What are those?

[Blake423]

Hi,

There are some white patch on the back of my tank.
Corals and fishes seem ok.
Anybody knows what those are? How to remove them?

My tank is about 255L and 3 months old now.
Salifert test:
Nitrate: 2.5
Phosphate: basically colourless
Calcium: 450
Alk: 7.7
Mag: since the Calcium level is ok, I didn't test the Mag.

 

[homer1475]

Looks like the start of coralline algae to me.

 

[ying yang]

Not sure what it is but see its layered up on top of itself.
Could it be type of sponge or even snail eggs idk but very interesting none the less, sorry can't be no help

 

[Blake423]

Not sure what it is but see its layered up on top of itself.
Could it be type of sponge or even snail eggs idk but very interesting none the less, sorry can't be no help

No problem.

I don't think they are sponges because it is not soft, film like and quite solid. I don't think they are snail eggs either.

 

[homer1475]

If you run your fingers over them are they hard and calcareous? Or soft and wipe away easily like algae?

Still looks like the start of coralline to me.

 

[Blake423]

Looks like the start of coralline algae to me.

That's what I believed at the beginning, but it has been a while now and they are still not purple. I think coralline algae are purple?
Besides, those white patches appear only a couple of weeks after setting up the tank, I don't think coralline algae would come so soon?

 

[homer1475]

Coralline comes in every color of the rainbow, not just purple.

We typically only see purple in our tanks because of the spectrum we run.

I personally have dark purple, plating purple, pink, green, orange, and white coralline in my tank.

 

[Blake423]

If you run your fingers over them are they hard and calcareous? Or soft and wipe away easily like algae?

Still looks like the start of coralline to me.

They are hard and calcareous, and could be easily scrubbed off, but can't be brushed off.
I also hope they are coralline

 

[homer1475]

Sounds like coralline to me.

If it requires you to use a scraper, or your fingernail to get it off the glass, and doesn't wipe away easily, it's more then likely coralline.

 

[Blake423]

Sounds like coralline to me.

If it requires you to use a scraper, or your fingernail to get it off the glass, and doesn't wipe away easily, it's more then likely coralline.

omg, I really wish they are purple...all of them are white ish....any chances they will turn purple eventually?

 

[homer1475]

More then likely, but be careful what you wish for. Once coralline takes off, it can make dosing a PITA, and will cover everything in your tank(urchins are great at removing coralline).

Sure it looks great in a new setup, but in an established setup it can often times be a huge PITA. I grow coralline so fast I employ 3 urchins to eat the crap out of it.

 

[Blake423]

More then likely, but be careful what you wish for. Once coralline takes off, it can make dosing a PITA, and will cover everything in your tank(urchins are great at removing coralline).

Sure it looks great in a new setup, but in an established setup it can often times be a huge PITA. I grow coralline so fast I employ 3 urchins to eat the crap out of it.

Why is it so painful for dosing?
Just in case, would tuxedo urchin good enough?

 

[homer1475]

Coralline can suck up a ton of alkalinity and calcium as it grows(I've seen tanks use up to 2ppm alkalinity in a day with just coralline growth).

Yes tuxedos are great at eating coralline, and stay fairy small in relativity to their other cousins.

 

[Blake423]

Coralline can suck up a ton of alkalinity and calcium as it grows(I've seen tanks use up to 2ppm alkalinity in a day with just coralline growth).

Yes tuxedos are great at eating coralline, and stay fairy small in relativity to their other cousins.

Thanks for your help.

Actually this may also solve other puzzle I have had for a while, which is keep dosing Alk but not able to bring it up.