Coralline Algae Growth?

[reefer-nyc]

Hi everyone, I am sure this has been a topic before but need a hand. I have been doing a lot of reading. I have a year old established reef tank- SPS and Acros mainly. 2 400w radiums and pc's on a 90! Reactor or manual dosing tried both- calicum 480 and alk 12-13. PH around 8.0. Regular magnesium and only spoted pink coraline. I have heard about garf grundge and indio's plates but like to keep it simple. No urchins anymore - epoxied them into a hole - kind of mean. Any ideas? Seachem I heard is a nice suppliment but need a hand. My lighting is very intense that might be the problem.

 

[Killerdrgn]

wait whats the question? was epoxying the urchins mean, then yeah kinda.

 

[reefer-nyc]

Coraline Growth

Thats not the question (I know)- acceleration of coraline algae was the question. Urchins are known to eat it.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

u want coralline algae to grow fast n u want different types. pick up coralline from a friends tank crush it up n throw it in ur display. to make it grow good very very low phosphates calcium magnesium n alkalinity need to b on target n good flow

 

[reefer-nyc]

Garf grunge?

 

[Killerdrgn]

i'll just say don't try products like purple up, just good water parameters, lighting, and flow will make corralline grow everywhere.
Something along the lines of calcium 400 - 450, alk 10 - 12, pH 8.0 - 8.4.
And instead of killing the urchins you probably could have just sold them.
Also it takes some time for you to start noticing the corraline again after getting rid of the urchins.

 

[reefer-nyc]

Urchin

Couldn't have sold him. He lived in a hole the size of a nickel and I never saw him come out at night. Was the best I could have done.

 

[Killerdrgn]

Oh yeah i don't know if it's just my tank or something but having really really high flow makes green corralline algae grow, the green corralline in my tank only grows right in front of my penductor/eductor.

 

[Bob 1000]

I think with 400watts your nutrient level must be perfect... Especially on a tank your size..

 

[dreko]

Lower levels of lighting seem to help... if you can cut back on the lighting period, I've found this helps speed up the coralline.
My tank went from green coralline,then red coralline, and the purple is now balanced nicely with the red..

 

[reefer-nyc]

Coraline

My photo period is 10-6 MH 800w
7-7 PC Blue Actinic

 

[yiliyang]

I never heard of an urchin live in a hole before. A hole the size of a nickel is pretty hard for an urchin to get in and out with their spine and all. Are you sure it was an urchin?


I have the same problem with coraline algae as you. My parameters seems to be good, but it rarely grows.

Yili

 

[reefer-nyc]

Small black spiny urchin- maybe it's a quarter rather than a nickel.

 

[Killerdrgn]

Corralline algae is really an exponential growth formula with a critical mass. Meaning if you don't have much currently your rate of growth will be pretty slow, but once you start growing more the rate of growth increase very quickly. Just wait a month or two with good parameters and you'll eventually grow faster than you can take care of. You could also get a couple of big coralline covered live rocks from someone to help speed up the process.

 

[reefer-nyc]

Just got a few large coraline encrusted rocks from a friend. Lets see what happens.