Boosting Coraline Growth

[Tihsho]

Not sure why, but ever since I got back in the hobby in February I've been unable to get significant growth of Coraline in any of my tanks. My display has been up for 8 months and I've got a spot of Coraline here and there. My frag tank has been up for the same amount of time and gets about the same. Here are the params and specs of both tanks:

Water/Salt:

0 TDS RO/DI water through 7 stage filtration
Aquavitro (Seachem) Salinity
25% water changes weekly

Params:
S.G. - 1.026
Temp - 79-81 F
Ca - 450 ppm
Alk - 11 dKH
Mg - 1500 (maxes out my kits)
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - ~10ppm

I've tried using Caribsea Purple up which worked ages ago when I had an AquaPod, but I don't see any results. On top of that I've tried dosing Brightwell Aquatics Iodion as well as well as tried Seachem's Iodide in separate instances and never noticed a change in Coraline growth. I did how ever notice that my shrimp and hermits molt much more regularly and cleanly since I've started an Iodine addition.

Any reason why the Coraline would be so slow to appear? It seems to cover frag plugs it's established in, but it never propagates to other surfaces (pumps, back walls of acrylic, glass, rock.) To me it sounds like either the environment isn't ideal or that the coral are taking too much of a certain nutrient that is necessary.

 

[Scurvy]

I experienced something similar with my tank and after a Triton ICP it turned out I was Boron deficient. Dosed what they recommenced along with a weekly maintenance dose and Coraline started growing almost immediately.

 

[Tihsho]

Interesting, what salt were you using at the time?

 

[Scurvy]

Tropic Marin pro from day 1.

 

[Tihsho]

Interesting that two popular salts seem to have deficiencies.

 

[Scurvy]

I cant say its the salt, only that I was deficient for whatever reason. I run a Triton system and thus no regular water changes. Something depleted Boron on me.... What I cannot really say.

 

[Tihsho]

I mean when you first setup the system was it a Triton only method? I figure you would have had to do a few water changes in the beginning at least which would have provided the system with a source of Boron.

 

[Scurvy]

Yes. I started Triton from the begining. Sure I did a few water changes in the beginning but not many at all. Maybe 3 in 4 months.

It was also an upgrade. New rock aside from one piece from my old tank. corals and macro algae added almost immediately.

To my knowledge TM pro mixes to natural seawater levels with all major/minor trace elements.

 

[Tihsho]

Interesting. If only there was a way to find out the target that is consuming boron. My tanks are mainly mixed, so if I were in the same boat (which I can't say as I don't have ICP test results) I couldn't pin point the source of the issue.

 

[boacvh]

Maybe a change in the lights you have now? I had same issue for the first 9 or 10 months, then I upgraded my lights and now it has exploded, it's everywhere

 

[Scurvy]

True, Its not something I would go dosing without testing for a baseline. Not sure if this is if any value to you but heres Brightwells solution I chose to use. Maybe you see something else that points you towards Boron. Lackluster Red coloration etc.

Brightwell Aquatics - BoroChrom

 

[Tihsho]

Maybe a change in the lights you have now? I had same issue for the first 9 or 10 months, then I upgraded my lights and now it has exploded, it's everywhere

I mean the tanks both are lit by dual Kessil 160WE's and they do peak at 100% for part of the day. I'd be darned to say I need to change the lights, but you never know. That also said, another tank I have is a nano 14 gallon and is lit with an AI Prime, same issue with coraline.

True, Its not something I would go dosing without testing for a baseline. Not sure if this is if any value to you but heres Brightwells solution I chose to use. Maybe you see something else that points you towards Boron. Lackluster Red coloration etc.

Brightwell Aquatics - BoroChrom

When you say red coloration, do you mean red is more prominent as a color or a lack of red. A few species of corals I have lackluster to what I was expecting or how I got them, specifically Acan's.

 

[Scurvy]

Boron is one of the trace elements associated with red pigmentations in coral polyps. If Boron were low you may not be seeing reds as prominently as you might expect.

For instance my PC Rainbow frag was mostly green when I was lacking Boron. A couple/three weeks after dosing I saw it turn mostly pink/red.

 

[Tihsho]

Interesting, I'm more so lacking yellows and oranges. But since orange is part red, I wonder... Blue's and red's are predominant in my Acan's which is bothersome as that's not how all of them looked when I got them...

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

I have no B in my tank according to a recent Triton test. I am switching to Tropic Marin Classic after looking at the ICP testing BRS performed on several salts due to the B content as well as a few others. My coraline has also stopped growing for some reason. So I'm interested to see what happens when I do a 50% water change.

 

[Hemmdog]

Boron is one of the trace elements associated with red pigmentations in coral polyps. If Boron were low you may not be seeing reds as prominently as you might expect.

For instance my PC Rainbow frag was mostly green when I was lacking Boron. A couple/three weeks after dosing I saw it turn mostly pink/red.

What additive specifically did you use to dose it back up? Any idea if any of the Red Sea Trace elements contain boron? I have that same issue with my pc rainbow and pc Superman.

 

[Hemmdog]

I had issues growing coralline in my first tank, it had excessively high mag levels for an extended period of time. Not sure if they are related. My two newer tanks grow coralline like crazy with regular mag levels and normal alk&cal levels as well obviously.

 

[Scurvy]

What additive specifically did you use to dose it back up? Any idea if any of the Red Sea Trace elements contain boron? I have that same issue with my pc rainbow and pc Superman.

I used the Brightwell one I linked somewhere up above. One of the Red Sea probably contains Boron but Im not sure which. Whichever specifies Reds would be my guess without having a bottle to reference.

Edit: Im no chemist but I believe Boron also works in conjunction with mag/alk in skeleton building.

 

[Scurvy]

I have no B in my tank according to a recent Triton test. I am switching to Tropic Marin Classic after looking at the ICP testing BRS performed on several salts due to the B content as well as a few others. My coraline has also stopped growing for some reason. So I'm interested to see what happens when I do a 50% water change.

Any changes in lighting? Ive read anecdotal claims that elevated par levels can decrease coraline growth as well. I’d guess a short term reaction and it would return to a normal pace once adjusted.

I saw loads of growth in my last system when I added T5 to the LED’s as well. Again totally anecdotal but what else is new?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi,

I’m on the lighting side. I think the right spectrum is needed a bit more than the major and minor trace elements. I’ve been messing with my lights, first HD 52, then t5 with low par from the 52. I’m now at high par from the led and longer t5 periods.

A bit ago I had pulled a purple t5 and popped in an acitinic. I had noticed more growth with the purple that stopped when I put in the acitinic.

Maybe I’ll switch back the purple and see what happens