Tuxedo Urchins and other Q's

[StripesTheEel]

Hi guys,

At the moment I'm trying to encourage coraline growth in my 75 gal to no avail.. I have just noticed a tuxedo urchin and have been watching it closely. Are these guys notorius coraline eaters or are they no threat?

My calc is currently about 375 and trying to rise to about 400 or so. Is this about right? Lighting wise, what is the minimal requirements to encourage coraline growth? Ive heard high lighting and then i hear low lighting.. very confusing!!

 

[steve-s]

I have just noticed a tuxedo urchin and have been watching it closely. Are these guys notorius coraline eaters or are they no threat?

This species is absolutely no threat. They prefer macro algaes to anything else. It will most likely do more to encourage coralline growth via spreading spores than anything.

My calc is currently about 375 and trying to rise to about 400 or so. Is this about right? Lighting wise, what is the minimal requirements to encourage coraline growth? Ive heard high lighting and then i hear low lighting.. very confusing!!

Depending on your salinity, a 400ppm Ca level would be just fine as long as you balance the alk along with it. As far as lighting is concerned the answer is both to some degree. Coralline will respond differently to various intensities, moreso color than growth.

Very high light as in for SPS/clams, the coralline will tend to be somewhat light pink and possibley small bleached area's higher towards the surface area's and sometimes slow to spread until it adapts. Typical reef lighting for LPS/softies will allow a little more depth to the color usually being a little more purplish and darker still as you go from top to bottom. Whichever light intensity you have the growth speed and color will be affected but the coralline will still grow.

Coralline seems to adapt best where there is a balanced chem within NSW, good actinic lighting and at least 2w/gal (loosely speaking) depending on depth.

Cheers
Steve