Silly coralline problem

[Atari]

I have a glass thermometer that keeps getting covered with coralline algae to the point where I can't read it anymore.. anyone else experience this? I don't mind scraping it off every week but it's kinda annoying.. even though I feel silly complaining about something like this.

 

[lando]

I coraline everywhere. Even my reef hermits and snails have nic purple-coated shells. No complaints here, though...Lando

 

[Atari]

Yeah it's amazing how it spreads once it starts growing.. I always wanted it to happen so I guess I shouldn't complain, but I never expected to have so much that I couldn't read the temp, lol.

 

[malkore]

nope, cuz I use a coralife digital thermometer. they're the bomb!

 

[lziarek]

i have that problem so i removed my thermometer and i just float my hydrometer 3-4 times a week and get a reading off of it (it also has a built in thermometer)

 

[fishman]

I have the same problem to a certain extent...couldnt get any coraline growth and now that i have added VHO lights I have coraline growth too...covering my powerheads...dont see that it is spreading much on the rocks...but the pumps are covered!!! Go figure!!

 

[crage34]

i wish mine would grow like that...it is just on my live rock and is very very very slowly spreading to some of my base rock

 

[Cafe Jeff]

An idea: stick on thermometer! Jeff

 

[Cafe Jeff]

An idea: stick on thermometer! Jeff

 

[revhtree]

Ya I use both stick on and bulb thermometer.

I take quick glances at the stick on, and if it looks funny, I look at the glass one.


PS. I have no Coraline problems. I cant really get it to grow. It is growing slowly on my LR. What can I do?

 

[indy]

It tends to start off with slow growth and then totally snowball. I would suggest an external digital. I don't trust the stickons at all.

 

[Sam]

David, only thing I can recommend is that you make sure your calcium levels are adequate and that you have enough lighting. I have my tank now for almost a year,and the Coralline algae still has not covered all of the rock. It does take time, so as long as the parameters are good, just be patient and it will happen. Hey, that' s what running a marine tank is all about right, lots of patience

 

[revhtree]

Hey, that' s what running a marine tank is all about right, lots of patience

Tell me about it.

 

[seaham358]

Same problem here so I got the digital thermo.....
revtree, are you adding anythign to the tank to help it grow?
I use B-Ionic 2 part cal and alk, this stuff is great....

 

[Atari]

I don't think I trust the stick-on's either.. and I had a digital one a while back but the probe went haywire and that was that. I'll probably just stick with what works and do the maintenance.. the only thing I was concerned about was if the coralline somehow affected the accuracy since it's covering the bulb.

As for encouraging the growth, I just maintained good conditions and it eventually started by itself. I don't dose anything regularly yet.. just the occasional 2 part when needed.

I did notice a snowball effect after letting a powerhead scatter some scrapings.

 

[fireman26m]

My coraline grows on everything made of plastic. All my PH's and plumbing are covered....none on the glass though...not a spot. Any base rock is covered in the green in about a month and purple in 2-3months.

 

[crage34]

ok...u guys can quit with the bragging now ...lol...my coralline is growing so slow!!!but i ahve noticed it growing faster now that i have started dosing some calcium...keeping it at about 450....i use the same 2 part that seaham recommended..i dont use much of the alk though be cause my ph stays pretty constant...before i dosed i never noticed any growth at all now it is slow but happening

 

[Atari]

crage34, the other part is buffer.. both alk and ca are raised by the same one. It's important to add the buffer first so your pH doesn't overshoot.

 

[crage34]

what are your recommended doeses then? the alk buffer seems to make my alk and ph to high but i might be mistaken...the calium part def raises my cal

 

[Shultz]

What salt mix are you using?

Some mix up better than others? I've been todl to swop to Reef Crystals when my current bag of Instant Ocean runs out as this is designed for reef tanks & that might just raise the overall levels you want without pushing the PH to far...

Cheers Shelton.