I had a 50-gallon many years past. A lot has changed since then; live coral for one, prices for another. Also, a large selection of fish. Back then there were really only 3 Clownfish to choose from. I have a 29-gallon saltwater tank (because that's all the room I have for one) with just a few live corals in it. I guess I have a diatom film all over my coral. Is that bad? Also, one of my coral has turned from green to yellow. I bought 5 coral and I'd say 4 lived. One died but I see numerous "sprouts" all around it. I'm cautious not to add fish until the coral looks more accumulated. Question do I run just blue light only to help the corals grow? Someone said to go dark for a few days, it won't hurt the coral but the diatoms might die off.
New and have some questions
- Thread starter mikeW544
- Start date
Welcome!
There are so many things going on you may want to just start at one point and work your way forward. Which corals do you have and why do you think there are sprouts from the one that died? Diatoms happen but there really is little need for intervention. ’Blue lights’ is ambiguous. There are a wide range of LEDs that will grow coral. MHs will also grow coral but can have a crisp white to blue color.
There are so many things going on you may want to just start at one point and work your way forward. Which corals do you have and why do you think there are sprouts from the one that died? Diatoms happen but there really is little need for intervention. ’Blue lights’ is ambiguous. There are a wide range of LEDs that will grow coral. MHs will also grow coral but can have a crisp white to blue color.
The sprouts are growing on an old piece of coral right where the old dead coral is at. Also, the supposedly dead coral has little sprouts growing out of it. I forgot what it was, some sort of hard coral, maybe an LPC. Thanks for the information about the lights.
Welcome back to the hobby. If you’re able to, post some white light pics of the corals and we may be able to help out a bit more. Without specifically knowing the coral it’s hard telling what it could be.
As for lighting, to expand a little bit, yes a blackout period may help with diatoms but that’s just a normal part and they will usually go away on their own without a blackout period.
How long has the tank been set up? It can be difficult to keep coral without fish as fish waste can help “feed” the coral per se
As for lighting, to expand a little bit, yes a blackout period may help with diatoms but that’s just a normal part and they will usually go away on their own without a blackout period.
How long has the tank been set up? It can be difficult to keep coral without fish as fish waste can help “feed” the coral per se
Welcome back! 
Besides reiterating the above questions and comments here's some links you might find informative. Resaerch has found out a great deal we didn't know just a few years ago and is constantly discovering more. These links may seem overwhleming at first but I've found watching one then reviewing it several times over several days or weeks helps grasp the bigger p[icture. In a nutshell though, microbes rule all, corals and algae are competing with each other for nutrients and promote microbial prcesses beneficial to themselves and sponges are creating feedback loops that tend to help whoever is winning. Enjoy!
Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems
Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes
Microbial view of Coral Decline
Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont
BActeria and Sponges
Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)
Maintenance of Coral Reef Health
Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching
Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching / Curr. Biol., May 21, 2020 (Vol. 30, Issue 13)
DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome
Aquabiomics: DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome
Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"
What's up with phosphate? by Richard Ross | MACNA 2014
15 Answers
How 15 Answers Changed the Way I Look at My Tank Forever! 10 Months of Biome Cycling 12 Aquariums.
Besides reiterating the above questions and comments here's some links you might find informative. Resaerch has found out a great deal we didn't know just a few years ago and is constantly discovering more. These links may seem overwhleming at first but I've found watching one then reviewing it several times over several days or weeks helps grasp the bigger p[icture. In a nutshell though, microbes rule all, corals and algae are competing with each other for nutrients and promote microbial prcesses beneficial to themselves and sponges are creating feedback loops that tend to help whoever is winning. Enjoy!
Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems
Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes
Microbial view of Coral Decline
Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont
BActeria and Sponges
Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)
Maintenance of Coral Reef Health
Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching
Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching / Curr. Biol., May 21, 2020 (Vol. 30, Issue 13)
DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome
Aquabiomics: DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome
Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"
What's up with phosphate? by Richard Ross | MACNA 2014
15 Answers
How 15 Answers Changed the Way I Look at My Tank Forever! 10 Months of Biome Cycling 12 Aquariums.
