Purple Coraline Algae

[cicely]

We have about 80 pounds of live rock and about 150 pounds of dead rock we're trying to bring back to life. Other than waiting around for the purple coraline algae to spread, what can we do??
The dead rock is still white after about 4 months...no sign of any color! We're running 3 metal halides for 10 hours per day and 3 atcinic lights for 12 hours. The tank has plenty of fish, corals, crabs, and snails.
Any help is appreciated!!

 

[j21kickster]

wll you have the lights - just check calcium levels and keep them high- and as im sure someone would say, you can scrape some of it off and let it settle elsewhere in the tank and htat higher flow rates help it spread faster- but i said it so they wont have to

 

[reefersx2]

Try adding some Calicum suplements like Kents Tech A&B
Joey

 

[cicely]

We have been keeping the alkalitiy at about 3.5 and the calcium about 360-390. Should we raise those up?

 

[danrw84]

i used REEF VITAL DNA...and my tank, which i started in sept has coraline all over the place..

 

[nm reef]

Sounds like your conditions are good...calcium could be a little higher...but everything else sounds good. Coraline algae will spread in time....try to get a small rock with really good coraline growth and place it in the direct path of a high current....it'll help spread it faster...other than that patience is the key.

 

[mlm]

Keeping the calcium around 450 will help it grow much faster.

 

[cicely]

If we keep the Calcium at 450, should the Alkalinity be at 4.5??