help with coralline algae.....

[finnbanks7]

Didn't know where to post this question so I am a beginner per say. so i've had my tank for 7 1/2 to 8 months. I had coralline algae and it would go away. over and over. I have got some now and was using my blue actinic lights for 8 hours a day and the coralline was growing. But recently got some corals and started my flourecents and actinic again and the coralline is starting to turn white what little coralline I have. so if anyone can help that would be great. ive got 2 clowns, a black clown goby, a cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, margarita snails, and some hermits. gsp, green clove polyps, 4 zoanthids. water perams good, 96 watts of light, moon lights. skimmer and 2 poerheads

 

[Reefing Madness]

Your water parameters are the key here.
Magnesium should be between 1200-1400
ALK should be between 8-12,
Calcium should be between 420-460
Keeping those numbers will grow and sustain Coralline

 

[finnbanks7]

ok perameters. ph 8.2, ammo o, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, calcium 420, alk 10, phosephate .25ppm, salinity 1.024, temp 78.

 

[Reefing Madness]

No Magnesium? Everything else looks great, cept Phosphates, that's up there a bit. Try Chemipure Elite or GFO perhaps.

 

[finnbanks7]

no mag test yet. I actually have chemphos in my hob filter did a water change last wednesday. I usually do water changes on that day somtimes during the weekend.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Other than the Phosphates I don't see why your not seeing a load of Coralline growing.

 

[ryanr]

It is normal for coraline to come and go in the first 12 months. I am seeing some of it myself, and all my research says "be patient, it'll come back"

It's possible that low magnesium may be part of the cause - what salt mix/salt water are you using?

Additionally, if any of your rock work has moved, or been exposed to air, that can cause coraline to go white.

Personally, whilst I agree PO4 is a bit high, I don't think it's the cause. I have good coraline growth at 1.5ppm PO4 (Hanna Checker) [Yes, I'm trying to bring down]

The only other thing I can think of would be sea urchins having a feast.

Out of interest, what sort of white bulbs do you have?

At 8 months, the tank is still fairly immature, and should get better over the next 3-6 months.

 

[finnbanks7]

I use instant ocean with r/o water. No urchins and t-5 lights don't know what brand.

 

[finnbanks7]

well I'm going to try and leave my actinic lights on for a while will that hurt my corals? and also I have hundreds of snails in my tank I think my margarite snails had babys. i've seen some of those little snails that are supposed to be good for the aquarium or it doesn't hurt for them to be in there. my question is can those little snails grow big I forget the name of them it starts with a c I think. and anymore advice on the coralline algae is greatly appreciated.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Question about the Coralline, do you have it on the glass yet? Or are you just referring to it on the rocks? If it hasn't started on the glass yet, you still have some time before it takes off. No worries, form your numbers, your all set to start pulling your hair out when it does start.
Cerith Snails? Anyways, they are ok in there, they will die out as food gets scarce, no worries, the bristle worms will make short order of them.
Or do you have Limpets in there?

 

[finnbanks7]

i've got margarita snails and 1 or 2 cerith snails. there are little white snails that ive read about and they or ok snails but I don't know if my margarita snails have reproduced or if those small white snails have just grown. there are a lot of them I'll try to get a pic.

 

[finnbanks7]

 

[finnbanks7]

the big ones are my margarita snails and the little ones I don't know what they are maybe baby margarita snails.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Sure does look like it.