How to get the coraline to grow?

[daisy]

It seems like the coraline that once covered so much of my LR is decreasing, and suffice to say that it also has never spread in my tank. I don't understand this. I use SeaChem reef advantage and reef builder, the params are great except for PO4-, which I am constantly battling until I get a RO/DI unit...
What can I do to get it to spread?

 

[nas19320]

Phosphates inhibit the growth of coraline and that may be your problem. Good flow, good Alk/Cal levels and low-0 phosphates and nitrates will make it grow fast, a little too fast in my case.

 

[dana&pj]

I use Coral-vital and coral-vital LSB and saw an improovement in a few days. It's outragelously expensive, but great results. Check it out at:

 

[brooklyn johnny]

The RO/DI unit should be at the top of your list. On top of that, I would look into using kalkwasser. This will aid in precipitating phosphates, and maintaining alk and calcium.
Simply put, to me kalk and coralline are synonymous. I'd look into it...

 

[kpk]

No tapwater, good flow, ca, alk, low, low trates and phos. Kalk is great for growth like johnny said. I also use coral-vital and lsb and I think it helps alot myself.

 

[daisy]

can I add kalk or do I have to drip it? I assumed that with the addition of the SeaChem additives I would not have to add the Kalk because the additives do the same thing (except, perhaps, take out the phosphates...)
So what can I do to decrease the phosphate levels until I can switch over to RO/DI and Kalk?

 

[kpk]

You can get some phosban at a lfs or something to put in there where the water passes, but if you have softies they wont like it. Kalk precipitates phos. and maintains ca, alk levels so they don't fluctuate.

 

[nas19320]

Kalk must be dripped, it has a pH of ~12. Kalk only really maintains levels, it won't raise them.

 

[brooklyn johnny]

Originally posted by daisy
can I add kalk or do I have to drip it? I assumed that with the addition of the SeaChem additives I would not have to add the Kalk because the additives do the same thing (except, perhaps, take out the phosphates...)
So what can I do to decrease the phosphate levels until I can switch over to RO/DI and Kalk?
How high are your phospahte levels? The very fact that they register at all shows a problem, as there are many tanks with algae problems due to phosphates where the phosphates get utilized without even ever registering. As long as you are using contaminated tapwater as your makeup, there is nothing you could do to significantly decrease them. I would buy water locally for makeup if it's available until you could get an RO/DI, or at least a tap water purifier... anything but straight tapwater.
While there are many products that serve the purpose of maintaining calcium and alkalinity levels, some are better than others. Kalkwasser is a dilute calcium hydroxide solution and reaches a saturation point when mixed with water, and therefore cannot significantly increase low levels of alk and calcium. I use kalkwasser on both systems, yet I also keep a two part additive (B-Ionic) in order to tweak levels here and there. You could keep your Seachem calcium and alk buffer for this purpose. While technically they could both be used to maintain levels, tanks run with kalkwasser in general that I have seen over years have much better coralline growth. You'll also notice that most amazing tanks are run with very little to no unneeded additives.
Check out this thread which has all you need to know on kalkwasser kalk thread
If you have questions beyond that keep em coming, and don't use tap!

 

[fishking]

Originally posted by kpk
You can get some phosban at a lfs or something to put in there where the water passes, but if you have softies they wont like it.
wut do u mean they wont like it, i have frogspawn, shrooms, alveopora, are those softies, i just put in a bag of phosban sunday in my canister filter

 

[spinner]

My personal favorite calcium additive is Tropic Marin's Bio Calcium. For the non-scientific, non-technical people (like me), it is really easy to use.
I just add some to either my make-up water (RO/DI) into my sump.
It tends to cloud up the water temporarily, but it's not a problem. The coralline really gets going.
The nice part is I have found it very difficult to overdose - which is nice for the non-scientific.
I could go on.
Spinner

 

[kpk]

Fk, the phosban is aluminum based and softies tend to not do to well with it. I also added some last week and my zoos looked like crap, and still do, took it out Sunday. The frogspawn is a lps coral so won't/or shouldn't be affected to my knowledge...

 

[neoreef]

It's a bit confusing, but
PhosBan is iron oxide based, and
PhosGuard is Aluminum Oxide based.
The iron ones are considered better by folks with awesome tanks like Steveweast. There is some suspicion that the aluminum ones leach aluminum into the water which is bad for the softies.
Hope that helps,
Kathy

 

[kpk]

O crap sorry for all the confusion I always get them mixed up. I did put """PhosGaurd""" in mine though.
Sorry again

Kyle

 

[joemack]

I have and has an almost undetectable level of phoshates but what I have seen that even less is better so i just ordered an Phosphate reactor with Phosrow or what ever the iron based ones are.
I saw a decrease in my coraline when I ran out of my Ca test kit but when I got the new one I was only at 320 and then over a few days got it up to 440 and the pink, light green, dark red coraline took back off and the darker green on the back in the low light areas of my tank started to receed.
In other words least amount of Nitrates and Phosphates. Perfect levels of Ca and Alk.

 

[sammystingray]

My tips......skip ALL smake oils, and simply have good flow, proper lighting for the color of coralline you have, and most importantly in my case.....do water changes....the salt adds everything you need. I use reef crystals and love it.
By good flow, I don't mean the standard two powerhead deal.....more. Try moving the water 20-30xs over per hour. The most common purples love flow. Just my opinion.
I actually am starting to hate the stuff. My 90 gallon is hard to clean coralline off of on the bottom front glass. No kidding, my arm is shaking and muscles burning by the time I get it all off....it's not that much fun. :help:

 

[razoreqx]

Yea but how do you get it to stop growing on everything?

 

[bang guy]

Since you use Seachem products you may have a shortage of Carbonate. Maybe not but it's possible. To test your Carbonate level you will need an accurate ALK test kit and an accurate Borate test kit. Measure both and subtract the Borate reading from your ALK reading and what is left over should mostly be Carbonate/Bicarbonate. You want your Carbonate level to be at least 2.5Meq/L regardless what your ALK level is.

 

[chiton]

What is the pH of your tank? My guess is that it may be a little low (7.9 - 8.0) with the Seachem products.
My experience is coraline will grow better at higher pH (8.2-8.3), which is why dripping Kalk (CaOH), a basic solution, will raise your tank pH, resulting in more calcium carbonate formation...more coraline algae.
Chiton

 

[daisy]

Lots of stuff to answer...
The last time I checked my pH it was not about 8.2. I'll check again.
I don't use straight tap water -- it goes through a tap water purifier. But I just ordered a RO/DI unit today, so I'll start with that as soon as it comes and I get it set up.
I've got three powerheads in the tank along with a return from the Mag 5 in the fuge. The tank is 58 gal, and the powerheads are (old) units that each pumps about 100 - 150 gal per hour? I don't exactly remember. I'll have to check on that.
I'll have to get a Borate kit to do the Carbonate check ala Bang Guy.
Sammystingray -- do you add nothing at all but the salt?!?
In general, my tank tends to suffer around finals time, and that time is now. Before next Wednesday I have to write three major papers and study for two foreign language exams. It's the end of my first year in a doctoral program, and my tank the past few weeks has been my only source of calm and quiet in my home (I have two kids under 4).
I love my tank so much and am really looking forward to giving it the care it deserves! The semester is over in about a week and a half!!!!!