coraline algae won't grow????
- Thread starter RPetty
- Start date
I agree with Grins, 1) your urchins are known for eating coraline algae 2) coraline is dependant on a good Calcium, Magnesium and Alkalinity Balanace.
Coraline has taken off in my system but you have to be patient. It doesn't grow fast at all. All I have done in my own system is made sure my parameters are in line with recommendations and it grows on its own.. I have never added Purple Up or any of those products as I have read that they can be more detrimental to a system than anything else. The only think I do is dose a 2 part b-ionic calcium, alkalinity solutions and maintain my water changes..
Here are some before and current pictures.. 1st one is last march the last one is within the last month.
Coraline has taken off in my system but you have to be patient. It doesn't grow fast at all. All I have done in my own system is made sure my parameters are in line with recommendations and it grows on its own.. I have never added Purple Up or any of those products as I have read that they can be more detrimental to a system than anything else. The only think I do is dose a 2 part b-ionic calcium, alkalinity solutions and maintain my water changes..
Here are some before and current pictures.. 1st one is last march the last one is within the last month.
Catpicklesdog
Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
As requested by the others I'd like to know you readings for your magnesium and alkanlinity. I have a collector urchin and in the past I had a long-spine Urchin, yes they may eat the corraline algae but not so that I would notice. I even have it growing in my skimmer!!!!
This excerpt is from a site where the author discusses indepth the growth and inhibiting factors for coralline.
"This close-up of a nearly 3 year old reef tank also has a dominant gray-green look on the live rock.
*****(The reef aquariums above are all dosed with the same top rated additives to provide trace elements, vitamins, calcium, magnesium, strontium, and elevated pH and KH. These are ideal conditions for growing coralline algae! Puzzled??? What else do these reef tanks have in common? They each have a good number of Mexican red leg blue spot hermit crabs which not only help clean the tanks of undesirable algae, but also eat coralline algae. The hermit crab Clibanarius digueti from the Mexico area is a coralline algae eater, and is only one of many varieties of hermit crabs called "red leg hermit crabs". Two of the "red leg" hermit crabs from the Sea of Cortez, AKA Gulf of California, have big appetites for coralline algae, C. digueti is the most common one sold."
Complete Article:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6279/RaiseCementRock.html
"This close-up of a nearly 3 year old reef tank also has a dominant gray-green look on the live rock.
*****(The reef aquariums above are all dosed with the same top rated additives to provide trace elements, vitamins, calcium, magnesium, strontium, and elevated pH and KH. These are ideal conditions for growing coralline algae! Puzzled??? What else do these reef tanks have in common? They each have a good number of Mexican red leg blue spot hermit crabs which not only help clean the tanks of undesirable algae, but also eat coralline algae. The hermit crab Clibanarius digueti from the Mexico area is a coralline algae eater, and is only one of many varieties of hermit crabs called "red leg hermit crabs". Two of the "red leg" hermit crabs from the Sea of Cortez, AKA Gulf of California, have big appetites for coralline algae, C. digueti is the most common one sold."
Complete Article:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6279/RaiseCementRock.html
I can't find my notes but I'm thinking some of the cons were the type of calicum it added and the fact that many of the elements can be easily overdosed and are often ones people don't test for.
I don't test for iodine or strontium for example. If I were to dose with them (and Purple-Up includes them both) it could have a lethal effect on my corals, clams, etc. I've also heard many reports of it throwing the pH way off and the Mg going to high which in turn will interfere with calicum carbonate.
it adds iodine (which can be easily overdosed, especially if not testing for it)
it adds strontium (again most don't test for this)
it can often cause the pH to be way off
it can often cause the Mg to be too high (which will interfere with calcicum)
I don't test for iodine or strontium for example. If I were to dose with them (and Purple-Up includes them both) it could have a lethal effect on my corals, clams, etc. I've also heard many reports of it throwing the pH way off and the Mg going to high which in turn will interfere with calicum carbonate.
it adds iodine (which can be easily overdosed, especially if not testing for it)
it adds strontium (again most don't test for this)
it can often cause the pH to be way off
it can often cause the Mg to be too high (which will interfere with calcicum)
I would say just wait... The more coralline that grows, the more spores that will be released and it will grow exponentially fast...
I would say lighting "can" play a role. At least in my tank, i have an egg-crate top, with most of the middle cut out... The edges still block a little bit of light... But i have found that this edge slightly shades the top 3" or so of the back and side glass walls of the tank, and so far no coralline has grown above this.
As stated many times above, Purple Up = Bad
Optimum calc, alk, and mag levels = good.
I would say lighting "can" play a role. At least in my tank, i have an egg-crate top, with most of the middle cut out... The edges still block a little bit of light... But i have found that this edge slightly shades the top 3" or so of the back and side glass walls of the tank, and so far no coralline has grown above this.
As stated many times above, Purple Up = Bad
Optimum calc, alk, and mag levels = good.
thank you everyone for your help. i am going to start testing for alk and mag as well as ca... and maybe add just these elements when needed. i think i will throw the purple-up in the trash... and on a side note!!! i just ordered my new light today so maybe this will help with growth in the tank. i know my polyps will love it.
i ordered the 72" outer orbit MH 3x150 w/4 pc actinics. total watts about 800. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+12779&pcatid=12779
I am really excited about the new light and can't wait to get it in. it should be here by Fri. :headbang2:
i ordered the 72" outer orbit MH 3x150 w/4 pc actinics. total watts about 800. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+12779&pcatid=12779
I am really excited about the new light and can't wait to get it in. it should be here by Fri. :headbang2:
