and it's probably been 2 years). i also have urchins who remove the top layer of it and it comes back fine. so i wouldnt worry too much about it. (i suggest urchins, they keep the rocks very clean).

it's in a low flow area, so maybe that is the reason for the film on it.

 

[55semireef]

I though some urchins ate coraline algae?

 

[crypto]

they do. but they only take off the top layer or so. my coraline seems to do better with the urchins. although, you need a large tank and lots of rock otherwise they would spend too much time eating the coraline off of the same rock.

 

[55semireef]

I am assuming that the tank your talking about is the 240 gallon? Mine is only 55 plus I have a niger Trigger in there which would make an urchin an expensive meal.

 

[crypto]

yeah, i guess the trigger would like that. i have 2 urchins in my 240 and they lay down lots of tracks.

 

[danky]

The white dye off or bleaching you are describing sounds to me like the coralline was shocked by the light change or it was out of water for an extended period of time. I have noticed that this happens whenever you take rocks covered with coralline and move them between 2 different lighting conditions, upgrade your lighting, or remove the rocks from the water for more than 10 mins or so. It should regrow fairly quickly. When I usually start my tanks and want to get my coralline growing I tend to buy a bunch of cheap dry base rock in bulk (on a limited budget) and then seed it with some coralline covered peices. I then light the tank 24/7 with only actinic lighting for 2 weeks or so and it helps to get the coralline algae growing. I then increase the photoperiod for my white lights in one hour increments each day like you do when you are acclimating a new coral to your lighting. Within a month or two the majority of my rocks are usually encrusted with coralline algaes of all different colors, mostly deep purples and reds with some pinks.

 

[55semireef]

When my coraline didn't really die, I think it was going through a phase bc now its fine

 

[deepboy]

If you dont already try doing a 20% water change every week, You could also try using a product called "Purple Up" I used this when I set up the tank I have now and I started getting a good Coraline growth. I have no idea if it was the Purple Up our the weekly water changes but my Coraline algae covers the back, sides and I clean the front except the bottem part. I would like to clean the side off it for a better view but my Clowns lay ther eggs on it, Works wells for them! I really wouldn't jump to say the lights are the cause my brother had two 400watts on his 75gal
and he had great grouth too!

 

[ezcompany]

i second the water changes.
just in case you didn't know don't dose for stuff u can't test

 

[scarter]

mine does the same thing about once a year.