light for coraline algae

[iamjoshieg]

Will coraline algae grow under 40W NO in my 55 gallon? I have 40 pounds of live rock in my tank, and I think Im gonna go FOWLR for a while and then later on upgrade to a reef tank. I dont want to buy lighting until I decide to upgrade to the reef tank, so I am just using a shoplight over my tank with one 20,000K blue bulb.

 

[reefforbrains]

yes it will grow takes time but it will grow , but slowly

 

[rbaldino]

I never noticed any coraline algae growth under NO lighting, so maybe you'll get some or maybe you won't. Better lighting and it's guaranteed, though.

 

[weber518]

check out the post listed Final Answer.... I posted the same kind of question and got a very good response.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by rbaldino
I never noticed any coraline algae growth under NO lighting, so maybe you'll get some or maybe you won't. Better lighting and it's guaranteed, though.
thats really strange, I always had the best growth rates under N.O. flourescents, IME it grew better under the lower lights than it does now under my PCS, especially the deeper purples and blackish red/purple, under my PCS I get mostly pink and pinkish purple with the HEavy Purple only growing in shaded areas.

 

[b0bby1]

i have a 20 gallon n just started addin calcium to it about a week ago. ive noticed some spots of purple and pink formin on the back of the tank. how long will it take to get the whole back covered?

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by b0bby1
i have a 20 gallon n just started addin calcium to it about a week ago. ive noticed some spots of purple and pink formin on the back of the tank. how long will it take to get the whole back covered?
depends on your water parameters and flow ratre, coraline can take several months to hit a peak growth rate.