Coralline Algae?

[yanksfan11]

This is coralline algae correct? Tanks been running four about 6 weeks now with just two clowns in it. Levels are stable with a salinity of 1.024. This pink algae on the rocks just popped up on Monday but after reading forums and some research I'm thinking this is the pink coralline algae which is a good sign for my tank but just wanted to confirm...

 

[9975]

I doubt its coralline that quickly. I would guess that something like cyano may be starting to form

 

[yanksfan11]

I was really hoping it wasn't cyano. Figured since I have one live rock in the tank that maybe the coralline would appear a bit earlier. What's the best want to control the cyano? Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

Best way to tell- blow with a turkey baster- if it falls off, cyano
If not- could be beginning of coraline

 

[yanksfan11]

Best way to tell- blow with a turkey baster- if it falls off, cyano
If not- could be beginning of coraline

It does not come off easily, I just tried rubbing and scraping it with no luck. There was a little on my tank glass that came off easily with the scrubber. Not sure coralline would be forming at all on glass though which has me a little concerned.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Cyano
Refuce white light intensity. Check your phosphate level and are you using RO water or tap water from faucet?
Do not add NoPox or coral foods for now which will feed cyano bacteria

 

[rapid]

youve been wet for 6 weeks your gonna go through the uglies.

Keep testing and monitoring levels Do not chase numbers

Expect this to get a lot worse keep doing water changes and weekly maintenance.

Coraline in my experince will gro wany were but only after months of being wet. it also grows outwards in my opinion starts as a spot then the spot covers more and more gets bigger and bigger. dosnt show up or grow like cyano or dinos.

 

[yanksfan11]

youve been wet for 6 weeks your gonna go through the uglies.

Keep testing and monitoring levels Do not chase numbers

Expect this to get a lot worse keep doing water changes and weekly maintenance.

Coraline in my experince will gro wany were but only after months of being wet. it also grows outwards in my opinion starts as a spot then the spot covers more and more gets bigger and bigger. dosnt show up or grow like cyano or dinos.

Cyano
Refuce white light intensity. Check your phosphate level and are you using RO water or tap water from faucet?
Do not add NoPox or coral foods for now which will feed cyano bacteria

Cyano
Refuce white light intensity. Check your phosphate level and are you using RO water or tap water from faucet?
Do not add NoPox or coral foods for now which will feed cyano bacteria

Using only RODI water since day 1 for the tank and also in my ATO reservoir. I have only a white light on the tank right now but upgrading to a new one once I am ready for corals, the light is on for about 8+ hours a day, is that too long? Also have not added a clean up crew just yet but thinking I should sooner than later.

 

[terraincognita]

It does not come off easily, I just tried rubbing and scraping it with no luck. There was a little on my tank glass that came off easily with the scrubber. Not sure coralline would be forming at all on glass though which has me a little concerned.

corraline will definitely grow on your glass.

Looks like cyano or diatoms to me as well, but if it doesn't spray off with a baster or move then it's most likely corraline, but could be another pest algae honestly as well.

The coloring seems slightly off to me for a red corraline. maybe just the photo

Dont listen to anyone else's "time line" on what should or shouldn't be happening in time. I have a 2 month old tank with more corraline than I ever wanted. Every reef, and every rock is different. This is just a rule of thumb for general listening. while we can ID stuff generally and from the photos it looks like what I've said. But just time-lines are arbitrary.

But it does look like a nusaince growth rather than corraline in this case.

 

[j.falk]

Dont listen to anyone else's "time line" on what should or shouldn't be happening in time. I have a 2 month old tank with more corraline than I ever wanted.

Didn't you seed yours with bottled corraline?

 

[terraincognita]

Didn't you seed yours with bottled corraline?

No, with a rock that had corraline on it, but I don't like to seed bottled.

 

[92Miata]

You can definitely have corraline at this age - but generally just on glass/plastic. It takes a long time to colonize dry rock.

And it tends to come in spots - not spread out like this.

 

[rapid]

Using only RODI water since day 1 for the tank and also in my ATO reservoir. I have only a white light on the tank right now but upgrading to a new one once I am ready for corals, the light is on for about 8+ hours a day, is that too long? Also have not added a clean up crew just yet but thinking I should sooner than later.

for now lights on for 8 hours is fine but 8 hours a little too short lol for just fish thats fine but if your wanted to set up a mixed reef id leave lights on for 10 hours with a ramp up and 3 hours peaking period then ramp down till lights out.

dont add too much clean up crew. Make sure you are able to keep the CUC alive with proper amounts of algae and feeding. If you have CUC die off becuase of lack of food for them itll add to your nutrients and then youll really be battleing aglae.

 

[terraincognita]

for now lights on for 8 hours is fine but 8 hours a little too short lol for just fish thats fine but if your wanted to set up a mixed reef id leave lights on for 10 hours with a ramp up and 3 hours peaking period then ramp down till lights out.

dont add too much clean up crew. Make sure you are able to keep the CUC alive with proper amounts of algae and feeding. If you have CUC die off becuase of lack of food for them itll add to your nutrients and then youll really be battleing aglae.

This is good advice, additionally if you're fighting uglies though you can always reduce lighting temporarily without too much harm.

Most people wait to add corals until the uglies are gone because cutting out lights for a week can be one of the most effective treatments. Fish will be fine without light for a week as well.

also +1 on not adding CUC til enough to keep them fed.

Nuisance Algae also prefers whiter lighting vs blue. So white lights will feed them.

 

[SMSREEF]

youve been wet for 6 weeks your gonna go through the uglies.

Keep testing and monitoring levels Do not chase numbers

Expect this to get a lot worse keep doing water changes and weekly maintenance.

Coraline in my experince will gro wany were but only after months of being wet. it also grows outwards in my opinion starts as a spot then the spot covers more and more gets bigger and bigger. dosnt show up or grow like cyano or dinos.

Exactly. This is coralline growth in pic like @rapid explains
These small circles grow outward, and do not come off without a razor or seriously hard scrubbing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Using only RODI water since day 1 for the tank and also in my ATO reservoir. I have only a white light on the tank right now but upgrading to a new one once I am ready for corals, the light is on for about 8+ hours a day, is that too long? Also have not added a clean up crew just yet but thinking I should sooner than later.

See if you can filter it a little with a sheet of typing paper

 

[Reef.]

If no corals, I would turn the light off until you have something in the tank that needs light, having it on now will only add to the ugly stage.

 

[SMSREEF]

I did no light for 3 months and still had ugly stage when lights came on. just my experience and opinion after that experience, if your ballance is created with no light, when lights come on, you disrupt that ballance.

 

[Reef.]

I did no light for 3 months and still had ugly stage when lights came on. just my experience and opinion after that experience, if your ballance is created with no light, when lights come on, you disrupt that ballance.

maybe that’s the case, BRS recommended a 3-4 lightless cycle so that’s good enough for me.
The op is using a white light for 8 hours and is already noticing the ugly stage after only a few weeks so I think keeping the light off when it’s not needed would benefit the tank.

 

[SMSREEF]

maybe that’s the case, BRS recommended a 3-4 lightless cycle so that’s good enough for me.
The op is using a white light for 8 hours and is already noticing the ugly stage after only a few weeks so I think keeping the light off when it’s not needed would benefit the tank.

But did you actually do it?
I did and I still got the ugly stage when lights came on. I would not do it again.
Like I wrote, just my experience and does not mean it will work in anyone else’s tank the same way. Too many variables.
I would Leave lights on, get a CUC and start suctioning out what is growing out of control.