Coralline death?

mpyers · 08/28/2016, 09:17 PM

What would cause my coralline algae to die? I recently upgraded tanks. So i didnt have much. Just what was on my snails and powerheads and rocks and magnetic cleaner. But its all bleaching white for some reason. My water parameters haven't changed. If they did they're better. Lower nitrate and phos from diluting and water change. All of it has gone white over night.

I'm assuming this is a bad thing?

Dkuhlmann · 08/29/2016, 01:18 AM

I had this happen in the last 6 months or so as well. I'd love to find out why it died. The only thing that I can think of was when I put my new lights on my tank they were too bright and it bleached some of the coralline at the top of my glass. Coralline on the rocks never really looked bleached, it just slowly disappeared.

I'd also like to hear from others that have had this happen.

mpyers · 08/29/2016, 08:36 AM

I made sure i brought everything from the other tank that had some over to seed new growth in the new tank. But it's not looking like that's going to happen. I don't understand why. It grew like crazy in the old tank. And it's the same water plus 40 gallons. I tested water last night. Calcium 440. Alk 3.9 meq/l. pH 8.2. Nitrite 0 ammonia 0. Nitrates 1. Phos 0. Temp 78. Sal 1.024. Same as the old tank.

thegrun · 08/29/2016, 09:50 AM

Changes in water chemistry (particularly alkalinity), too much light (possibly from cleaner water) or even a lack of nutrients in the water will all cause bleaching (or a combination of all three).

mpyers · 08/29/2016, 10:11 AM

I made sure the alk didn't change. The light and nutrients are probably it. Because i got rid of nutrients and my water cleared up really well.

I hope it makes a come back though. I like the coralline. Does it acclimate to light like corals?

mpyers · 08/29/2016, 10:18 AM

Thanks!

ReefsandGeeks · 08/29/2016, 11:57 AM

To me, some people have good luck with it, and it grows like wilefire, to the point where they hate scraping their glass and other people never seem to get it to grow. I've been in the hobby for 3+ years and have never had luck with coralline growing. I've always had tiny bits, but it just never grows for me. I keep a mixed reef and all of my coral grow well.

mpyers · 08/29/2016, 12:09 PM

My first tank exploded with it in the first few weeks. But the water quality otherwise was poor. I got the new tank sump and skimmer in the same week. Everything else is the happiest ever. Full PE on my corals. I liked it everywhere but the front glass.

08/28/2016, 09:17 PM	#1
mpyers Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Cambridge, OH Posts: 311	Coralline death? What would cause my coralline algae to die? I recently upgraded tanks. So i didnt have much. Just what was on my snails and powerheads and rocks and magnetic cleaner. But its all bleaching white for some reason. My water parameters haven't changed. If they did they're better. Lower nitrate and phos from diluting and water change. All of it has gone white over night. I'm assuming this is a bad thing?

08/29/2016, 01:18 AM	#2
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	I had this happen in the last 6 months or so as well. I'd love to find out why it died. The only thing that I can think of was when I put my new lights on my tank they were too bright and it bleached some of the coralline at the top of my glass. Coralline on the rocks never really looked bleached, it just slowly disappeared. I'd also like to hear from others that have had this happen. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

08/29/2016, 08:36 AM	#3
mpyers Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Cambridge, OH Posts: 311	I made sure i brought everything from the other tank that had some over to seed new growth in the new tank. But it's not looking like that's going to happen. I don't understand why. It grew like crazy in the old tank. And it's the same water plus 40 gallons. I tested water last night. Calcium 440. Alk 3.9 meq/l. pH 8.2. Nitrite 0 ammonia 0. Nitrates 1. Phos 0. Temp 78. Sal 1.024. Same as the old tank.

08/29/2016, 09:50 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Changes in water chemistry (particularly alkalinity), too much light (possibly from cleaner water) or even a lack of nutrients in the water will all cause bleaching (or a combination of all three).

08/29/2016, 10:11 AM	#5
mpyers Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Cambridge, OH Posts: 311	I made sure the alk didn't change. The light and nutrients are probably it. Because i got rid of nutrients and my water cleared up really well. I hope it makes a come back though. I like the coralline. Does it acclimate to light like corals?

08/29/2016, 10:18 AM	#6
mpyers Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Cambridge, OH Posts: 311	Thanks!

08/29/2016, 11:57 AM	#7
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	To me, some people have good luck with it, and it grows like wilefire, to the point where they hate scraping their glass and other people never seem to get it to grow. I've been in the hobby for 3+ years and have never had luck with coralline growing. I've always had tiny bits, but it just never grows for me. I keep a mixed reef and all of my coral grow well.

08/29/2016, 12:09 PM	#8
mpyers Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Cambridge, OH Posts: 311	My first tank exploded with it in the first few weeks. But the water quality otherwise was poor. I got the new tank sump and skimmer in the same week. Everything else is the happiest ever. Full PE on my corals. I liked it everywhere but the front glass.