Coraline Algae light spectrum

[Anthrax15]

Does coraline algae need a certain light spectrum or kelvin in order to grow? I have used ARC Reef PINK & PURPLE LIVE CORALLINE ALGAE KIT, scraped shells that had the algae on it, and used scrapings from another reefers tank but have not seen a dot of growth. Light schedule is on the bluer side but I am still using "Cool White" during my growth period. Lighting is 2x AI Hydra 32 HD's over a 36"x24"x16" tank.

Tank is a little over 11 weeks old, parameters have been stable at:

Temp - 76.5
Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.0 - 8.4
Nitrate - 2-5
Phosphate - 0.07 - 0.12
Calcium - 430
Alkalinity - 7.5
Magnesium - 1400

PAR meter has been used for the tank as well, top rocks peaking around 250-300.

 

[Pistondog]

Does coraline algae need a certain light spectrum or kelvin in order to grow? I have used ARC Reef PINK & PURPLE LIVE CORALLINE ALGAE KIT, scraped shells that had the algae on it, and used scrapings from another reefers tank but have not seen a dot of growth. Light schedule is on the bluer side but I am still using "Cool White" during my growth period. Lighting is 2x AI Hydra 32 HD's over a 36"x24"x16" tank.

Tank is a little over 11 weeks old, parameters have been stable at:

Temp - 76.5
Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.0 - 8.4
Nitrate - 2-5
Phosphate - 0.07 - 0.12
Calcium - 430
Alkalinity - 7.5
Magnesium - 1400

PAR meter has been used for the tank as well, top rocks peaking around 250-300.

Spectrum and nutrients look ideal.
How long ago did you add the spores?

 

[ScubaFish802]

Bump + Following

 

[Spieg]

Alk seems a little on the low side. I think increasing to 8.4 might produce coralline faster.

 

[Pistondog]

Careful what you wish for.

 

[Anthrax15]

Spectrum and nutrients look ideal.
How long ago did you add the spores?

Added Coraline in a bottle July 9th. Scrapings added 2 weeks ago.

 

[glendale789]

Does coraline algae need a certain light spectrum or kelvin in order to grow? I have used ARC Reef PINK & PURPLE LIVE CORALLINE ALGAE KIT, scraped shells that had the algae on it, and used scrapings from another reefers tank but have not seen a dot of growth. Light schedule is on the bluer side but I am still using "Cool White" during my growth period. Lighting is 2x AI Hydra 32 HD's over a 36"x24"x16" tank.

Tank is a little over 11 weeks old, parameters have been stable at:

Temp - 76.5
Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.0 - 8.4
Nitrate - 2-5
Phosphate - 0.07 - 0.12
Calcium - 430
Alkalinity - 7.5
Magnesium - 1400

PAR meter has been used for the tank as well, top rocks peaking around 250-300.

Time. Your specs look good, but I'm with @Spieg on the alk. I run mine at 8.5 to 9. I never added any seeding and it took four months. Hang in there!

 

[Pistondog]

Added Coraline in a bottle July 9th. Scrapings added 2 weeks ago.

Arc says up to 8 weeks. Ph 8.1 to 8.4

https://arcreef.com/faq/

See how long does it take...

 

[MurphyJ]

Have you checked your strontium level? Unless you are using a 2 part that includes it or calcium reactor you may be low. If my level falls to 0 my coralline stops.

 

[hobbyreefer]

I don’t think alk is your issue. I run mine at 7-7.5 and have tons of corraline. I also grow it all over my sump with my AI fuge light all red. I think you probably just need more time or to introduce more corraline from a couple of snails or frag plugs.

 

[Anthrax15]

Have you checked your strontium level? Unless you are using a 2 part that includes it or calcium reactor you may be low. If my level falls to 0 my coralline stops.

Don't have a Strontium test kit and I haven't started using 2 part yet. 20% WC using Red Sea Blue bucket bi-weekly have been taking care of all my parameters.

Looks like I'll just have to keep adding more and keep an eye out.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Difrano]

Does coraline algae need a certain light spectrum or kelvin in order to grow? I have used ARC Reef PINK & PURPLE LIVE CORALLINE ALGAE KIT, scraped shells that had the algae on it, and used scrapings from another reefers tank but have not seen a dot of growth. Light schedule is on the bluer side but I am still using "Cool White" during my growth period. Lighting is 2x AI Hydra 32 HD's over a 36"x24"x16" tank.

