Green Coralline

[Biologist]

Hello,

I was reading the other thread about Paul B's 35 year old tank and someone was talking about green coralline and it clicked that the massive outgrowth I have on my tank is green coralline-

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/87/279243775_2168aeb227_m.jpg

It looks just like that pic, which I found somewhere on the web. I had thought I just had some form of algae. What is green coralline exactly? Is it a different organism than the purple coralline, which I want more of? Or are there lighting and nutrient changes I can make to encourage the green coralline to go purple?

 

[tomasga]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but

all types of coralline algae are desireable to my knowledge. I have seen green, purple, pink and even orange.

 

[fasteddie99]

All good questions. So I am tagging along because I have more green than purple coraline. I dont think green will ever turn purple however, they are probably 2 different types of algae. I could be wrong, hence the reason for the tag along.

 

[tomasga]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but

all types of coralline algae are desireable to my knowledge. I have seen green, purple, pink and even orange.

Here is an article I found on it.
http://www.algone.com/coralline_algae.php

 

[luther1200]

I believe it has a lot to do with the spectrum of lights. Do you guys with a lot of green coraline use 10K bulbs by any chance?

 

[Biologist]

Yes, you may be on to something. I use a combo of 10k and 9325k bulbs.

 

[dawaterboy]

I use a 10k, aquatic combo and I also have green coralline growth in my tank. It almost looks like a neon green. The funny thing is I bought lr with purple coralline to seed the br.

 

[redfishsc]

I am getting green corraline in a tank with a somewhat-more white combination than the tank next to it (same water system) with a much more blue color, and the corraline is more pink/purple.


The 20g has a 4X24 T5 (10,000K, 460nm, 420nm, and a 75/25 UVL) and grows the green stuff.


The 25-tall has a 4X24 T5 (two 460nm, one 50/50 UVL, and a Fiji Purple).


I suspect it's the 10,000K light in the 20 that's promoting the green stuff. Looks fine to me but I prefer the pink/purple.

 

[dawaterboy]

Part of me wants to ditch my 10k to go full aquatic and part of me wants to have green coralline because it is a different look.

 

[Skinnysloth]

I also want to add that I have more green coralline and use 10k T5s.

 

[GrimReefer82]

I had the same problem....I originally had 2 10k/6500k 65w pc's and 2 420/460nm 65w pc's that grew purple and some green then I switched to 2 54w 12k t5's and 2 460nm t5 actinics and also 2 10k/6500k pc's and I grow purple and red coraline algae. If you are more to the blue end of the spectrum you will get a bluer or more purple coraline however, intensity of light has alot to do with it. IME the more intense the lighting the more blue/purple you will get. Pink is the one I haven't figured out how to get. I like it because every inch of my rocks are red and purple.

 

[fasteddie99]

yep, I have 10k in my T-5 light. I didnt even think about light spectrum controling the color of algae, I've heard that before but forgot about it.

My lighting just turned a year old so I am due for bulb replacement. I might try 12k this time.

Thanks!