Coralline Algae and LEDs

GoPitt88 · Aug 13, 2018

Not sure why it just hit me, but ever since I switched to Kessil LEDs, I basically don't have much coralline algae growth. I only have some in the shadows. Anybody else have the same experience?

Crabs McJones · Aug 13, 2018

What are your parameters? I notice that I couldn't grow coraline until after I started dosing 2 part to keep my calcium and alkalinity up. Started that and now I have a back wall and bottom covered in coraline.

GoPitt88 · Aug 13, 2018

Crabs Mcjones said:
What are your parameters? I notice that I couldn't grow coraline until after I started dosing 2 part to keep my calcium and alkalinity up. Started that and now I have a back wall and bottom covered in coraline.

I dose 2 part as well. I have a 55 gallon mixed reef tank. Calcium is approximately 450 and alk is around 9 to 10.

Crabs McJones · Aug 13, 2018

GoPitt88 said:
I dose 2 part as well. I have a 55 gallon mixed reef tank. Calcium is approximately 450 and alk is around 9 to 10.

What kessils are you running and what are your settings?

hart24601 · Aug 13, 2018

Most types of coralline algae likes low light. The LFS has a tank they were setting up but it ended up taking several months or more but it had water and circulation. No lighting over it but the store overhead fluorescent lights, by the time they ended up selling the tank (guess was good they never stocked it) the thing was totally covered in coralline. This would match why it's only growing in the shadows.

GoPitt88 · Aug 13, 2018

I'm also getting a lot of brown nuisance algae on my sand, and I need to scrape the front glass every other day. My tank is 3 years old. Here is a video.....

cloak · Aug 13, 2018

FWIW I have both a Kessil A160WE and a 165 watt MarsAqua fixture and have no problems whatsoever growing Coralline algae in the tank. The rocks, the glass, the powerheads etc are all covered in that stuff..

DarkSky · Aug 13, 2018

It's anecdotal evidence, but when I was running strictly LEDs, I never had coralline under direct light either, only in shaded or indirectly lit areas. When I switched to T5s, my coralline growth exploded and covered my rockwork in purple.

Hard to say this was a direct result of the LEDs though, because it could have just been a tank maturity issue.

Swoody · Aug 13, 2018

I have only ever had LED lights in my tank and when showing pictures to the owner of my LFS.... and to others, they have commented that it looks as if my rocks are fake that I bought them with the purple coloration on them. I have only had corals in my tank since April-May of this year so I’ve never dosed anything previously into my water, but my Coraline growth has always been off the charts. I have no clue as to why.

Crabs McJones · Aug 13, 2018

GoPitt88 said:
I'm also getting a lot of brown nuisance algae on my sand, and I need to scrape the front glass every other day. My tank is 3 years old. Here is a video.....

What does your lighting schedule as far as color and intensity look like?

GoPitt88 · Aug 13, 2018

Crabs Mcjones said:
What kessils are you running and what are your settings?

360 Tuna Blues, on for 11 hours, ramping up to 80 % intensity, 40% color for a total of 3 hours, then back down to lights out.

rkpetersen · Aug 13, 2018

Coralline algae will grow luxuriantly under just LEDs, and definitely does not prefer low light levels. These are both easily demonstrably true. If you're not getting coralline growth, the problem probably lies elsewhere, most likely either too many nutrients so other algae outcompete them, and/or insufficient calcium/magnesium/alkalinity for adequate growth.

However, it's possible that Kessils may be a special case, given that their configuration is fundamentally different from most other LED lighting brands.

DarkSky · Aug 13, 2018

Swoody said:
I have only ever had LED lights in my tank and when showing pictures to the owner of my LFS.... and to others, they have commented that it looks as if my rocks are fake that I bought them with the purple coloration on them. I have only had corals in my tank since April-May of this year so I’ve never dosed anything previously into my water, but my Coraline growth has always been off the charts. I have no clue as to why.

I would guess:

Proper Alk/Ca parameters (420 Ca PPM, 8.0+ dKh)
Proper nutrition levels (2-10ppm NO3, 0.01-0.03ppm PO4)
Proper PAR readings (60?-300? PAR)

hart24601 · Aug 13, 2018

rkpetersen said:
Coralline algae will grow luxuriantly under just LEDs, and definitely does not prefer low light levels. These are both easily demonstrably true. If you're not getting coralline growth, the problem lies elsewhere, most likely either too many nutrients so other algae outcompete them, and/or insufficient calcium/magnesium/alkalinity for adequate growth.

Does not prefer low light levels? Really?

saltwaterpicaso · Aug 13, 2018

your intensity is to high I had the same problem was at the same as you are now I have lowered them to 70 intensity tops for only 3 hours then 50 for 3 hours each ramp up and down so total 10 hour light period and 23 color its a little on the blue side but since I have done that I have coraline everywhere and awesome coral growth now its been like that for over year now. I had the same problems when I had radions they are just way to bright of lights

saltyfilmfolks · Aug 13, 2018

Purple likes lower light and needs more red orange and yellow (like t5) pink is a difference story. It likes higher lighting and needs less of those spectrums appearantly.
There is IMO some trace elements involved as well besides alk cal and mag.
When I tried the balling method for cal alk mag , the pink corraline exploded in growth , so much so I regretted what I wished for.
I changed back to io and also NSW with esv and BRS alk and mag and the corraline retreated.
When I changed to Fritz pro , I got the pinks back but not as fiercely.

My 30 gal is 120- 180 par on the sand and the 55 is a pretty even 100par in the sand.
My red corraline doesn’t seem to care , it just grows.

saltyfilmfolks · Aug 13, 2018

rkpetersen said:
Coralline algae will grow luxuriantly under just LEDs, and definitely does not prefer low light levels. These are both easily demonstrably true. If you're not getting coralline growth, the problem lies elsewhere, most likely either too many nutrients so other algae outcompete them, and/or insufficient calcium/magnesium/alkalinity for adequate growth.

However, it's possible that Kessils may be a special case, given that the way they function is fundamentally different from most other LED lighting brands.

I disagree.depends on the corraline color. Also the Light led.
I blazed my purple corraline with t5 and only had it on the top back walls and sump.
I had a jbj Light for a year on my Cora qt that wouldn’t grow Xenia or corraline of any color inspite of any intensity change.

GoPitt88 · Aug 13, 2018

rkpetersen said:
Coralline algae will grow luxuriantly under just LEDs, and definitely does not prefer low light levels. These are both easily demonstrably true. If you're not getting coralline growth, the problem lies elsewhere, most likely either too many nutrients so other algae outcompete them, and/or insufficient calcium/magnesium/alkalinity for adequate growth.

I've read the same thing as you are saying. I'll double check my parameters. The nuisance algae points to excessive nutrients, even though my testing shows 0 Phosphates and 1 to 3 nitrates (under 5). I know that's because the algae is consuming the nutrients, so that's why the numbers look low, but I swear I'm not over feeding. Could the excess nutrients be coming from having too many soft coral, ie....die off? My hammer is up against my zoas, and I'm thinking that some coral warfare is going on. I run a protein skimmer, and clean my filters and do 10% water changes religiously.