Tank is a little over 11 weeks old, parameters have been stable at:

Temp - 76.5
Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.0 - 8.4
Nitrate - 2-5
Phosphate - 0.07 - 0.12
Calcium - 430
Alkalinity - 7.5
Magnesium - 1400

PAR meter has been used for the tank as well, top rocks peaking around 250-300.

Tank is too young, 11 weeks is not enough for big coraline growth I will bet if you look closer some rocks you will find some little tiny dots here and there, if you seed it it is there lurking waiting for the right moment to kick off. Don't worry about light spectrum, just this morning In realized I have huge coraline patches on the dark side of my sump where just a little light from the fuge light spill off. My tank took about 3 months to start and now coraline is outgrowing my GHA, good luck that my urchin got a taste for it and help me with the clean process.

 

[mikereefing]

My coralline in both my nano and 66g took off after I started dosing alk/ca/mg. I agree with the others that these parameters are pretty important. Interesting thing to note was that I was battling dinos in my 66g for 1 month and was using blues/UV only for my AI primes. Coralline grew in this low light but pretty slow. I've only recently bumped back the cool white in my lights and the coralline started growing NOTICEABLY faster on the tank walls.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Have you checked your strontium level? Unless you are using a 2 part that includes it or calcium reactor you may be low. If my level falls to 0 my coralline stops.

FWIW, that would surprise me if it was generally true.

 

[MurphyJ]

Yes, I know you have stated that Strontium has little bearing and supplementation is not required. Although a post a few months back you clarified if levels are normal and mine were not. I went from Kalk to BRS calcium as my demand rose. Never thought about Strontium.
Although I had parameters in the normal range For ALK/CA/MAG, I saw little coralline growth and being new to Acros was not sure if the “Slower than watching paint dry” growth rate was normal.

After reading a lot of opinions, posts (yours a the top of the list), and talking to local refers whom I respect I checked the Strontium level and Found it was 0. I slowly added until I hit a range of 6 mg/l and coralline started growing. I also feel that the Arco growth rate is better, though that is personal observation. I now try to maintain 10 mg/l by adding Strontium to the calcium part per your recipe.

 

[BamaCoastPyrat]

Does coraline algae need a certain light spectrum or kelvin in order to grow? I have used ARC Reef PINK & PURPLE LIVE CORALLINE ALGAE KIT, scraped shells that had the algae on it, and used scrapings from another reefers tank but have not seen a dot of growth. Light schedule is on the bluer side but I am still using "Cool White" during my growth period. Lighting is 2x AI Hydra 32 HD's over a 36"x24"x16" tank.

Tank is a little over 11 weeks old, parameters have been stable at:

Temp - 76.5
Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.0 - 8.4
Nitrate - 2-5
Phosphate - 0.07 - 0.12
Calcium - 430
Alkalinity - 7.5
Magnesium - 1400

PAR meter has been used for the tank as well, top rocks peaking around 250-300.

Did you ever figure out the optimal light settings for coralline growth? I am setting up two AI Prime 16HD's and mainly want to encourage coralline growth.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

My view on the light spectrum is that no matter what spectrum you choose, eventually the coralline that prefers that brightness or colour of light will hitchhike into the tank and spread. It just takes time.

Now as far as strontium supplementation, I have noticed an uptick in coralline growth that coincides with me providing extra strontium. None of the LFS's near me seem to carry the Salifert test for it any longer, so I only dose a modest amount as per the ESV directions.

 

[Morpheosz]

Did you ever figure out the optimal light settings for coralline growth? I am setting up two AI Prime 16HD's and mainly want to encourage coralline growth.

My short experience with a 4 month old tank that is growing coralline like mad is that the light doesn't matter that much as I have completely different lighting (lights and spectrum) on my DT and my fuge, and they are both growing it like crazy. The fuge has a Kessil A160WE freshwater version. I am dosing the Triton Core7 which has supplements that assume you have a macroalgae in a fuge so that might be making the difference. It definitely doesn't seem too picky on lighting though in my case.

 

[sfin52]

Don't have a Strontium test kit and I haven't started using 2 part yet. 20% WC using Red Sea Blue bucket bi-weekly have been taking care of all my parameters.

Looks like I'll just have to keep adding more and keep an eye out.

Thanks everyone!

Ya becareful what you wish for. My corline was tearing through alk and calcium. I ended up getting a rock boring urchin and it has tamed the corline.