Struggling with coraline.

[Cavvy]

What are you using to test Magnesium? My guess is that you are running a bit low. I would try some Seachem IONS. I doubt it's your lights, you have plenty and there are always pumps and shadow areas the coraline starts on.

I have some Ions that I used for a little while to bring it up, but then just have been dosing Red Sea Foundation C to keep it around 1400. I am using the Aqua Forest Magnesium test kit for testing. The Aqua Forest has always been in line with the Spin Touch testing when I have gotten that test done at the LFS. I can bring the Magnesium up some more if you think that is what is missing.

 

[Cavvy]

I have seen a couple of snail shells that seem to have a little bit of coraline growth starting on them. This may be the first good sign that there is some hope of it possibly growing some in the future. I will try to add a couple of pictures of this when I can get some.

 

[davidm777]

Why do you want coraline? I have LPS and don’t like it because it consumes more Ions than my corals.
What's your water change regimen?

 

[Cavvy]

Why do you want coraline? I have LPS and don’t like it because it consumes more Ions than my corals.
What's your water change regimen?

It is not so much that I really want it growing everywhere as much that I want to know why it is not growing. I am currently doing about a 40% water change every 2 - 3 weeks using NSW.

 

[Ziggy17]

So, I have a question about coralline algae. I have not been able to grow it. I am wondering if I should promote this growth or not. I know that most people struggle with keeping their glass/pumps/equipment clean once it starts to take hold. My question is if it is worth it to help promote the growth or not. My parameters seem to be within range to make it grow, but since it is not growing, should I do anything to force it.

54 gallon bowfront
2 x xr15 Radion pro lights
9.4 alk
415 cal
1410 mg
7.4 N04
8.15 pH
0.32 P04
1.025 sg
I know my P04 is a little high, but I am working on bringing that down

The tank has been cycled for about 1.5 years but just switched from an octopus tank to a reef tank about 4 months ago.

Once it starts, it’s kinda a PITA. :)

If it only stayed on the rocks… but on the glass, pumps, literally everything. Maybe a healthy tank with no coralline is a blessing.

 

[Cavvy]

Once it starts, it’s kinda a PITA. :)

If it only stayed on the rocks… but on the glass, pumps, literally everything. Maybe a healthy tank with no coralline is a blessing.

This was what I was wondering, if it is actually worth it. I guess I mostly wanted to know if my parameters were a problem for it not growing yet. I may want to heed the warning and not do anything to promote it much?!

 

[Ziggy17]

This was what I was wondering, if it is actually worth it. I guess I mostly wanted to know if my parameters were a problem for it not growing yet. I may want to heed the warning and not do anything to promote it much?!

It took my tank a couple years to grow it. I think it eventually came in on a snail I bought.
Here’s my take.
There’s two types of stable. There’s the tank under 2 years old stable, and there’s the tank over two years old stable. The former is pretty stable considering things are still settling in and finding their norm. The latter is a more true version of the word. Parameters have figured out where they like to be. You have learned to stop tinkering and chasing ghosts, and let things happen naturally. You’ve figured out your consumptions and learned not to overreact to things when intervention is required.
Once I learned those things, the Corraline came. And now it won’t leave :)

 

[Cavvy]

It took my tank a couple years to grow it. I think it eventually came in on a snail I bought.
Here’s my take.
There’s two types of stable. There’s the tank under 2 years old stable, and there’s the tank over two years old stable. The former is pretty stable considering things are still settling in and finding their norm. The latter is a more true version of the word. Parameters have figured out where they like to be. You have learned to stop tinkering and chasing ghosts, and let things happen naturally. You’ve figured out your consumptions and learned not to overreact to things when intervention is required.
Once I learned those things, the Corraline came. And now it won’t leave :)

Thank you for this reply. I am still in the former for sure. Even though this tank has been set up since Jan 2024, it was originally an octopus tank. I didn't change it to reef and start dosing until April 2025. So, in this sense, it is still a fairly new tank. I guess for this reason, I am making something out of nothing.

 

[Ziggy17]

Thank you for this reply. I am still in the former for sure. Even though this tank has been set up since Jan 2024, it was originally an octopus tank. I didn't change it to reef and start dosing until April 2025. So, in this sense, it is still a fairly new tank. I guess for this reason, I am making something out of nothing.

We’ve all been there. It’s new, it’s exciting, and it literally invites you to tinker and play god. I’ve tinkered with this tank more than I did my FW tanks in 36 years… you would think at 50 I’d know better. Negative.

 

[davidm777]

I only been reefing for a bit over a year. That being said, I add my tank because they say before you hear what someone says ask them to show you their tank. I wonder if it's because of your frag sizes. I notice if I get a bugger it takes longer to take off than if I get something a little larger. Just a thought, maybe because of the frag sizes is taking a bit longer to mature.

 

[Cavvy]

We’ve all been there. It’s new, it’s exciting, and it literally invites you to tinker and play god. I’ve tinkered with this tank more than I did my FW tanks in 36 years… you would think at 50 I’d know better. Negative.

I agree that every time I start a new tank I do things a little bit more and usually a bit different. I got my first 10 gallon freshwater tank 37 years ago, and my first saltwater tank 31 years ago. Since then I have been through all phases. I have done freshwater fish only, heavily planted, breeding Africans, breeding rainbowfish, saltwater fish only, reef tanks, and even breeding rainbows in ponds. The gear seems to be ever evolving, and the hobby as well. It still seems like every time I set up a new tank, I go through another learning curve. Nothing ever stops me from coming back to the hobby though. I guess maybe I just like the abuse lol.

 

[Cavvy]

I only been reefing for a bit over a year. That being said, I add my tank because they say before you hear what someone says ask them to show you their tank. I wonder if it's because of your frag sizes. I notice if I get a bugger it takes longer to take off than if I get something a little larger. Just a thought, maybe because of the frag sizes is taking a bit longer to mature.

This is a very good observation. My original intent was to get a few frags to see what is happy in my setup and make sure they were doing well before adding bigger stuff. Now it is getting to the point that I am running out of room to fit much bigger stuff. I know this is when I would normally start looking for a bigger tank, but I really don't have space for that. I guess my next step would be to get rid of some of my current frags and make space for a couple bigger and nicer pieces. I also need to completely rescape my tank. I have a couple of boxes of rock here that I plan to do that with, but I am finding it hard to find the time and patience to go through that process.