Coraline Algae - help Needed

[Meaty24]

I have had my 180 gallon tank running for 8 months and I have almost no coraline algae growing. About 1/5 months ago, I went to my LFS and bought a rock covered in coraline algae in hopes that it will spread. No such luck. I tried Purple Up (despite my skepticism) and it did not help.

I have four 400 watt metal halides and four T-5 bulbs going for 7 hrs a day.

What is wrong? Can anyone give me ideas to help with the coraline algae growth?

IWantPurpleRocks,
Frustrated Fishman

 

[Deanos]

What are your water's parameters? Specifically, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium?

 

[Meaty24]

Calcium - 1450, alk is about 12 and mg is 1350

 

[Deanos]

Try testing again. I doubt your calcium is that high.

 

[Meaty24]

I did, and I promise you it is that high. I had added a little too much calcium a few weeks ago, and I run a pretty big calcium reactor.

More thoughts on the lack of coraline?

 

[Bob 1000]

Purple up..

 

[Meaty24]

Didn't work. And, many people say it is BS.

 

[meschaefer]

There is almost no possible way for your numbers to be correct, the calcium and alkalinity would precipitate right out of the water column at those levels.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.php#12

 

[Bob 1000]

Purple down..

 

[meschaefer]

Aside from you testing there seems to be a number of other things going on.

1. there is reason to believe that Coraline algae does not grow at its best under intense lighting. (As an aside IMO 4 x 400w MH is overkill and just a waste on a 180 gallon tank. )

2. It is not exactly clear when you added the corraline covered rocks to your tank. The tank has been up for eight months and you added them corraline "About 1/5 months ago". Using standard math that is less than a week ago. Even assuming that you intended to say five months ago, it could take a lot longer than that for you to see rampant corraline growth in a tank that size.

In a similar situation as you, I put up a 220 gallon tank with base rock last October and seeded it with some small pieces of corraline covered rock at that time. I am only now starting to see corraline really taking a foot hold. It takes a while to get started but will exponentially grow until you get to the point where you wish it wouldn't grow at all.

 

[Deanos]

Coraline hates high nitrates :shhh: