Coraline Algae will not grow!

[megos1]

I have a 300 gallon reef tank that has been established for 7 years and I cannot get coraline algae to grow.
There is a wet-dry filter, 3 large powerheads, metal halide lighting, +400 lbs of live rock, countless inverts, 16 fish...

I have tried putting coraline encrusted rocks in the tank, purple up, reef chemicals, etc. I feel like it's hopeless!

If you have any tricks or tips they would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

Here are my water parameters:
pH: 8.3
NO2: 0.3 ppm
NO3: 20 ppm
KH: 130 ppm
Ca: 400 ppm
PO4: 2.5 ppm
Salinity: 1.023

 

[ccCapt]

PO4: 2.5 ppm

Are you sure that's right? Phosphate can inhibit calcification and if it's that high I wouldn't be suprised if you have micro algae problems too. Recommended level for phosphate is around 0.05...or lower.

 

[pat8you]

Really just a guess here but if its a fish only you probably just have minimal lighting. Maybe the coraline needs more lights to grow? I know it needs some light because it never grows on the bottom side of my rocks or anything.

edit: opps scratch what i just said. re-read the post and its a reef with MH. no idea sorry

 

[cmor1701d]

Pat, coraline is actually a low light loving algae. My grew best when all I had was 40w NO bulbs.

That PO4 reading is quite high and as CCCAPT said it could be the problem.

 

[CaptainAhab]

Tap water perhaps? Might want to check for silicates too if you or your local fs have a test for them. Sounds like a job for GFO but I would suggest going slow with it, building up gradually since your eco-world has probably become accustomed to it.

bulkreefsupply has good stuff at a great price, and at 300 gallons.. Well you'll need bulk

 

[austinsdad]

Yep. I'd also recommmend testing your tap for phosphates.

Research RO/DI systems. 300 gallon reef? A requirement IMO.

 

[megos1]

Thanks for all of your help. I always use RO water and I just tested the PO4 from the unit and it is reading 0. I only had 20 gallons of RO last night and I did a water change with that ... today the PO4 is reading 0.5. Hopefully I can keep it this low and finally get some coraline to grow. Also, I have tons of green hair algae and my inverts don't seem to be getting to all of it. Besides removing it by hand do you have any suggestions? (Besides hair algae eating fish)
Thanks again guys!
-Megan

 

[CaptainAhab]

If it's not your water then next place to look is the type and how much you feed. GFO will help reduce it but not address where it's coming from. Though honestly if it's from over feeding I'd expect your nitrates to be higher (they are somewhat high btw too).

Might want to consider ditching the bioballs and going sump/ref instead. Generally 16 fish in 300 gallons with 400 LR shoud cover you. Put some LR rubble in the sump/ref if you go that route.

Sorry we kinda strayed from the original question

 

[ccCapt]

I did a water change with that ... today the PO4 is reading 0.5

I have tons of green hair algae and my inverts don't seem to be getting to all of it.

You are reading 0.5 because the hair algea is taking it all up. You need to run some GFO to remove the food source (phosphate) from the algae. Take away the food source and it, the hair algae, dies.

 

[megos1]

yeah, I have a sump w/o bio balls and a ref. I'll keep working on it..thanks guys!

 

[CaptainAhab]

Sorry Mego, I could have sworn I read that you had a wet/dry w/ bioballs. My mistake...

 

[lance]

Corraline like light and a food source and good flow. That fact you cant get it means theres a problem.
If your useing tap water i would stop.
What food is added to the tank?
Whats used for flow?
What type of lighting?

 

[ccCapt]

Lance, read the entire post before replying. The answers to your questions are already here.

 

[land locked]

Still new.....What is GFO?

 

[lance]

This is a suggestion right. All i did was add my 2 cents and if its correct or already answered then my reply only confirms it , No.

Lance, read the entire post before replying. The answers to your questions are already here.

 

[lance]

What part was mentioned?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

What part was mentioned?

Except for food (kinda), all your questions were already answered in the original poster's first two posts.

Still new.....What is GFO?

Granulated Ferric Oxide - it's used in a fine mesh bag, put in a low flow area to suck up phosphates. It's the rust colored phosphate remover... not the white one.

 

[lance]

I see he uses an RO unit but im not sure this is for phosphate. I think maybe you nees the DI part.

Phosphate could be from low flow and feeding habits. Or still could be from unkown waer source.
Are you buying RO water or do you have an RO unit?
Also dont know whats used for flow and the food used with feeding scedule.

 

[Ziggy953]

Number one cause of Algae is excess nutrients in your system. For example high NitrAtes and any reading of Phosphates. Manual removal of the hair algae is a good place to begin. Method: Pinch the algae off the rock hold it in your fingers and remove it completely from the tank. Repeat. On a 300g reef a refugium should be at least 30g with LOTS of macro algae. Cheato and or other types will help reduce excess nutrients in your water.

An RO with DI unit is a must to help reduce nutrients at the source. If you own a unit it may be a good idea to change your filters out. Also if you are feeding multiple times a day reduce your feeding and the amount of food. If you are feeding frozen foods you will want to rinse them off in RO/DI water prior to feeding this will futher reduce excess nutrients bieng introduced to the tank. Flake and some pellet foods are already high in excess nutrients and can lend to algae issues.

Increasing the size of your refugium and or purning the plants in it as well as increased PWCs will help (provided your source water is at 0 TDS) turn the situation around.

 

[land locked]

I could not get my coraline to grow until someone on here (AA) gave me the reef water parameter web site.(Sorry I don't have it on this computer, maybe someone could post it again) I know you have some other issues that have already been mentioned, but check your magnesium. That was my problem. I have been dosing and checking levels and my coraline is finally growing.