Coraline Algae Dying?

[FBTennisNumberOne]

Hey im pretty new to the forum and i had a couple questions.
I work at a local fish store and have or about 4 months.
I keep a 10 gallon nano reef at home with mushroom corals...just fyi

Some of the Coraline Algae on the live rocks that we have in our main display tank are dying....
the nice purple is turning white...
Im not really sure why...everything in the tank has been fine for 3 years now....but just recently like the last 3 weeks i have been noticing alot of die off..
the only thing i can think of if when i have taken some live rock out to clean some algae off and do a light gravel vac of the sand.... maybe its dying becuase it is out of the water? (no more that 45 minutes at a time)
but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me because we get new shipments of live rock all the time and it has been out of the water for awhile....and it still has some healthy coraline algae growth...
i only have about a year of saltwater under my belt so im just looking for some insight as to why my coraline algae is dying...

what minerals do u need for good coraline growth?
Calcium?

Thanks in advance
Tyler

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Two main things that seem like they effect coralline die off is a sudden increase in lighting (from low to high), or low calcium levels. But since this is a LFS, I'm guessing neither of those apply? I'm guessing you're doing water changes often enough that your calcium levels are OK, and I can't imagine a LFS changing their lighting over their rock tanks. In my tank, I found early on that the coralline seemed to turn white when my Ca levels dropped to around 340ppm. Once I boosted it back up to 380-400ppm, things turned purple again.

 

[cmor1701d]

As usual, I agree with Kurt.

 

[Ziggy953]

I agree as well but will add this. I have noticed that if you have a rock out of the water for even a 10- 15 minute period the coaline will die off. I think it is a combination of lower CA levels, lighting and the fact that you are taking the rocks out of the water for up to 45 minutes.

 

[melosu58]

Can you give us your test results on Calcium and alk?

 

[mannyfern09]

if all your levels are fina and u do your weekly water changes.. how fast will the coraline spread out throughout ure tank and all ure rocks

 

[cmor1701d]

It depends on how much coraline you start with, the type and amount of lighting on the tank, and the levels of Ca, Alk, etc in the tank. Once it starts on the glass and you scrape it off it starts spreading rapidly (in my experience). It happens over a period of weeks (noticible) to months (annoying).

 

[FBTennisNumberOne]

I have worked there for about 4 months..and ther has been no change in lighting...the only thing is that Ihave kept up with the water changes and they used to slack on that a little....i don't have a test kit for calcium but i will get one ordered...and then test and let yall know what happening with that...but maybe in the future when i take the live rock out i should tranfer to to a holding bin with saltwater in it...just to be on the safe side...i always just figured it would be ok....

For lighting i know they have a couple t5 fixtures on the tanks but the are about 8 inches above the tanks and its a 72 bowfront...i doubt its getting more than 2 wpg....but it hasn't been a problem in the last 3 years so...there has been decent growth since i have been there....but nothing too special...

Lets say the calcium is low...what is the best way to get it on track with the levels again?

Thanks for all the helpful responses...
Tyler

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

What we recommend for our tanks, I imagine, would be very very different for a LFS. I'm assuming that your tanks have common plumbing? If so, that's a LOT of gallons to have to dose up for Calcium. Thinking that wouldn't go over well with the ownership. I don't think LFSs supplement anything.

A LFS that doesn't have a calcium test kit in house?

Just out of curiousity, what is the salinity (specific gravity) of the water? Temperature?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

For lighting i know they have a couple t5 fixtures on the tanks but the are about 8 inches above the tanks and its a 72 bowfront...i doubt its getting more than 2 wpg....but it hasn't been a problem in the last 3 years so

How often are those bulbs changed?

 

[FBTennisNumberOne]

As far as the bulbs go...i don't thing they are changed often enough...
our goal is not to GROW live rock...its just to keep it alive etc...for the customers...so we don't suplement all the time..that one would do in a a personal aquarium at home...

The temp stays around 78...it fluctuates a degree or two from time to time...as for the salinity....i try and keep it at 1.024 -1.025....i like the higher end of the scale versus the lower end...

we do have a calcium kit...which i found...so i will test it tomorrow...when i work as i was off today....

let ya know the verdict then....
Thanks
Tyler