daceman89
Member
Originally posted by shawna
can I interject with a question? (i always feel rude to do this) is my tank not ready for corals if there is no remarkable coraline growing I have bien up for 6 months
thanks
shawna
just because you don't have coraline does not mean your not ready. as long as you water perimeters are good and you have the requred lighting for the corals you want to get you should be fine.
Can you give more detail of your setup
golfish
Active Member
Lighting, alk, Ca levels all have something to do with it. Its been a while since I've had a tank with coralline alage only because I keep my alk too high (IMO) Here's a picture of my old 55 running just 4x55 watt PC's. I used to think the stronger lights didn't allow it to grow (250 watt DE's and 400 watt MH's) along with the higher alk. I droped the alk down a few months ago and now I'm seeing some coralline on the side panel of my new tank (just 400 watters). I'm not in the hobby to grow coraline so I really don't care if it grows or not. The rocks sure look better tho.
7days
Member
Umm...I umm have this friend who is trying to learn about starting a reef tank...umm and he doesn't know what the big deal is with coralline algae 
Is it the crud that grows on the glass in just about every reef tank? Is it relevant if you only want to grow things like leathers, shrooms, zoos, etc.?
Is it the crud that grows on the glass in just about every reef tank? Is it relevant if you only want to grow things like leathers, shrooms, zoos, etc.?
lion_crazz
Active Member
I definitely have to agree with msd2. My Marc Weiss' Coral Vital has done nothing but good for my tank and I definitely think that your red slime came from something else.
daceman89
Member
Originally posted by golfish
Lighting, alk, Ca levels all have something to do with it. Its been a while since I've had a tank with coralline alage only because I keep my alk too high (IMO) Here's a picture of my old 55 running just 4x55 watt PC's. I used to think the stronger lights didn't allow it to grow (250 watt DE's and 400 watt MH's) along with the higher alk. I droped the alk down a few months ago and now I'm seeing some coralline on the side panel of my new tank (just 400 watters). I'm not in the hobby to grow coraline so I really don't care if it grows or not. The rocks sure look better tho.
Golfish i read the other day that if i wanted to grow coraline to keep my alk above 10 and calcium at around 450 is this true
dragonboy
Active Member
Well for me I always buy rocks with good amounts of coralline growth on it so wouldn't have to wait too long for it to start to grow. But if its your case of trying to get it to grow with very little it would be better to get some coralline from one you know to seed your tank. It might help speed up the process.
golfish
Active Member
Originally posted by daceman89
Golfish i read the other day that if i wanted to grow coraline to keep my alk above 10 and calcium at around 450 is this true
I would say keep your alk more like around 10.. I used to think the problem was MH's, I'm not so sure that was my problem. Ever since I dropped my alk (dkh) down from 15-16 to 10-11... I see some growing.
euphoria
Active Member
KIP - question for you.
I can't seem to get my dKH above 8. I was told by a few people here to check my magnesium levels, cuz low mag. may permit my dKH from going up.
My magnesium was about 1300. Is this a good amount, or should I increase magnesium so that my dKH will move up also? My average dKH is 8 and Calcium is 460.
Thanks.
I can't seem to get my dKH above 8. I was told by a few people here to check my magnesium levels, cuz low mag. may permit my dKH from going up.
My magnesium was about 1300. Is this a good amount, or should I increase magnesium so that my dKH will move up also? My average dKH is 8 and Calcium is 460.
Thanks.
euphoria
Active Member
Originally posted by Kip4130
mag has more of a direct effect on Ca than dkh
1300 is a great reading for mag
what is your pH... during the dark.. and just before lights off?
what are you doing to raise your dkh?
460/8 @ 8.2pH isnt bad.. just not balanced
420/9 @ 8.2pH is NSW levels
pending your coral choices... 420/9 is just fine
pH during dark is about 8 and before lights off varies from 8.3 to 8.4
I'm using the ALKALINITY portion of the B-ionic two part (calcium and alkalinity) to raise the dKH.
How come a lower calcium level w/ a higher dkh is more desired than higher calcium and lower dkh? Assuming I can't get my dkH to get higher than 8, what's the appropriate calcium level for dkH of 8 so that it's balanced. I know you had a chart for this table, but I can't find it.