Bleached Coraline Algae -A Sign Of......?

[DiverDude]

I've noticed a lot of my coraline algae is fading in colour -some is almost white.

Is this indicative of something I should be concerned about ?

This is happening in my tank also, will be following this thread.

[Reef_kid]

hey bleaching Coraline can be due to many reasons.

1. phosphate, and nitrate are very common. (keep them at zero!)
phosphate remover ! and a refugium works very well!

2. calcium levels and ph levels out of optimum range (calcium up above 400 and
ph8.1-8.3)



3. lighting is major issue in Coraline algae.

notice how purple it is. this is because the Coraline algae often absorbs wavelengths of light within the blue/purple/red spectrum. the pigmentations absorb these wavelengths and express there proteins (pigments).

often you will get green Coraline algae if you have a green/yellow ting to your light bulb.
or some low light darker pigmented coral.

if you also start seeding your tank with scrapings of other tanks Coraline. you will introduce more genetic variation within the pigmentations. this allows for the Coraline that does suit your lighting to take hold... then its like a weed... add calcium, strontium, iodine. etc.

one of the best lights is fiji purple and atinic, it will boost your coraline growth once you have your other chemicals under control.

[ColinD]

Magnesium levels high? When I went on a Bryopsis mission and raise my Mag. to 1600 most of my coralline turned white. Now that my levels are back down to around 1350-1400 my coralline has coloured back up and is starting to cover my rock and glass again.

Colin

[Skimmerking]

bleaching usually caused by to bright of a Kelvin lie 10K or 6500K will cause it to bleach. water level drops and causes the Coraline to be killed from Air. stable PH conditions will grow Coraline.

[paddyob]

I am using a 10k and standard actinic and my tank could not have more coraline if I wanted it to.

As long as bulbs are good and suited for saltwater/reef.... should not matter brand.


Here is a shot from my tank.... all my rocks look like this and I barely dose anything.... calcium once a month (maybe... and kh i throw in my top up pail.