purple algae on live rock

[ocellaris_keeper]

I am having a major purple algae growth on my live rock. I have three possible culprits - new lighting (finally got power compacts), had to move my tank from one house to another, and maybe the new house's water is so full of nutrients my RO/DI filter cannot control it..
I put the LR and the LS in separate containers with the water from the tank. I used two power heads per container to keep the water flow up and installed a heater (although I only moved 3 miles and the outside temp kept the water within the right params (80 degrees)
I saved the rest of the water in another container
I added some Southdown Sand on the bottom of the tank to create a DSB, placed the water back into the tank and put the LS back in. I then placed the LS container's power head into the tank and added the LR and the water for the LR.
I put the fish and animals back into the tank (I have subsequently lost two urchins and two starfish but no fish)
What could be the problem?
Thanks!

 

[michaeltx]

I put the LR and the LS in separate containers with the water from the tank. I used two power heads per container to keep the water flow up and installed a heater (although I only moved 3 miles and the outside temp kept the water within the right params (80 degrees)

when you did this the spores on the rock were stirred up and landed throughout the rocks thats why the "outbreak" of algae.
that combined with the new lights have caused the explosion of Coraline algaes. a very good algae to have in the tank BTW. nothing to be real concered about. most only wish they had a problem such as yours.

Mike

 

[aarone]

Yeah coralline is great to have in the tank. I wish i could get mine to grow fast. It can actually come in many colors, from pink to red to purple (being the most common) And green.
When i was in alaska we went diving and they have the most beautiful orange coralline algae. I wanted to get some LR but im sure it can only thrive in low light/low temp areas.
Oh well.

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

thanks! I wasn't real concerned except I've never seen LR so covered with it before.
I sed to have three tangs and a flame angel (which kept the LR pretty much scraped clean) but lost my large fish in a power outage.
I also think this problem is due to the lack of an aggressive eater.
Thanks!

 

[aarone]

NP

 

[dmm180]

Can somone please explain why the purple coralline alge is so good to have? Thanks!

 

[aarone]

Check this out.
coralline algae FAQ and benefits

 

[lionstorm]

its good to have because its purty

 

[michaeltx]

and it keeps nusiance algaes from getting a hold on the rocks.
Mike

 

[dmm180]

do you need way expensive lighting to get this? I have one LR covered with it but I think it may have come that way....

 

[lionstorm]

coraline needs reef lighting i think to thrive, i have a lot of it too but it doesn't really spread, i've heard scraping off some of the spores so they spread around the tank can do it but no guarantees on that method.

 

[aarone]

coraline needs reef lighting
Not true. Coralline needs a constant level of calcium around 500. To produce properly, you can grow it in any light conditions.
True it does better under MH or VHO, but it is not necessary.

 

[shanev]

Ive heard of a lot of people having corraline die off when they changed to MH.

 

[tlk]

I had a major bloom of coraline when i moved to my PC lighting. Also agree that the hair algaes dont grab hold of the rock where your coraline is already established

 

[kevin j]

The coraline has been awsome in my tank on this one rock it looks like a row of steps going up the rock from the coraline.