|
|
FAQs about Red Calcareous and Coralline Algae
Nutrition/Fertilization
Related Articles: Coralline Marine Algae,
Red Algae in General, Avoiding
Algae Problems in Marine System,
Algae Control,
Marine Maintenance, Nutrient
Control and Export, Marine Scavengers,
Snails,
Hermit Crabs,
Mithrax/Emerald Green Crabs, Sea Urchins,
Blennies, Algae Filters,
Ctenochaetus/Bristle Mouth Tangs,
Zebrasoma/Sailfin Tangs, Skimmers,
Skimmer Selection, Marine Algae,
Coralline Algae, Green Algae,
Brown Algae, Blue-Green
"Algae"/(Cyanobacteria), Diatoms,
Brown Algae, Related FAQs:
Coralline Algae 1, Coralline Algae 2,
Coralline Algae 3, Coralline Algae 4,
Coralline Algae Identification,
Coralline Algae Behavior,
Coralline Algae Compatibility/Control,
Coralline Algae Selection,
Coralline Algae Systems, Coralline
Algae Disease, Coralline Algae
Reproduction/Propagation, Red Algae in
General,
Red Algae 2, Red Algae 3,
Red Algae Identification, Red Algae
Behavior, Red Algae Compatibility,
Red Algae Selection, Red Algae
Systems, Red Algae Nutrition,
Red Algae Disease, Red Algae
Reproduction/Propagation, Marine
Macro-Algae, Use in Aquariums, Marine
Algae ID 1, Marine Algae ID 2,
Marine Algae Control FAQs II,
Marine Algaecide Use, Nutrient
Limitation, Marine Algae Eaters,
Culturing Macro-Algae;
Controlling: BGA/Cyano,
Red/Encrusting Algae, Green Algae,
Brown/Diatom Algae, |
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=29957&highlight=correct+alkalinity
http://www.reefs.or/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24550&highlight=correct+alkalinity
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/no2002/chem.htm
|
New Development-Help 2/25/09
Growing Coralline Algae
Hi,
<Hello>
I just wanted to share with you guys that after adding the
powdered coral, purple coralline algae has started growing at a very
fast pace. Some of the powder has settled down on the rocks and on those
areas the coralline growth is excellent.
<Great.>
Earlier, I had
great difficulty in getting coralline algae to grow, I tried Purple-up
but no use. After the powdered coral was added, calcium levels are at
480mg/ltr. I just wanted to share this cause I read about a lot of
people struggling with coralline algae growth.
Thank You.
<And
thank you for sharing this with us. James (Salty Dog)>
FOWLR question. Carbon,
Purple Up and System Size 2/13/08
I have a quick question
regarding my aquarium. I have a saltwater setup 30 gal. that has 1
puffer in it,
<What type of puffer? The volume of your tank is
pushing the limits for even the smallest species.>
no other live
stock, I recently added 30 lbs of live rock that I got from another
aquarist that had it in a 5 yr old reef setup. I have a Bak Pak skimmer
a HOT magnum 250 hang on canister and a Via Aqua pump for circulation.
Do I still need to use carbon all the time or only once or twice a
month? (this was suggested by someone at the LFS),
<You can do
either, but it is not necessary with frequent water changes. See the
link below.>
second since I only have the one fish in there, he is
about 3 inches long right now, do I need to add anything to keep the
live rock up?
<No, it will be fine.>
And last is it ok to use
something like Purple up to keep the coralline algae up?
<No, I would
supplement via water changes in this small of a system. With all in one
concoctions such as Purple Up you do not know what exactly you are
adding in relation to what your water tests, alk/calcium being the main
components here.>
As always thanks for the advice.
Terry
<Welcome, good luck, Scott V.>
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwfiltrmedart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/puffers.htm and related FAQ's
PURPLE-UP for Coralline Growth? - Thumb's down... 02/22/07
Anyone have any info about this product by CaribSea?
<<Have
seen/used...don't waste your money mate>>
I have a FOWLR and would
like to increase the amount of coralline algae......
<<Then look to
providing balance to alkalinity/calcium/magnesium. Obtaining some
"seed" material in the form of coralline scrapings from fellow
hobbyists/LFS can help too>>
Is this product safe and does it
work.....?
<<Not in my opinion>>
I have some very rare fish and
do not want to introduce anything that may harm them...
<<I have
read and seen anecdotal proof that calcium polygluconate can be helpful
to "jumpstart" coralline growth. Seachem makes such a product and if
used as directed it should pose no harm to your fish>>
Thanks,
Craig Smith
<<Happy to share. Eric Russell>> - Ever Heard
of Purple Up? -
The URL for the product can be found here:
Purple-Up!
