coraline algae dying

[Dingodan]

ever since i installed my sump/refugium the coraline in my display has all almost completely died off while it grows in the refugium. this is not much of a suprise since my fuge light is on 24/7 and my display light is only on about 9 hours of the day. i just thought it would sort of balance itself out since the fuge light is a little 10 watt pc while the display light is a 150 watt mh. but i guess it didnt work like that. is there any way to balance it out without changing the lighting times? i am trying to battle diatom growth in the display and i worry the macro algae in the fuge wont grow if i give it less light. purple up?

 

[Tmyboy]

You mention that it's no surprise that there's more coraline in your fuge........that would surprise me actually.

Sure i have coraline growing in my fuge, but it's nowhere near the amount i have in the DT. Although, I believe you're correct with the lighting comment.......I have 600+ watts in the DT and only 15 in the fuge so it would make sense to have more purple in the DT.

Do you know why you're having the diatom battle? Is it new rock for the tank? If not, then i would try to figure that out before worrying about how much Coraline you have in your DT.

What's your light cycle in the DT? Spectrum?

 

[cmor1701d]

Most coralline algae prefers less light, so it's no surprise it's doing well in the sump/fuge. If the MH lighting is new, that would cause a die off in the DT.

I would just wait it out for a few months and see what develops. I have gone through periods where the coralline on the back wall would turn white, then get covered over in a red or purple again months later. My rocks are covered with it and in some areas it's grown across rocks.

Do you test your calcium in the tank. Coraline algae needs ~400 ppm, more (450?) would be better, but that needs to be in balance with Alk and Mg.

 

[Tmyboy]

Coraline prefers less light?? This I didn't know.

Especially because of the new rocks I recently put in the DT, coraline is growing mostly on the rock directly under one of the 250halide bulbs near the top of the tank??

 

[carey]

I've got coralline growing in my sump. It just needs proper water parameters and some light and it will grow.

 

[tchampion]

ever since i installed my sump/refugium the coraline in my display has all almost completely died off while it grows in the refugium. this is not much of a suprise since my fuge light is on 24/7 and my display light is only on about 9 hours of the day. i just thought it would sort of balance itself out since the fuge light is a little 10 watt pc while the display light is a 150 watt mh. but i guess it didnt work like that. is there any way to balance it out without changing the lighting times? i am trying to battle diatom growth in the display and i worry the macro algae in the fuge wont grow if i give it less light. purple up?

I'm having Coraline issues as well, but my problem is much different that yours.; then again, in order to properly grow Coraline algae, you need to maintain proper Calcium levels. I hear that 400ppm is a good target, although some may differ slightly. Try this out and see if you get different results: tech your display tank for calcium, KH, and phosphate, and also test the water in your refugium. Since your Coraline "appears" to grow more in your refugium, your calcium level could be at a perfect level. If the level on your display tank is too high, then that could be your issue. Common sense say's that both results should be the same, but you just neer know.
My personal issue with the lack of Coraline is that my Calcium is only 300ppm. In a weeks time, I should be able to see that number in the low 400's... Then after that I will begin to seed my tank with Coraline from some frags of Corals that I will purchase from my vendor. Seems like a simple plan, but what ever goes according to plan these days?
Good luck!