High Calcium, but no Corraline. How come??

[pumper]

My coralline did not start growing until I got my magnesium near 1350.... Coralline needs proper mag, cal, and alk to calcify from my understanding. Also one you get your mag up, you will notice you have to dose less calcium to maintain proper calc level. Proper mag= stable calcium level. This is not fact, but was exactly what i noted in my own reef keeping. I'm sure some one is going to bash me any minute and say im wrong.

 

[shyfish]

Hi,
I read on this site somewhere that if you can stress a piece of rock with coraline on it, it will release spores and seed the tank.
Take a rock w/ coraline on it. Take a NEW UNUSED toothbrush in front of a powerhead and scrub it all over to get it to release spores. In two weeks you should see growth. I did this and am seeing small patches starting up.

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by Shyfish
http:///forum/post/2929117
Hi,
I read on this site somewhere that if you can stress a piece of rock with coraline on it, it will release spores and seed the tank.
Take a rock w/ coraline on it. Take a NEW UNUSED toothbrush in front of a powerhead and scrub it all over to get it to release spores. In two weeks you should see growth. I did this and am seeing small patches starting up.
I tried that a long time ago. Nothing happened, and my rock has descent corraline from the when I bought it. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but I think the issue is improper balance of the alk and stuff.
I've read a lot ppl doing what you said though, and they had success. I also read that you can take a piece of LR and put it in a bag w/ some tank water. Leave it in a dark place for a few days. Then dump the water into the tank.
I forget if you put the whole rock into the bag, or just the scrapings though.

 

[brettd]

I believe lighting has a very large impact on coraline growth. I have to scrape the front of my tank at least once a week (the sides are basically a lost cause). I was having to do it every other day when I used to run my actinic lighting longer. It used to turn on at 6:15 am, run until about 1:00 PM, on again at 4:00 and off at 11:00 pm. (The Metal Halides are on from 10:00am to 10:00 pm) This timing was just brutal for corraline growth in my tank. I shortened the actinic timing by 5 hrs a day to reach the 1 to 2 times a week for scraping.

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by BrettD
http:///forum/post/2929855
I believe lighting has a very large impact on coraline growth. I have to scrape the front of my tank at least once a week (the sides are basically a lost cause). I was having to do it every other day when I used to run my actinic lighting longer. It used to turn on at 6:15 am, run until about 1:00 PM, on again at 4:00 and off at 11:00 pm. (The Metal Halides are on from 10:00am to 10:00 pm) This timing was just brutal for corraline growth in my tank. I shortened the actinic timing by 5 hrs a day to reach the 1 to 2 times a week for scraping.
See, but being as though you have MH's, it's probably safe to assume you have corals or something, which means you're ALK, CA, MAG levels are probably where they should. That's step 1, THEN the lighting comes in.
IDK if that's how it is, just what I would think.

 

[geoj]

If you are doing water changes and keep calcium up then you should have coraline growth. Time is the big factor the more coralline the faster it will spread.
If you don’t do many water change then Calcium, Strontium, Magnesium, Carbonates, and Iodide when low slow growth. This goes for corals also. This assumes that ph and alk and any other stressing elements are in good ranges. Very low light and very high light will also stop growth.

 

[pumper]

Originally Posted by woody189
http:///forum/post/2929948
See, but being as though you have MH's, it's probably safe to assume you have corals or something, which means you're ALK, CA, MAG levels are probably where they should. That's step 1, THEN the lighting comes in.
IDK if that's how it is, just what I would think.
Well, if you want good coralline growth get these params straight. You don't have to do it all at once. I tackled them one at a time for better understanding. i went from calcium to alk, to mag. Now im looking in to ORP.... But that a whole different story. Be patient and get them in check 1 a week or something manageable. It's not going to happen over night. And always remember, if you want satisfactory results, do satisfactory work. If you cut corners don't expect good results.

 

[gmann1139]

Woody, you've said its a cheap light, but what is it, exactly? Bulb wattage and temperature (k rating).

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/2930017
If you are doing water changes and keep calcium up then you should have coraline growth. Time is the big factor the more coralline the faster it will spread.
If you don’t do many water change then Calcium, Strontium, Magnesium, Carbonates, and Iodide when low slow growth.
I don't think that's true. I'm saying this from experience. This is my 1st and only tank, so my experience is limited, butI've had my tank up and running for 1 yr, w/ 45 llbs of rock, a lot which has real good corraline. I have barely seen any corraline growth, and this is with my weekly 10% WC's. I'm not saying WC's wont help, but they're not my problem.
Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/2930017
This assumes that ph and alk and any other stressing elements are in good ranges.
That was my whole point. As the other brought to my attention, my levels aren't in good ranges. That's what I have to address first.
Originally Posted by Pumper
http:///forum/post/2930020
Well, if you want good coralline growth get these params straight. You don't have to do it all at once. I tackled them one at a time for better understanding. i went from calcium to alk, to mag. Now im looking in to ORP.... But that a whole different story. Be patient and get them in check 1 a week or something manageable. It's not going to happen over night. And always remember, if you want satisfactory results, do satisfactory work. If you cut corners don't expect good results.
Yea, that's what i plan. I can't believe how much cheaper that B Ionic is onliine. The two 1 gal jugs are 16 +shipping on line and they are 46$ at my LFS. I'm gonna get some.
Originally Posted by gmann1139
http:///forum/post/2930372
Woody, you've said its a cheap light, but what is it, exactly? Bulb wattage and temperature (k rating).
No clue. it's the stock fixture, and I think all the bulb says is Daylight or something.
I'm just gonna get the B Ionic stuff, and add only the Alkaline till my levels get straight. Then I'll get some lights and start my reef.

 

[vince-1961]

"Daylight" = 6,500 Kelvin, which may look blue to our eyes when compared to standard "soft white" lightbulbs used indoors in most households, but in water 6,500 Kelvin will actually appear somewhat yellow-ish. Common kelvin ratings for SW tanks are 10,000, 14,000 and 20,000, with 10,000 probably being the most popular.