<This is the first I've heard of this, and
don't put much stock in products that proposed "miracle" fixes for
non-issues. You can accomplish the same by using a calcium additive to
your system. I suggest the two-part solution B-Ionic. Cheers, J -- >
Dosing/Overdosing - 03/04/06
Hi all.
<<Howdy>>
I have a
problem and it is concerning me. I am trying to get my
coralline to
grow faster so I've been treating my water with Seachem Reef, Buffer,
Calcium, and Plus.
<<Mmm...are you sure you need all this? Have you
performed water tests re? The Reef Calcium alone will help with
coralline growth.>>
I was using Calxmax by WM research till it ran
out now I'm using the Seachem products. Only have a small Hammer Coral
and some
Green Button polyps. I added the Reef Calcium, Reef Plus
and Reef Complete today and a few hours later the water is becoming more
and more cloudy white.
<<Indeed...likely an overdose/mixing of too
much alkaline material.>>
The ALK tests high and cal says 440. I
assume this has something to do with precipitation
<<yes>>
but I
was hoping I could do something to fix it now. I just got a Long Nose
Butterfly and I'm concerned for him.
<<Perform a large partial water
change and only dose (according to the manufacturers recommendations)
the Reef Calcium going forward. Continue to do frequent partial water
changes to maintain your alkalinity, magnesium, et al.>>
Thank you
for all your help!
<<Regards, EricR>>
Culturing Coralline
Thanks Scott,
<You're quite welcome!>
Are there any products on
the market that are easy to use for the enhancement of the coralline
algae.
<Well Stu, there are a number of products that you can use to
achieve good coralline growth, among them, some form of calcium
supplementation. You could either use Kalkwasser (administered per your
aquarium's requirements, verified by testing), or perhaps, a product
like Seachem's "Reef Calcium", which is comprised of calcium gluconate,
a form of calcium that has proven to grow coralline like crazy!>
And
the removal or reduction of the green algae.
<Well, as we indicated
previously, green algae and other "nuisance" algae tend to go away, or
stay under control, with strict attention to nutrient control and export
techniques. See this link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm >
I have seen the calcium reactors in the sump at the LFS and the
coralline algae on the rocks is so bright and abundant. Can this same
look be achieved from supplements rather than the expensive setup of the
calcium reactor and co2 cylinders? Stu
<Healthy coralline growth is
just one side benefit of calcium reactor use, not to mention good
alkalinity and calcium levels in the tank. As mentioned above, with the
careful administration of calcium supplements or Kalkwasser, you can
accomplish the same thing. Reactors provide a less labor intensive
method, however, but it's really a matter of what you want to do, and-
most important, what you can afford. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
Put Your Toe in The Water! On to That DSB & Coralline
>I don't
exactly ever remember in the past 7 months if the nitrates were as low
as 10ppm except when they first started to rise. This tells me that my
DSB has never really kicked in. It has been a steady slow rise to where
they are today. Is there anything I can do to help things along? Is
time the only thing that will tell?
>>Hmm.. I'm wondering about the
DSB itself. I would think it would have kicked in by now. Is it at
LEAST 3" deep (for sand)? If it's not sand size grains, and maybe more
on the order of 1-2mm grains, then it would need to be 4"-6" minimum
(this would work well with the sand, too, just be sure to have
sufficient sandsifting animals to avoid compaction).
>On another
note, what else can I do to help my coralline algae grow? My calcium at
last check was at 375, alk at 4.5 and pH at a "balmy" :-) 8.4. I add a
tsp of Kalk almost every night. Once again is this just a time
thing? Patience?
>>I'm not the best person to ask about calcium and
alkalinity, but your calcium level seems to be in a good range, between
350-400. If I recollect correctly, you want your alkalinity to be on
the high side, though I would think that 4.5 meq/l IS on the high
side. Very perplexing. Here's a link to a discussion on such:
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=29957&highlight=correct+alkalinity
Randy Holmes-Farley is also a chemist by profession, so his information
can be counted on to be pretty good.
http://www.reefs.or/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24550&highlight=correct+alkalinity
Also..
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/no2002/chem.htm
Marina
Supplements, coralline algae and carbon 9/20/04
Hello WWM
Staff, My name is Jim. I have a 90 gallon reef tank that is 8 months
old. I have a UV, Protein skimmer and wet/dry (Removed bio balls). I
use the following Seachem supplements as per GARF website.
(3) TBS
Reef Plus 2X week
(3) TBS Reef Complete 2X week
(3) TBS Reef
Calcium 2x week
(1) TBS Reef Advantage Calcium makeup water 2nd and
4th weeks
(1) TBS Reef Builder makeup water on the 3rd week.
My
Question is. I am having a tough time getting coralline algae to grow.
My LFS sold me Seachem Reef Kalkwasser. They told me that would bring
down my Phosphates and help grow coralline.
