No Coraline Growth???

[jpc763]

Hi,
My tank has been up for 4 months. I have a 55g All Glass with a 15g Fuge. My water parameters have been very good (0 Ammonia, 0 Trites, 0 Trates) since it completed the cycle. I have 3 fish (2 clowns and a wrasse) and some inverts.
I have seen little or no coraline growth in the tank. I mean I am not seeing coraline growth on the rocks or any of the plastic parts.

To top it off, 6 weeks ago I set up a QT (5g Hex acrylic) and stocked it with LR and water from the DT. In 6 weeks, I have coraline growing on the rocks, the PVC pieces that I put into it and the walls of the tank.
Any ideas?

 

[tinmanny]

does the rock you have in the tank have any coralene on it. I f so then just scrape it with a razor while in the tank the floating pcs will settle and grow on other places but in a reef tank it will take time for this to happen
Good luck
Manny

ps keep up with the water changes

 

[trigger11]

Originally Posted by jpc763
Hi,
My tank has been up for 4 months. I have a 55g All Glass with a 15g Fuge. My water parameters have been very good (0 Ammonia, 0 Trites, 0 Trates) since it completed the cycle. I have 3 fish (2 clowns and a wrasse) and some inverts.
I have seen little or no coraline growth in the tank. I mean I am not seeing coraline growth on the rocks or any of the plastic parts.

To top it off, 6 weeks ago I set up a QT (5g Hex acrylic) and stocked it with LR and water from the DT. In 6 weeks, I have coraline growing on the rocks, the PVC pieces that I put into it and the walls of the tank.
Any ideas?
What kind of lighting do you have? I have found coraline seems to flourish when there is stronger lighting. (and water conditions are right)
What are your other parameters such as alkalinity and calcium?
Are you keeping any corals? Or just FOWLR?

 

[jpc763]

OK, so I got my test results from my last full test (I was on vacation until yesterday so I need to do another full test)
10/28/07
Temp78
Specific Gravity1.025
pH7.80
Ammonia0.00
Nitrate0
Nitrite0
Calcium500
dKH8
Phosphate (PO)0
My tank is a 55g reef with Zoos, Candycane, Shrooms and Hammer Coral. I have 2 clowns, 1 sixline wrasse and some inverts.
For lighting, I have T5 4x54w. On my QT it is a crappy 11w compact PC.
I do water changes every 2 weeks at 10-15%.
There is coralline on the rock in the tank, just not very much and not growing very fast (it is growing fast in the QT however).
Thanks, J

 

[earlybird]

It will grow but you can increase it's growth by buying a rock with a lot of coraline on it. Or you can scrape some off of the rocks that you currently have. This is supposed to help seed the tank. How long have you had your lights? The reason I ask is if they are new it could have bleached the rock and it will just take longer. Lastly, some urchins are known to eat coraline if you have one.

 

[peef]

IMO you should slowly raise PH to around 8.2. 7.8 is a bit low as far as I have been taught and through research. Just MO though!

 

[cpbirds407]

I've noticed that if calcium is between 450-500 and mag is at least 1300 I get a bunch of coralline!!! I would say too much!

 

[lexluethar]

I would say it is more the lights than anything. I had standard florecent lights for 7 months and had no coraline growth, i've had my MH lights for about three weeks and it is growing EVERYWHERE. I can't work hard enough to keep it off the glass. Very pretty purple though

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by peef
IMO you should slowly raise PH to around 8.2. 7.8 is a bit low as far as I have been taught and through research. Just MO though!
I've had my pH at 7.8 since day 1 and I have plenty of coraline.
Also, there's research (don't have the source) but coraline does better in exact parameters under regulare flourescents then MH's but it can acclimate to MH's and take off.

 

[renogaw]

yea lol. i have coralline growing in my fuge under a 75watt spiral compact light.
too bad colorado is so far away from CT, or i'd send you a slurry of it. just leave it be and it will grow.

 

[jpc763]

Originally Posted by peef
IMO you should slowly raise PH to around 8.2. 7.8 is a bit low as far as I have been taught and through research. Just MO though!
Yea, my pH is usually 8.2. That is the only time in 4 months that I have had a 7.8 reading. I think I had a bad result on that test.

 

[jpc763]

Originally Posted by renogaw
yea lol. i have coralline growing in my fuge under a 75watt spiral compact light.
too bad colorado is so far away from CT, or i'd send you a slurry of it. just leave it be and it will grow.
OK, I will leave it be and let it grow. I am just baffled that it is growing well in my stupid little QT and not in my DT where I want it!

BTW, ski season is right around the corner if you decide to fly out with some coralline for me