coraline

[creative]

I have a 125 gal reef with a 55 gal ref/sump, 220super skimmer,25watt UV sterilizer,1200gph main return pump, 4 penguin 1160 power heads, 440 watt VHO Actinic's
11 hrs per day, 850watts MH 5-6hrs per day. I don't seem to be able to grow coraline, what is wrong? I use C balance for supplements plus Iodine. If you can help please do
Thanks Todd
todd@creativebuilderserie.com

 

[bigarn]

How long has the tank been up and what is the calcium level of the water?

Very nice set up ....

Unless you're testing for it, be careful adding iodine.

 

[oceana]

also is there any coralline in there at all?? it wont grown on its own it needs to be introduced. for me it grows like a weed and i do nothing special.

 

[acrylic300]

I went to the LF Stores in the area and bought small rubble rocks with as many different colors of coraline that I could find.
The ones I didn't like I crushed and piled for later use in a little cave inside the tank. The ones I did like I placed around my base rock.
Now two months later tiny specs of pink, red, purple, green, and even some blue are showing up on the dead rock and back glass. I only have NO lights, my skimmer sux, I havn't added anything, and my tank is only turning over 2x an hour.
Calcium 430, PH 8.0, Alk 275, Nitrate 20
Also my hermit crabs where thick with coraline when I bought them, I suspect
they are helping.

 

[alimon]

I read it is not. Did you have any problem before?
You

 

[bandaid]

Buy some Purple-Up it works wonders.

 

[creative]

I do not check my calcium level
I do not add very much iodine only 3 drops per week
my PH is 8.0 my nitrate 10
I do have some coraline pink, red, green
I reset this tank from a previous setup about 1 year ago
I have been told to increase the hours of actinic light, I thought 11 hours should be enough. I was wondering about adding about 220watts VHO actinic to run 24 hrs/day. What do you think?
Thanks for the compliment on my setup, but I build stands and canopies for a living so I have that part of reef keeping pretty much down to a sience.
Thanks for your help
Todd

 

[creative]

1 more thing every Emperor has a taste for different things I am just careful and watch after I add something. If he nips it I move it to a smaller reef I have.

 

[alimon]

I guess I will need a second tank.

 

[acrylic300]

Yes, mine is spreading faster with a low watt actnic on 24 hours. I just recently started doing that.

 

[hagfish]

I really think calcium is what you need to check for. My calcium is usually pretty high (500 or so) and I've seen softball sized rocks become covered in a month or two.
Also, you can get the coraline you have to release spores faster by scrubbing on it a little, maybe with a toothbrush.