<Hmmm.. did you test for
Phosphate? Did they? What was the result? What are your Ca, Alk, Mg,
Po4, Salinity, temp, lighting and water movement. All of these will
affect coralline growth. What is your water change routine? All of the
listed additives are perfectly fine, but they should be dosed according
to the demands of your tank (determined through testing), not a
"standard recipe".>
The problem I have is I'm not sure if I should
stop adding the calcium supplements listed above and use the Kalkwasser
in there place and in what amount?
<If proper water changes are
carried out (20% a month or so), Kalkwasser is usually the only
supplement needed. It will supply calcium and alkalinity in a balanced
fashion. All other "trace elements" will be supplied through water
changes. If you make the change to Kalkwasser, do be sure to continue
to measure Ca and Alk to be sure you are meeting your tanks needs.>
Also do u suggest using any Activated carbon in a reef tank. Thanks for
your help! <Carbon helps keep the water clear and will remove the
noxious defensive chemicals produced by corals. I personally don't use
carbon often, but it has it's place. Please do use small amounts and
change it frequently rather than large amounts left for long
periods. Also, rinse it well before use. Best Regards. Adam>
Supplements, coralline algae and carbon follow up 9/21/04
Thank
you for the quick reply. I do a 10% water change twice a month using
Marin Topic salt. If I am reading your reply correctly I should do away
with all those products and stick to water changes and Kalkwasser? <In
my opinion, yes. Tropic Marin salt is excellent and with your water
change schedule, it will provide all you need. Calcium and alkalinity
are the only exception, and Kalk should take care of those just
fine. The bottom line rule of thumb... if you aren't testing for it,
don't add it! Best Regards. AdamC.> Coralline
algae
Hi Bob,
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I have a
question regarding coralline algae. I have about 67lbs of Fiji live rock
in a 65gal fish only tank. Much of the rock is covered w/ purple and/or
pink coralline algae. How can I keep it healthy and growing?
<needs
very consistent and natural/high levels of calcium and carbonate
(alkalinity). Do buy and use both test kits>
What supplements should
I add?
<Manually... Kalkwasser and SeaBuffer/bicarbonate. Or... more
expensive and more convenient: ESV two part calcium (mix well with each
use). Or... for hardcore reefing: calcium reactor and Kalkwasser. And
finally, I'd suggest Seachem's reef calcium (sugar based calcium) in
addition to any of the above mentioned Ca/ALK combos>
Is there
anything I need to watch out for? What should I avoid?
<yep... a
sudden laziness or neglect on your part which allows the ca and/or alk
levels to fall can cause the corallines to "bleach"/crash... erasing
months or years of hard work. This will be a good husbandry primer for
you if you are going to keep more challenging corals in the future>
Any advice would be a great help.
<do also look for
assistance/fellowship from a good local aquarium society. Do holler if
you are not aware of one in your area>
Thanks. Andy
<best regards,
Anthony> Re: Coralline algae
Thanks for the response.
Some of my beautiful rock has already started to bleach.
<caused
more often by exposure to light when out of water than as to exposure to
air (as with recent transit as many suspect. Do make a habit of
conducting water changes (which drops water level in tank and exposes
rock to bright reef lights through air instead of refracted through
water)>
Can I expect color to return? What type of time frame?
<absolutely... and likely faster than if the rock had little of no
coralline to start (the bleached corallines dissolve and feed new so to
speak). 2-4 months with good Ca and Alk levels>
Also, what levels of
Calcium am I looking to have? How about the alkalinity?
<target
350-450 ppm calcium and 10-12 dKH would be nice. Do read up a bit on
reef water chemistry... much good free information on the net, and in
books. Best regards, Anthony Calfo> Trace elements
O.K.
One more question, no, not a question, I'll call this a puzzle in which
I don't have all the pieces to finish myself.
I did a little
experiment. I have a built in overflow chamber in my 75-gal aquarium. It
also has a protein skimmer, Fluval 404 canister filter, 2 1,000-gal/hr
powerheads, some live rock, aragonite substrate, and a few fish. All my
fish are very healthy, including my 4 to 5-inch juvenile imperator
angel. However, my coralline algae is suffering. A was digging around in
a box of supplies my friend gave for the aquarium and found some
mineral/trace element chalky-octangle-porous chips of about 4-inch
diameter and 2 inches thick. No label was provided with the chips but I
was suggested to break it in half and drop one in my overflow chamber. I
did this.
To my surprise I saw amazing coralline algae growth on the
glass and bottom of the overflow chamber. It may be good to note that
the chamber also contains a few bio-balls which shade the bottom of the
chamber. Surprised at what I witnessed after the first chip had
completely dissolved (1-2 weeks), I wedged one between two pieces of
live rock that had decaying coralline algae. Nothing happened that I
could see to this coralline algae. However, the algae in the overflow
chamber began regressing. I then added another chip to the overflow
chamber and witnessed another growth spurt.
