coraline algie

[stevewieters]

I have had my reef tank set up for two years now and I cannot seem to get any coraline algie to grow on anything. I have good live rock, water quality is good , fish are happy I have two blue actinic and two day light lamps, but I am really frustrated because I see how other tanks look with all that nice purple and blue algie. What can I do? Am I cursed? Any help will be great! Thanks.

 

[jerth6932]

Welcome, glad to have ya abord to SWF.com!!
Couple of things, do you have any at all in your tank (if not, its like any other algae, you have to have it to get it/get more of it)? If you do then you just need to make sure you alk/Calcium levels are good. Those are the keys. Alk levels:8-12 Calc: 380-450 The higher in the range you keep your calc, the better the growth!

 

[stevewieters]

Thanks for the warm welcome! Yes, My calcium levels are 440, and I add "purple-up" once every few days. I add all the stuff for reef tanks. Someone said I should have it growing all over the place by now. I must be missing something- a test, or missing piece of the puzzle. Even the live rock I get and cure never developes purple algis. I may have to find some 'seed' algis from someplace.

 

[jerth6932]

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevewieters http:///t/389718/coraline-algie#post_3446147
Thanks for the warm welcome! Yes, My calcium levels are 440, and I add "purple-up" once every few days. I add all the stuff for reef tanks. Someone said I should have it growing all over the place by now. I must be missing something- a test, or missing piece of the puzzle. Even the live rock I get and cure never developes purple algis. I may have to find some 'seed' algis from someplace.
So you don't have any in your tank currently? If not that is the problem, you have to have it to get it! I would recomend getting a piece of live rock with some on it, it will take over from there. 440 is a great number for calc for growth aspect!

 

[geoj]

Post a pic )*:

 

[spanko]

Agree would like to see a picture. If you are buying live rock and curing it you should have rock with it in the tank then.

 

[stevewieters]

I bought the rubble rock from SWF, but that should have not made any difference. Perhaps I'm not using the right lighting. I have two 10,000K actinic blue and two 10,000K daylight T-5 lamps in a Odyssea fixture. They are on for 10 hours a day . any longer and I get the red slime and brown crap. I got some corals a month ago and I see some purple starting on the rock that holds the" Purple Snowflake" coral , so I may be getting lucky . I'm still new to this part of the fish hobby, so I am learning all the time.I should get a piece of more expensive rock and make sure it's covered in purple. Let me ask you this; If brown or red algie covers the coraline , will that kill it?

 

[smooth-boreslim]

Make sure your phosphate level is 0 to none to ensure other forms of algae do not grow on your live rock/elsewhere, get a potassium supplement such as epsom salt or something else with a little more to it if you wish, ensure there is excellant water circulation to make sure those other algaes do not colonize in your aquairum and lastely stronger lighting could not hurt depending on what kind of livestock you have in the aquairum. I can assume you are using reef salt.

 

[geoj]

I bought the rubble rock from SWF, but that should have not made any difference. Perhaps I'm not using the right lighting. I have two 10,000K actinic blue and two 10,000K daylight T-5 lamps in a Odyssea fixture. They are on for 10 hours a day . any longer and I get the red slime and brown crap. I got some corals a month ago and I see some purple starting on the rock that holds the" Purple Snowflake" coral , so I may be getting lucky . I'm still new to this part of the fish hobby, so I am learning all the time.I should get a piece of more expensive rock and make sure it's covered in purple. Let me ask you this; If brown or red algie covers the coraline , will that kill it?
The brown and red algae covering the coralline will kill it back. Normally once you get a handle on the slime algae the coralline will bounce back.

 

[eric b 125]

If you get a small piece of LR with coralline on it and "brush" it with a toothbrush in front of a powerhead, it will help to seed the tank.

 

[stevewieters]

well..., no, I'm not using reef salt. I have been using instant ocean , the regular stuff. I really did not know that I should use reef salt. Did I do something wrong? No one told me I should get reef salt.I can get some tomorrow and do a water change. I did not know about the potassium either. How should I use that? Im glad I joined SWF forum. I learned more in two days than in two years.Mostly that I screwed up my tank and caused my own problems.

 

[jerth6932]

Instant Ocean is a fine aquaium salt, as I believe the poster above just ment that you are using an approved salt for aquariums.....

And you have not done anything wrong to this point as far as salt is concerned.
Also, epsom salt I know is used for Magnesium, but have never heard of it used for potassium???

Hey, we have all made mitakes with our tanks, nothing to worry about, just learn from. I just want you to know that no 2 reefers will do things the same........ we all have learned something diffrent and adapted our own styles. I ask a question to many people to get diffrent responses, then do it my way..... through a combination of all the answers I get that I like. You have done alot to be in this hobby for 2 years and not be bunt out on it yet. NONE of us know it all, but we are all here to share our trials and errors with eachother to make us better, together! (my 2 cents, and I'm off my soap box.... next.....lol)

 

[acrylic51]

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevewieters http:///t/389718/coraline-algie#post_3446147
Thanks for the warm welcome! Yes, My calcium levels are 440, and I add "purple-up" once every few days. I add all the stuff for reef tanks. Someone said I should have it growing all over the place by now. I must be missing something- a test, or missing piece of the puzzle. Even the live rock I get and cure never developes purple algis. I may have to find some 'seed' algis from someplace.
Save a little cash and forget the purple up.....No real benefit.