Advice on Coralline Algae Please

[prostock442]

I've had nice Coralline algae in my tank since day one when I set my tank up in 2012. I purchased 90 pounds of live rock which was covered with the stuff, (Real, not the fake stuff). Since then, it has covered everything but my fish & if it could attach itself to them, I'd have purple & pink fish. It covers the back glass & both sides completely, all live rock & now it's starting to cover my substrate. Some have said it's a good thing, I must be doing something right when actually, I'm not doing a thing. What do you think? Good? Bad? Scrape it off? Leave it alone? Is there any way to control it & should I? Thanks for any advice.


Also, what causes it to spread & be so overwhelming in my tank?

 

[ro_nicu]

I can imagine your pain, ....
No clue what you're doing right or wrong but if you post the list of your equipment and your maintenance / feeding schedule I bet you might get a cult going, ....
BEATS DEALING WITH ANY OTHER TYPE OF ALGAE.

 

[wdebenedettojr]

Coraline algae is a good thing. If you find out unsightly then scrape it off. Otherwise it's beneficial and a sign of a good tank

 

[jason401]

I know there's a list of urchins that will eat it, I had a long spine for awhile and my rocks were white within a few months

 

[ROCHESTER REEFER]

usually a high calcium # will promote coralline. I also get it at the base of my substrate I scrape it with razor.but I do leave it on the back as well as the rock work. good stuff

 

[s_kelley]

Yup, like said above, its a good thing, a sign of health. I would scrape where you dont want it and get yourself a tuxedo urchin, they eat it. Theres a few other kinds that do too.

 

[Overlook reef]

Coraline algae is a good thing. If you find out unsightly then scrape it off. Otherwise it's beneficial and a sign of a good tank

+1 I just scrape it off the sides of the tank and leave it on my back wall.

 

[Cherokee_Dude]

I had the same issue in my 120.
2 Tuxedo Urchins later and it's being managed. I actually gave one away to another reefer and it's keeping his coraline in check in his 120 as well.

 

[prostock442]

First off, Thanks for the reply's, interesting stuff. As for my equipment, It's listed in my Signature.

Maintenance & parameters are as follows -

TOP OFF WATER once a week about 5 gallons give or tak of RO Water.

WATER CHANGES are few, 5 gallons a month or when I think about it.

FEEDING - Once a day in the A.M. 3 frozen cubes of Brine/Mysis Shrimp & a pinch of flakes with little round pellets.
I turn OFF my filter & my skimmer when I feed, turn back on about 1/2 when water is clear of food.

LIGHTS: I have a coralife 48" 4 bulb fixture with 2 420 Actinics & 2 UV Actinic White 12K bulbs.
I run the lights NON STOP from 8 a.m to 9:30 p.m every day.

PARAMETERS:

CA = 400 (recommended 380-400)

ALKALINITY = 9 (recommended 8-9dkh)

MAGNESIUM = 1400 (recommended 1300)

SALINITY = 1.024 (recommended 1.023 - 1.025)

So there you have it. Been doing this same routine since 2012 & only lost one fish (Liar Tail Anthias female) & that was due to bullying by a male & female of same species. Thanks again for your opinions & help.


MY TANK COMMUNITY:

CORAL BEAUTY - 1
LEOPARD GOBY - 1
SAIL FIN TANG - 1
SCOOTER BLENNY - 2
BLUE REEF CHROMIS - 2
BLACK CAP BASSLETT - 1
CHALK BASS - 1
MAGENTA DOTTIE BACK - 1
HENIOCHUS - 2
BANGGAI CARDINAL FISH - 2
BLACK & WHITE OCELLARIS CLOWNS - 2
LIAR TAIL ANTHIAS - 2
CLEANER SHRIMP - 2
TURBO SNAILS - 5
CLEANUP CREW - SNAILS, CRABS

 

[delta]

Is the tank fish only, softie or LPS? It sounds like you hit the mark on water chemistry and Coraline has nothing to compete with

 

[prostock442]

I have 6 Kenya Tree's & 4 3" clumps of Green Star Polyps. Forgot to put that in my last post of "my tank community".

 

[s_kelley]

Yeah you don't have much to use up the calcium so the coraline is loving it

 

[wpeterson]

+1 to an urchin, like a Tuxedo Urchin.

They will eat any kind of algae and they love coraline. We added one to our tank a month ago and it's been doing a great job cleaning up surfaces.

 

[prostock442]

Thank you, I'll look into urchins.