Alan update me on your Coraline

[Bob I]

How is your Coraline Algae coming along Alan? FYI, my tank is purple again. The rock that was white is now purple. The rocks that assumed a new position after the move are purpling up nicely. :D :D

[AJ_77]

Hi Bob,

I have trouble telling how much is growing. I think it might take a few months.

The original Purple Rock is very purple still. It seems other rocks are acquiring its qualities, but slowly.

Thanks again,

Alan

(PS- you must see Jon's sump.)

[Delphinus]

Alan, are you testing alkalinity?

[AJ_77]

I don't have that kit, I'm pretty sure.
(No flames, pls.) ;)

AJ

[Delphinus]

No flames, it's not a parameter you really NEED to track, unless you're trying to grow out stoneys and particularly SPS.

The reason I ask, is, with a higher alkalinity, coraline will grow pretty fast as long as you have the calcium. The relationship between Ca and Alk is a bit tricky, let me try to grossly oversimplify it by saying they tend to have an inversely proportional relationship (if you raise one the other will go down). In your case, without a huge number of stoneys in your tank that will be pulling down both values, you will likely have enough Ca from tap water to get good coraline growth, so long as the alkalinty is at or above NSW (natural sea water) levels. Basically, whenever I have tried to adjust my alkalinity levels by using buffer, my coraline growth has always accelerated. Until I started growing more SPS, my water had enough Ca from the tap water topoff that I never really needed to adjust the Ca values.

Anyways it's just food for thought. Don't rush out and get an alkalinity test kit unless you really want to. I watch my levels, but that's because I'm trying to geek out on my stoneys these days. I don't yet have anywhere near the results I want to see, so I'm still learning, so take all this with grain of salt or any other favourite condiment...

PS. You have the best attitude about it anyways, just wait a few months, your tank will likely be covered. The first little bit always takes long, but once it gets a foothold it will spread pretty quickly if the params are right for it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 24 May 2002, 09:20: Message edited by: delphinus ]

[AJ_77]

Thanks Tony, the patience aspect of this hobby cannot be overstated, can it? What's that line, "only disaster happens quickly?"

Anyway, I've got lots of projects to keep me busy for a while. The coraline is going to have to fend for itself. :D And that Colt self-frag also - it's in a well-lit spot in medium flow. It's on its own now... ;)

Cheers,

Alan

[Jack Rainville]

Alk is important in your tank not only for the growth of coralline and corals, but also as a buffer against sudden dangerous swings in PH. Think of alk as a reserve for PH. If your PH tries to swing hard one way or the other, alk will be consumed and the PH will stay close to normal. The less alk you have, the more the PH will be allowed to swing away from its balance point.

[AJ_77]

In case you're still interested, Bob, my rocks all picked up a vibrant GREEN algae. Thin, hard, and very green, and only on surfaces getting light.

I read a post indicating that this was a precursor to the coloured coralines we know and love. Apparently this is a variant, this green. And now there are tiny patches of purple showing up throughout the rockwork, so we're on track.

And BTW, a many-tentacled/hairy mushroomey beast has popped up recently in the 'fuge. I've transplanted it onto a porous rock that has a tiny blue-spotted shroom of some sort popping out of it as well, and put the rock into the main tank. One loves the light and the other hides a bit. I'm thinking one must be a remnant of yours?

Cheers,

Alan

[Bob I]

That many tentacled hairy beast is probably a remnant of mine. They have a habit of popping up unannounced. And BTW, the rock we scraped the mushrooms from has repopulated itself as I said it would. All from remnants of the original tenants.
Bob