Losing my coraline algae, Need help (1 Viewer)

[doubletap4311]

I have a 150 gallon reef ready tank thats been up and running for about 4 months now. I purchased 90% of my live rock from members of Marsh. It was all covered in coraline algae, red, purple and pink. Over the last couple of weeks, every since I switched from standard florescence to power compact lights, my coraline algae is starting to decrease rapidly. What I am seeing is brown and green algae forming on my rock, covering the coraline, then it all turns white. It appears to be killing the coraline. Any help or ideas to fix the problem is appreciated. The only thing I have added is kalkwasser, one time. I am also using nitrate granules to help remove nitrate. Wet dry filter with no bio-balls. 1 filter sock for filtering the water.

Water
sg-1.021
no2-0
no3-15-20
calcium-425
amm-0
temp 78-80

 

[Shortie]

Sounds like your just having a cycle. The algae that grows over the coraline starves it of light so it bleaches out. You more than likely don't need kalkwasser if you are doing regular water changes. Get that no3 down and your coraline will come back.
What is the bio-load on the tank and what/how often do you feed?

 

[Guest]

CL

I was told that if other than the process that is the norm is that the CL
will sometimes turn white then back to the color you mentioned
but getting other colors other the coraline growth is determined from
your calcium levels. Boy, lights lights lights, I've read this and that about
lighting needs whether for CL or corals or for that matter, just our
happy eyes. I didn't see much growth at all till I started a kalk drip
and as instructed on bottle, Magnesium dose. And I keep my Cal at
about 500 to 550. And reading in other than this forum from
different web-sites was that a good coraline growth doesn't require
a low kv rating. I actualy didn't even use my MH for the first two months
of redoing my tank. I'm seriously thinking of going only T5's. All 15k to
20k's with just one or two 10k's

 

[Guest]

I would not be too worried yet.When you change lighting it will cause a small algea bloom. If you are running your lights the same length of time as the old NO's then you may want to cut them back and slowly add more run time over the next few weeks. I would not be worried about the coraline at this point.I would be more worried about getting the No3 down and finding out the source.Eveything else looks fine.

 

[doubletap4311]

Sounds like your just having a cycle. The algae that grows over the coraline starves it of light so it bleaches out. You more than likely don't need kalkwasser if you are doing regular water changes. Get that no3 down and your coraline will come back.
What is the bio-load on the tank and what/how often do you feed?

I am doing 20% every other week. I don't have much of a load. Just a few small fish in the 150. I deed very sparingly, once per day

 

[Guest]

What type of water do you use for WC.If you are doing 20% every other week and are still having no3 problems something is wrong

 

[crvz]

What is your alkalinity level?

I've experienced the same thing with rapidly changing (normally falling) levels of alkalinity in the tank. Once it's noticed, though, the only thing to do is wait, as there's nothing you can actively change to get it back. Just patience while it grows back.

 

[snookfish]

I second Crvz, as I have noticed that my coraline was the first thing to really indicate my alk level going down. At one point my pH was at 7.6 and I watched it turning white and flake off the back glass.

 

[doubletap4311]

I dont have a test kit for alk. My ph is is 8.3-8.4. I use ro/di water from my kent filter, with 0 ppm.