I hypothesized that the
overflow chamber allowed a local concentration of what ever was in the
chips to increase, giving the algae the ability to grow by supplementing
what was otherwise lacking. I thought of purchasing and adding trace
elements in higher doses that may be more appropriate for my tank
volume. I was previously thinking about adding Kalkwasser (too poor to
buy a reactor, yet). Now, I doubt that the increased growth was a result
of supplemented calcium by the chips?
Further complicating the
puzzle, I contacted Aquarium Systems, and found that newly mixed Indoor
Oceans salt water at 1.026 has calcium at 400 ppm and alkalinity at
3.02-3.5 meq/L. I do add baking soda at the doses recommended in your
book every week. It seems that the concentrations provided by the Indoor
Oceans salt mix provides an optimal condition for coralline algae
growth. Of course one would expect consumption of the elements, but the
7.5% weekly water change should replenish anything lost.
Can you give
your opinion on the coralline algae growth? I would love to get this
effect throughout my tank. I apologize, I feel that test kits encourage
me take unnecessary steps in maintaining my water quality. The fish seem
to love the water and that is good enough for me. Can you make
conclusions without knowing exact concentrations?
I also wondered if
my skimmer may be 'over skimming' and depleting the elements? Thanks,
Jeff
>>
Lots of interesting observations here.... Does seem that
the "block" (alkalinity booster) did more good in your filter flow
path... and the same material was probably more toxic than beneficial
when/where you wedged it in between the rocks... You can buy the same
mix of carbonates, bicarbonates as liquid prep.s... and do get/use a
test kit at least for alkalinity and calcium to use along with them....
and get ready to study up re the interrelationships of these
phenomena...
Bob Fenner Reef Tank
I have a 90 Gallon
Reef Tank. I currently use 4 - 100w VHO lights. Two URI super actinic
and 2 actinic. My problem is that the algae on the rock is bleaching
out. The only algae that stay red is shaded by rock or down low in the
tank. Alkalinity is 3 and calcium is 450. Do you think the lights are to
strong? I am using ESV additives for alkalinity and calcium.
>>
Hmm, the lighting is bright, favoring other algal forms... but you can
probably recover the corallines... Try adding a teaspoon of sodium
bicarbonate (baking soda) a day... if/till you can register more than
six milliequivalents per liter of alkalinity (it won't happen)...
Bob Fenner Reef tank (algae control)
Mr. Fenner,
I
appreciate your continued help and all you do for the marine aquarium
hobby.
<Ah, everyone needs to feel important. I am glad to be so
here>
I once again need your expert advice. I'm beyond frustrated
with my reef tank. I currently have an outbreak of ich, and have moved
my fish to a quarantine tank, and am lowering the salinity and temp to
attempt to clear it out. (right track?)
<Yes>
but the ich I can
deal with. my biggest problem is algae. we finally got our live rock
about 50% covered with coralline algae, then it was suddenly (in approx.
1 week) taken over by what looks like a carpet-like green and brown
algae. I clean it off the glass weekly, but it comes back full strength
by the end of the week. I can't figure out a way to get it off the rocks
at all. any advice would be greatly appreciated.
<Have you read
through the mass of materials on algae causes/controls posted on our
site? Please start here: http://wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm
See
all the blue colored links above? I know they're a bunch of them. Do
read through these>
one final question. have you ever heard of "Reef
Vital DNA, enhanced reef life energizer" by Marc Weiss companies, inc.?
we got it because it says it enhances coralline algae growth. I have
been using it steadily (as directed) for over a week. could this stuff
be encouraging my algae growth? any ideas?
<This product is trouble.
Discontinue it, return it and demand a refund. It is helping the algae
problem almost assuredly>
sorry this email was so long, but I have so
many questions, and you're a fountain of knowledge on this subject.
thanks again!!
Tracy
<No worries my friend. Study. Bob Fenner>
Help on Growing Coralline Algae
Hi Bob
<<Hello, JasonC here
filling in while Bob is off diving.>>
I have a 6' x 2' x2' reef tank
up and running (8 months) all is well but I wish to get more red/purple
coralline algae on my live rock, to replace the grey look I get a lot of
green on the rock/glass but want the red/purple is there a formula to
grow this type of algae see attached pics <<Coralline Algae is just
that, algae which means it will usually grow with very little help. The
big secret, and it's not much of a secret, is that coralline needs
calcium to grow. The coralline that is on your rocks now will spread, it
just takes time and nutrients. Do read Bob's article on coralline algae:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corlalgfaqs.htm >>
Many thanks in
advance Wayne
<<You are quite welcome. Cheers, J -- >>
|
|
