I’m a total failure — can’t grow coralline algae to save my life!

[bakbay]

ha ha, stole my post ….those specks appearing daily can drive you mad….
regurgitating @jda post, basically coralline doesn’t really compete well under certain conditions but conversely, when its going, it stops other garbage algaes from taking a foothold….
Also be advised
…also there is a green coralline I think, I used to think it was just the pink stuff, but its not…not 100% certain what it is …
There is also another dark green hard algae that shows up when conditions are pristine…i often see it in conjunction with coralline on the glass…. hopefully someone more versed will clean this up…i never cared that much, just something I’ve noticed

Too funny - no, I'm not planning to grow it and then have to scrape it off! Since this side glass is near the wall, I would prefer to be all purple vs green/brown. See my FTS and side wall under white lights, it's definitely the ugly algae that I'm loosing a battle on.

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

Had the same issue at around the same time, once the green algae is gone the coraline will grow.

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

Imbalance of phos and nitrates will fuel the nuisance algae. I turned my skimmer off for three hours twice a day until I achieved a balance and now the nasty stuff is dying off. My back wall resolved itself a while ago and now the sand bed is my current issue. Keep up your CUC to help with the algae.

 

[bakbay]

Imbalance of phos and nitrates will fuel the nuisance algae. I turned my skimmer off for three hours twice a day until I achieved a balance and now the nasty stuff is dying off. My back wall resolved itself a while ago and now the sand bed is my current issue. Keep up your CUC to help with the algae.

What’s the ratio / balance of NO3O4? Here is mine as of last month - NO3:20, PO4:0.10

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

look at the Redfield ratio or the buddy ratio to get an idea of where these charts say you should be. We are going to open up a can of worms here with all sorts of different ideology pertaining to NO3 / PO4 numbers.
As far as I can tell your PO4 number is very low, you should be much closer to 1.26 per the Redfield Ratio.

 

[Dan_P]

None -- outside of feeding pellets, nori (for the tangs), and occasional frozen brine shrimps -- I'm not dosing anything to the tank.

Are you dosing trace elements?

I now appreciate how widespread the growth of green stuff is. For this stuff to be this green means there is plenty of nitrogen around. It might prove useful to examine several samples of this stuff with a microscope,

Do I see some coralline on plastic surfaces?

 

[bakbay]

Are you dosing trace elements?

I now appreciate how widespread the growth of green stuff is. For this stuff to be this green means there is plenty of nitrogen around. It might prove useful to examine several samples of this stuff with a microscope,

Do I see some coralline on plastic surfaces?

I got a few hungry tangs & foxface so their diet has been pellets, nori, and frozen food. I don't dose anything to the tank -- just CaRx doing the usual alk/ca and I manually dose Mg to supplement every few months. Yes, I'm getting coralline in patches but not what I'm expecting for a 2.5yo tank. I have an ICP test kit but have not sent it in yet.

look at the Redfield ratio or the buddy ratio to get an idea of where these charts say you should be. We are going to open up a can of worms here with all sorts of different ideology pertaining to NO3 / PO4 numbers.
As far as I can tell your PO4 number is very low, you should be much closer to 1.26 per the Redfield Ratio.

I never believe in that ratio throughout my reefing experience tbh. I thought that 1.26 PO4 is rather high, no? I try to maintain PO4 under 0.10 (heard people shoot for 0.05-0.08?) Lower PO4 should help with nuisance algae.

I do have a 57W UV from another system but that's only slowing down the growth rate. I still need to solve the root of the problem here...

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

Like I said a can of worms LOL

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

I got a few hungry tangs & foxface so their diet has been pellets, nori, and frozen food. I don't dose anything to the tank -- just CaRx doing the usual alk/ca and I manually dose Mg to supplement every few months. Yes, I'm getting coralline in patches but not what I'm expecting for a 2.5yo tank. I have an ICP test kit but have not sent it in yet.


I never believe in that ratio throughout my reefing experience tbh. I thought that 1.26 PO4 is rather high, no? I try to maintain PO4 under 0.10 (heard people shoot for 0.05-0.08?) Lower PO4 should help with nuisance algae.

I do have a 57W UV from another system but that's only slowing down the growth rate. I still need to solve the root of the problem here...

Yes, I would consider that high also but I consider Nitrates at 20ppm high. Personally I try to keep my nitrates between 5-10ppm for my mixed system.

