Help....No Coraline Algae to Speak Of

beginnersluckpg · #1 11-27-2011, 03:37 AM

It grew before I changed the lights, I have 2 250 mh and 4 t5s. The lights I purchased from a friend whose rock is covered in coraline, I'm not worried about it showing on the glass, I do get a bit of real pale stuff on the glass but nothing on rocks at all. I'm more concerned with the rock, makes me winder what I'm missing

Aquattro · #2 11-27-2011, 05:29 AM

Personally, I think excessive coralline growth on the rock could interfere with it's capacity to filter, due to interference in porosity. This is just a theory I made up, but it makes sense to me. So not having coralline on my rock is good.
I've always tried to not have it, so can't really offer any advice if you want it on purpose

beginnersluckpg · #3 11-27-2011, 06:14 AM

I agree with all of your posts however what I'm wondering is if my reef tank is lacking something. Everyone tries not to get it and they do, I'm doing everything the same or similar and have none. Just worried that I'm missing something or Doin something wrong.

daniella3d · #4 11-27-2011, 02:51 PM

I don't have a trace of coralline growing on my totoka rock, not even a little bit of it. I also have a fiji rock that is full of it. So my guess is that some type of rock is not really compatible with coralline?

Anyway why worry that your reef is lacking something if your parameters are good and your coral are growing well? I too beleive that having coralline on liverock can impair its property to filter and block the deep pores.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beginnersluckpg

I agree with all of your posts however what I'm wondering is if my reef tank is lacking something. Everyone tries not to get it and they do, I'm doing everything the same or similar and have none. Just worried that I'm missing something or Doin something wrong.

Madreefer · #5 11-27-2011, 03:42 PM

You guys dont get the question. Maybe he wants the coralline. Some of us like it. I tried to help him and I dunno why it's not growing on his rocks. I'd like to know the answer to this as well. Had this question been about a weed like GSP or anthelia he would have had the answer right away. He has tonga rock and fiji rock. We have bought rock together and it grows great in my tank but not his. I put a rock from his tank in my display and refugium and both will be purple within a couple of weeks. And those are 5-10lb rocks.

Aquattro · #6 11-27-2011, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madreefer

You guys dont get the question. Maybe he wants the coralline. Some of us like it. I tried to help him and I dunno why it's not growing on his rocks. I'd like to know the answer to this as well. Had this question been about a weed like GSP or anthelia he would have had the answer right away. He has tonga rock and fiji rock. We have bought rock together and it grows great in my tank but not his. I put a rock from his tank in my display and refugium and both will be purple within a couple of weeks. And those are 5-10lb rocks.

What I would do then, is take the rock back to his tank, scrape off all the coralline and let the spores spread through the tank. That will often help seed the rest of the surfaces.

marie · #7 11-27-2011, 04:09 PM

What everyone forgets is that coralline algae is an ALGAE. It needs what all algae needs plus it sucks up all your calcium, alk and Mg.

If you want coralline algae give it nutrients and light without competition and it will grow. You get darker reds and purples with lower or bluer light and the pale pinks and lavender with brighter yellower light

Aquattro · #8 11-27-2011, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marie

What everyone forgets is that coralline algae is an ALGAE. It needs what all algae needs plus it sucks up all your calcium, alk and Mg.

True!

paddyob · #9 11-27-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marie

What everyone forgets is that coralline algae is an ALGAE. It needs what all algae needs plus it sucks up all your calcium, alk and Mg.

If you want coralline algae give it nutrients and light without competition and it will grow. You get darker reds and purples with lower or bluer light and the pale pinks and lavender with brighter yellower light

I have no detectable nutrients in my tank. If it requires all rhe same as hair algae etc then theoretically it should be dead in my tank cause I don't have any other algaes. Funny.

Pretty sure it's more calcium dependent and so on.

I would like to see more than an opinion on this topic since it came up. I have yet to hear anyone call it nuisance algae. Until now.

Any scientists out there. Lol.

Aquattro · #10 11-27-2011, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beginnersluckpg

I agree with all of your posts however what I'm wondering is if my reef tank is lacking something. Everyone tries not to get it and they do, I'm doing everything the same or similar and have none. Just worried that I'm missing something or Doin something wrong.

I guess the simple answer is yes. You're missing whatever the other tanks have. Now a better questions is " Does it matter?"
If your tank is healthy, corals growing, measurable parameters are in check, then you don't need to go looking for problems. The answer to the part about doing something wrong is then "no"
If for some reason you really do want to have that stuff on your rock, there are supplements others have claimed work well.