Can’t get Coraline to grow

[jazonPartij]

My tank has been up and running for 6 months but coraline isn’t growing. I’ve found one spot on a rock that hasn’t gotten any bigger over the last month. I’m sure it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact problem. Instead of diagnosing my problem has anyone else encountered this and any fixes you found?

My calcium is at 489 and Alk is at 8.9. I do 5 gallon water changes twice weekly for a Nuvo 40 tank. Don’t have any crazy algae problems. Nitrate May be a little high at 10 on a Red Sea test kit.

 

[Matthew40b]

What kind of lights are you running on the tank? When I started my first tank I was running cheap lights and I could see a few spots of coralline algae on the rocks, but they never got any bigger. After upgrading to better lighting my rocks are now covered with it.

 

[jazonPartij]

I have a hydra26hd.

 

[Hemmdog]

What’s your magnesium? Do you have good flow ?

 

[Fudsey]

Calcium is a bit high as well. Not sure that's a problem though....

 

[Crustaceon]

Keep in mind that coralline algae requires the same general water parameters as most corals. I grow coralline like crazy with these parameters:

Dkh 8.1
Cal 440
Mg 1450
No3 10
Po4 ? (don’t care)
Ph 8.25

I currently run a skimmer and biopellet reactor but have had the same coralline algae growth with a refugium & algae turf scrubber.

What I’ve found IME is if you can keep your nitrates around 5ppm and ph over 8.3, coralline will take off. I used to run kalk and routinely had a ph of 8.4+. The speed of coralline algae growth was annoying, especially with an easily-scratched acrylic tank.

This picture was taken two weeks ago. All of these rocks came from the same batch. No live rock was used. The lighter rocks were leftovers from the last tank and were added a month ago. They’re already mostly green and studded with purple spots.

 

[rcpalmer1]

I have heard that strontium makes a big difference. I don't know for sure but my tanks grow coralline algae so thick that it will peel off sheets. If you want to pay for shipping I can throw you some in a flat rate envelope. I just added this tank in January.

 

[jazonPartij]

Magnesium is at 1360. Phosphates are 0.

 

[Eve]

Magnesium is at 1360. Phosphates are 0.

Add something that has coralline. Mine was from a turbo snail, my tank has been running since May and now the rocks are covered with it.

 

[Eddie7144]

Careful what you wish for. Once that starts growing , itvwill get on everything, even things you do t want it on. In the end it becomes more trouble than its worth

 

[Biggazmo]

I have heard that strontium makes a big difference. I don't know for sure but my tanks grow coralline algae so thick that it will peel off sheets. If you want to pay for shipping I can throw you some in a flat rate envelope. I just added this tank in January.

Could you please send me some?

 

[rcpalmer1]

Could you please send me some?

Pm me your address

 

[jazonPartij]

I still can’t get coraline to grow. My tank is looking good. Tank has been up almost two years. I’m worried because I’ve got acros coming on Tuesday and always told coraline is a sign you can keep acros. Calcium is a little high at 515. Magnesium 1300. Alk at 8.5. Ph is in between 7.9 and 8.10.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Ehh I have the same issue

My parameters (kept stable)

TEMP 78
Sal. 1.025
Po4 0.10
No3 1.0
Cal. 450
Alk. 9.0
Mag. 1380

I have 50x turn over and acros, my clam and other sps are happy as can be. But coraline algae is shy to say the least. Not saying it's great but I'm enjoying not having to dose a crazy amount of 2 part just to feed an algae.

On the flip side of things it's kinda nice not having your tank look like barnie the dinosaurs back, looks more natural in a sense, or is that just what I tell myself.

EDIT: I have entertained the idea that my tank (for what ever mysterious reason) does not sustain the "right stuff" for coraline algae growth but I have plugs with it and it doesn't die in my tank, even in the shaded areas, it just doesn't spread in plague proportions like some people report.

 

[kevin_e]

I can't get any to really grow either going on 2.5 years, although I see signs now that I have increased my feeding and nutrients. Acros are basing out quickly though.

 

[jazonPartij]

I’m confident the acros will grow. They get here tomorrow so time will tell. I don’t really want coraline algae but I think it will help me cut down on other algae.

 

[Rjmul]

I still can’t get coraline to grow. My tank is looking good. Tank has been up almost two years. I’m worried because I’ve got acros coming on Tuesday and always told coraline is a sign you can keep acros. Calcium is a little high at 515. Magnesium 1300. Alk at 8.5. Ph is in between 7.9 and 8.10.

Get the PH up

 

[Reef - Tripp]

+1 ph

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Old post but flow. Flow flow.
D

 

[M Stein]

In my short experience running two tanks with two different types of rock, I believe that the kind of rock you have plays a big part. A while ago the question of the day was about rocks. My impression of that thread was also that some kinds of rocks are better at growing coraline.