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

I can tell you from experience, when I have low nitrates 0-2.5ppm I have algae issues of all sorts. The best piece of equipment I bought was a sleeper goby. That goby cleaned my sand bed in one week... every part of the 75 gallons. I tried to replicate this in my 525 but the Six line is not having it, he has made two jump already so I give up on the goby.
PS. the 75 also has a six line who could care less about the goby.

 

[bakbay]

Ok — I’ve throttled down the intensity from 80% to 65% for now. I’ll adjust the photo period next week.

Will update the group how things respond — thanks again for everyone’s input.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Redfield had no known correlation to reef tanks.

I don't necessarily subscribe to Paletta's theory but at least it fits a bit better and it throws out the idea that what's suggested as far as N & P levels for reef tank aren't a must to be successful.

The Role of Nutrients in a Reef Tank | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

One aspect of this hobby that may help some to stay interested in it is that there is almost constant debate as to what is the best way to do anything in a reef tank. Whether it is halides versus LEDs…

reefbuilders.com

My phosphates are 0.73, nitrates 30.2 and here it is:

 

[bakbay]

Redfield had no known correlation to reef tanks.

I don't necessarily subscribe to Paletta's theory but at least it fits a bit better and it throws out the idea that what's suggested as far as N & P levels for reef tank aren't a must to be successful.

The Role of Nutrients in a Reef Tank | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

One aspect of this hobby that may help some to stay interested in it is that there is almost constant debate as to what is the best way to do anything in a reef tank. Whether it is halides versus LEDs…

reefbuilders.com

My phosphates are 0.73, nitrates 30.2 and here it is:

Very cool tank! I’m jealous. Hey — it appears that you might have more green algae per square inch than me? lol

Ditto for me — never trusted those N and P “ratios” and I don’t even do water changes!

 

[Roatan Reef]

I don't understand, are you upset that you can't get coralline to grow on your glass so that you can scrape it off?

My current tank is 5 years old. About a year ago the coralline growth on the glass started to slow way down. I don't know if that's because there's a particular bacteria that has started to out compete it, or if the strains that I have in my tank have depleted an element that once made it grow. All I know is that I'm glad that I don't have to scrape it off every week.

My corals are healthy and growing and that's all that matters.

This is correct. I have coralline algea on rocks, returns, intake etc, but none on back glass, just nuisance algae I have to scrape off, but guess what????, tank is doing awesome, corals, fish etc living their best life, and I have very little coralline algae!!

 

[Roatan Reef]

And Lulz, you ain't a failure just because you don't have excessive coralline algae...get a grip already.

Do you see WWC tanks or other high end retailers tanks covered in Coralline? No!

 

[Macdaddynick1]

And Lulz, you ain't a failure just because you don't have excessive coralline algae...get a grip already.

Do you see WWC tanks or other high end retailers tanks covered in Coralline? No!

They clean those tanks daily though. Most of their plugs have coraline starting to grow though.

 

[Roatan Reef]

They clean those tanks daily though. Most of their plugs have coraline starting to grow though.

Correct, but moral of story is, it's not a feature or a bug, they are kept super clean, so don't boo hoo about Coralline algae.

 

[bakbay]

Thanks for making me feel better guys! I’m obsessed with trying to get rid of all nuisance algae but in the end, I might have to accept “defeat”. If corals are growing and fish are happy, isn’t what this hobby is all about?

Looking at my tank in white lights, I’ve learned to appreciate LEDs & their cool blue lights. Otherwise, I would have quit this hobby a long time ago! It’s hideous with straight white lights!

 

[Roatan Reef]

Thanks for making me feel better guys! I’m obsessed with trying to get rid of all nuisance algae but in the end, I might have to accept “defeat”. If corals are growing and fish are happy, isn’t what this hobby is all about?

Looking at my tank in white lights, I’ve learned to appreciate LEDs & their cool blue lights. Otherwise, I would have quit this hobby a long time ago! It’s hideous with straight white lights!

100% this is what it's all about..

Now go do the Hokey Pokey...and you know the rest!

 

[Miami Reef]

Many successful reefers can’t grow coralline on the back wall.

Almost no one’s tank looks good with 100% white light; it highlights the browns.

I don’t think I’d lower the par if the corals were enjoying the higher par.