coraline algae

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Lindsikins00

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Messages
123
Location
Kentucky
Ok, I have had live rock for a while, but the coraline algae( I'm assuming that is the cool purplish, red different colored stuff growing on the rock) never really spread and has, over the past 7-8 months disappeared. Why?? Here is some info.
30 gallon bow front
Reg output atinic and 10,000 K bulbs (on 10 hrs a day)
Penguin 170
Seaclone 100
1 powerhead at surface
1 powersweep that is in the middle that sweeps across midlevel/bottom
about 15 lbs of live rock, 15 lbs of tufa
Aragnite substrate
heater

1 Sabae clown
1 chromis
1 Blue damsel
1 PJ cardinal
about 7-8 small blue legged hermits
2 turbo snails
2 unchins ( I just put them in about 10 days ago)

PH 8.2
Trite 0
Trate about 0-15
Ammonia 0

I dose with Essential Elements once a week, and use Oceanic salt. I try to do water changes every 7-10 days

Any thoughts?
Also, I had a lot of regular algae in my tank and my two turbo snails ate it all in like a week. Now there isn't any algae, I bought some Seaweed Salad (green algae) and a veggie clip. Is this a good substitute? The algae stuff is 6 bucks for a little box, can you use lettace too? If so what kind? Thanks a bunch!
 
what is the wattage on the no lighht you have on the tank. it sounds like they need more light to start growing. i know on my tank i am just starting to see it grow all over the place. i have 2x 96 watt pc (one 10,000k and one 03) and it starting to take over on the glass and on the hob overflow. but the stuff on the rock goes quick.

i think that if you were to add more like to the tank that you would see it really take off.
 
That is what I thought....I can't read the watt on the 10,000K but it is a 24inch, run of the mill. The wattage on the atinic says 15. I didn't know it was that low! haha I asked for some PC lights for our anniversery :) I would rather have that then flowers and candy. :)
 
The extra lighting will definitely help.. also you need to keep phosphate minimal and maintain good calcium levels.

Once you get the lights you should try and get some scrapings from another aquarium and let the powerhead disperse them throughout your tank.
 
Yep, the coralline is just the icing on the cake :) But it is a useful way to gage if the conditions in the tank are good.
 
maintain good calcium levels.
A good ALK level is just as important as a good ca level. That is why the two should be ionically balanced (look up links). Most corals/coralline use calcium carbonate (ALK) along w/ Ca. to form their bases. Also pods benefit from ca/alk balance. Don't add anything you don't test for. Your best bet is to do 20-25% water changes bi-weekly HTH
 
Dark green coraline will grow in low lighting. I didn't get any real growth from any of the desireable colors until I upgraded to 110w. Well 220 really, but I'm having enough heat problems with the 110, so the second set are never run.
 
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