Slowing down coralline algae growth

[29reef]

Anyone ever tried to lower magnesium or another element in order to slow coralline growth? My tank is 4 months old and I spend an hour or more a month scraping the back glass, corners, and overflow box. Does anyone have any suggestions? I try and clean the 3 sides weekly as needed, but it seems like it's just going to get worse as the tank ages. On the plus side all corals that were stunted in the move have growth tips and are coloring up, with the exception of my blue tip slimmer. TIA

 

[Lady R]

I hear you my tank has the same issue .I clean the glass daily with a scraper. does your tank get a lot of sunlight?

 

[Quercus]

Do you use a razor blade to scrape it off?

 

[29reef]

The tank gets some ambient room light. I use a magnet to clean the glass, then a magnetic scraper to clean the corners and back, then razor the rest.

 

[Dvara78]

How do you prevent the razor from scratching the glass?

 

[danil]

I hear you too... my way - I gave up. I only clean front grass that's it. And after trying all tools I ended up using nice big metal scraper from dollar store. This thing rocks! I mean remove rocks .

PS. I gave up on scratches too.

 

[Quercus]

if you keep the razor flat against the glass and angle it no more than 45 degrees while you scrape you shouldn't get any scratching. I've been doing it for years without a scratch. its the only proven method for me to remove coralline.

 

[dunk373]

get urchins they eat it

 

[Psyops]

I'm not an expert at this or anything, but I noticed decreased growth when I switched to DI water only on top off and changes. My TDS readings are zero now. Couple local guys told me that it's probably the silicate levels. Just doing DI water will decrease it over time.

 

[29reef]

I don't want an urchin, they do more harm than good IMO. I wish it was as easy as my water, but I use RODI for all top off and water changes. IIRC there was a thread where multiple people were having luck by adjusting their water chemisty, but I can't remember any of the specifics.

 

[Psyops]

I don't want an urchin, they do more harm than good IMO. I wish it was as easy as my water, but I use RODI for all top off and water changes. IIRC there was a thread where multiple people were having luck by adjusting their water chemisty, but I can't remember any of the specifics.

They were talking about high Mag levels. Around 1600-1700. I have asked others if this level is ok. Most of the guys in the chemistry section think it's fine. I have noticed lower coralline with the Addition of a turf scrubber, but that is another topic. Sometimes younger systems have these blooms and they suddenly die off. It happened to my old system years ago.

 

[Quercus]

They were talking about high Mag levels. Around 1600-1700. I have asked others if this level is ok. Most of the guys in the chemistry section think it's fine. I have noticed lower coralline with the Addition of a turf scrubber, but that is another topic. Sometimes younger systems have these blooms and they suddenly die off. It happened to my old system years ago.

I agree with your last comment. My tank use to have a lot more issues with purple corraline when it was in its infancy. Nowadays, I scrub the glass once a month with hardly any corraline on it... Can't really think of anything I did to make that happen, though I did notice a less aggressive red-coloured algae has taken over the surface of the rocks for the last couple of years, and it doesn't seem to grow on the glass (ie, I dont have much purple coralline in my tank at all anymore).

 

[sea of cortez]

+ 1 on the urchin
Coraline growth in 1 of my tanks is ridicules, even my snails shells are completely covered with it
The other day my pencil urchin hitched a ride on 1 of the astraea snails and almost completely cleaned it's shell

 

[Reef Bass]

It seems to me that whatever one would do to slow the growth of coraline would also slow the growth of corals too! They both depend on light and calcium. If coraline algae is having a hard time growing in a system, you can bet hard corals are struggling as well.

I am not fond of cleaning coraline either, especially from my plexi tank where I can't use a razor blade as I can on my glass tank. A good rate of coraline growth however can be a indicator of reasonable levels of calcium, though one should be testing for confirmation.

 

[birdman1979]

My last two tanks were ULN and i couldn't get coraline to grow much at all. There was some, but it grew very little. Coral growth was pretty good.

 

[dunk373]

i have 6 urchins in a 150 really never had coralline i set a 75 fuge up and still not much i added a gfo reactor and months later a lot of coralline, sps growth was good the whole time too. fuge is covered and main tank has just enough. I do not want too much coralline it is a pia. Urchins will knock some stuff over and grab a snail and carry it but, its worth it to me to not have to scrape. I can't imagine how much it sucks cleaning acrylic.

 

[Coraldomination]

Ultra low nutrient system is one way. ever noticed a zeo tank? Nitrates and phosphates so low , your coralline has no fuel for growth.

 

[natedogg]

What is your PH and Alk at?

 

[flamron]

I use a small pin cushion urchin in my acrylic 120.

I can't reach the bottom easily, but he can. I just have to keep an eye on him when he grabs rocks/shells, etc. and starts wandering around.

 

[sminker]

It seems to me that whatever one would do to slow the growth of coraline would also slow the growth of corals too! They both depend on light and calcium. If coraline algae is having a hard time growing in a system, you can bet hard corals are struggling as well.

I am not fond of cleaning coraline either, especially from my plexi tank where I can't use a razor blade as I can on my glass tank. A good rate of coraline growth however can be a indicator of reasonable levels of calcium, though one should be testing for confirmation.

Not really. My SPS grows pretty damn fast, and I have very little coraline. I have a full blown 180 SPS reef.