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

[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.