Is it correct to say...

[Dom]

Is it correct to conclude that the growth of coraline algae in a tank means that there is more calcium in the tank than is being consumed by corals?

If so, can this be used as a gauge for dialing in calcium supplementation?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Is it correct to conclude that the growth of coraline algae in a tank means that there is more calcium in the tank than is being consumed by corals?

If so, can this be used as a gauge for dialing in calcium supplementation?

I too would like to know this as I cannot grow coraline to save my life lol.

 

[redfishbluefish]

You can not use coralline algae growth (or no growth) to dial in calcium. For one, the lag time of low or high calcium to growth rate is very slow. You want a steady/stable amount of calcium for good coral growth. Also, it's not like sitting down at the dinner table and corals get first crack at the calcium. It's all for one and one for all.

Hate to say it, you have to test for proper calcium levels....and alk and mag as well. It's actually the alk you are going to see fluctuate quicker.

 

[Crabs McJones]

You can not use coralline algae growth (or no growth) to dial in calcium. For one, the lag time of low or high calcium to growth rate is very slow. You want a steady/stable amount of calcium for good coral growth. Also, it's not like sitting down at the dinner table and corals get first crack at the calcium. It's all for one and one for all.

Hate to say it, you have to test for proper calcium levels....and alk and mag as well. It's actually the alk you are going to see fluctuate quicker.

I test my cal level and keep it at around 450-480, I was basically wondering if I had excess would the coraline be able to grow better? Or leave it where it is and don't worry about coraline? Thanks for your help

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

Coraline algae does not respond to heavy light well which affects growth.

 

[Dom]

You can not use coralline algae growth (or no growth) to dial in calcium. For one, the lag time of low or high calcium to growth rate is very slow. You want a steady/stable amount of calcium for good coral growth. Also, it's not like sitting down at the dinner table and corals get first crack at the calcium. It's all for one and one for all.

Hate to say it, you have to test for proper calcium levels....and alk and mag as well. It's actually the alk you are going to see fluctuate quicker.

Wasn't suggesting that it could be used INSTEAD of testing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is it correct to conclude that the growth of coraline algae in a tank means that there is more calcium in the tank than is being consumed by corals?

If so, can this be used as a gauge for dialing in calcium supplementation?

There is always more calcium than corals can use. Nothing can use it all up, but the levels can be too low to be useful. I don’t see how you’d use growth of any organism as an indication of calcium levels in any useful sense.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I test my cal level and keep it at around 450-480, I was basically wondering if I had excess would the coraline be able to grow better? Or leave it where it is and don't worry about coraline? Thanks for your help

Calcium is not generally the limiting factor in coral or coralline growth unless it gets pretty low.

 

[Dom]

There is always more calcium than corals can use. Nothing can use it all up, but the levels can be too low to be useful. I don’t see how you’d use growth of any organism as an indication of calcium levels in any useful sense.

Apparently, I am laboring under a misconception; that is greater coraline growth = higher calcium levels.

 

[madweazl]

Coraline algae does not respond to heavy light well which affects growth.

I don't believe there to be any association to light intensity in regard to coralline growth, certainly not in my tank anyways.

Apparently, I am laboring under a misconception; that is greater coraline growth = higher calcium levels.

You may be thinking of magnesium as some suggest elevating it helps with growth. Mine is typically 1350-1380 so I don't have any first hand experience with growth rates above that.

 

[40B Knasty]

I too would like to know this as I cannot grow coraline to save my life lol.

Get a snail with coraline on it and scrape the coraline off the shell over your tank. That helps start it. I imagine it is just like every algae, spores help reproduce. This way you get to pick the color you want. That's what I was told and has worked to get that nice cranberry colored one for me. Not the purple one.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Get a snail with coraline on it and scrape the coraline off the shell over your tank. That helps start it. I imagine it is just like every algae, spores help reproduce. This way you get to pick the color you want. That's what I was told and has worked to get that nice cranberry colored one for me. Not the purple one.

I have random spots of it in my tank, so it's there, just doesn't seem to grow like you see in other tanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Apparently, I am laboring under a misconception; that is greater coraline growth = higher calcium levels.

It isn't true for corals. I've not seen any evidence that it is true for coralline, and have rarely seen it claimed either. High magnesium might encourage coralline since it uses an unusually large amount relative to many corals as it deposits calcium carbonate, but alkalinity is usually though to be the limiting factor among of big three parameters, at least in terms of calcification rate.