Coralline algae help.

hayes_101 · 06/22/2011, 07:56 PM

I have a 55 gal reef that has bean set up for almost a year now and over the past 2 months or so I have noticed a sharp decline in my coralline. it is looking bleached and spotty. it still grows but it is almost a pinkish white.
I noticed the change around the same time that my t5s had to be changed. to make a long story short I saved up my $ and instead of replacing my lights I picked up 2 led fixtures. and set them up about 2 weeks ago. the fixtures are 2 watt leds 30 white 15k and 25 blue.
the other change I made was an algae scrubber ( 3 months old) the vertical mesh type and I clean the hair algae off it weekly. and I was wondering if that might have something to do with it?
I do 20 gal water changes a month, I will soon be doing 5 gal a week. and my perimeters stay relatively stable.
perimeters are
Ammonia- 0
nitrite- 0
nitrate- 0
PH- 8.4
calcium- 400ppm
KH- 125.3 ppm
phosphate-0
can some one pleas help? and I don't know what this means but I have a few really big green sponges growing on one of my rocks.

kfisc · 06/22/2011, 08:06 PM

I'd say it was the change in lighting; intensity change can really kill it off quickly.

Army_JAG · 06/22/2011, 08:50 PM

i am going to second that ^ because LEDs have a HUGE variations on the quality and spectrum they produce. I am weary about LEDs, others will disagree. I noticed your Calcium is at 400ppm, are you dosing to keep your levels that high?

BurntOutReefer · 06/22/2011, 11:12 PM

^I tend to agree also....expect to see more threads on this...LED's Killed My Coraline
(sung to Video Killed the Radio Star)

crvz · 06/23/2011, 07:47 AM

do you have a link to the lights you bought? I've found that coralline does not like highly intense lights, or at least it will need to acclimate to new lighting and will often loose color when something like that changes. I've also had some experience of coralline loss due to fluctuating alkalinity levels, so you may consider that as well.

hayes_101 · 06/23/2011, 04:04 PM

http://my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...&gbh=1&guest=1
that's the link, I know of some other people using these lights and they don't seam to have this problem.

hayes_101 · 06/23/2011, 04:06 PM

and the calcium thing I did not think that was high.... kinda thought it was low. according to the booklet that came with the test kit it should be around 400 and 500ppm

thebkramer · 06/23/2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayes_101

and the calcium thing I did not think that was high.... kinda thought it was low. according to the booklet that came with the test kit it should be around 400 and 500ppm

your right

Ca.. 350-450
its nice to keep Ca around 420.. 400 is good !!

hayes_101 · 06/23/2011, 04:36 PM

o ok just kinda had me worried that I was reading something wrong...

thebkramer · 06/23/2011, 04:40 PM

not at all

mine stays between 400 and 420 regularly and I never dose..

hayes_101 · 06/23/2011, 05:20 PM

do you think a bubble tip anemone do ok in my tank with this lighting?

06/22/2011, 07:56 PM	#1
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	Coralline algae help. I have a 55 gal reef that has bean set up for almost a year now and over the past 2 months or so I have noticed a sharp decline in my coralline. it is looking bleached and spotty. it still grows but it is almost a pinkish white. I noticed the change around the same time that my t5s had to be changed. to make a long story short I saved up my $ and instead of replacing my lights I picked up 2 led fixtures. and set them up about 2 weeks ago. the fixtures are 2 watt leds 30 white 15k and 25 blue. the other change I made was an algae scrubber ( 3 months old) the vertical mesh type and I clean the hair algae off it weekly. and I was wondering if that might have something to do with it? I do 20 gal water changes a month, I will soon be doing 5 gal a week. and my perimeters stay relatively stable. perimeters are Ammonia- 0 nitrite- 0 nitrate- 0 PH- 8.4 calcium- 400ppm KH- 125.3 ppm phosphate-0 can some one pleas help? and I don't know what this means but I have a few really big green sponges growing on one of my rocks. __________________ 55 gal reef 30 gal sump. ammonia 0/nitrite 0/ nitrate 0/ KH 8 dkh/ phosphate 0/ cal. 420 ppm/ PH 8.0 3 scissor tail chromis, 1 true clown, purple tube anemone, 1 starry blenny, 2 yellow tail damsels, horseshoe crab, cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, filter feeding cucumber, and CUC. coral- colony of green star polyps/button/brown mushrooms, large devils hand, Kenya tree Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef set up NEW

06/23/2011, 07:47 AM	#5
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	do you have a link to the lights you bought? I've found that coralline does not like highly intense lights, or at least it will need to acclimate to new lighting and will often loose color when something like that changes. I've also had some experience of coralline loss due to fluctuating alkalinity levels, so you may consider that as well. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

06/23/2011, 04:04 PM	#6
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	http://my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...&gbh=1&guest=1 that's the link, I know of some other people using these lights and they don't seam to have this problem. __________________ 55 gal reef 30 gal sump. ammonia 0/nitrite 0/ nitrate 0/ KH 8 dkh/ phosphate 0/ cal. 420 ppm/ PH 8.0 3 scissor tail chromis, 1 true clown, purple tube anemone, 1 starry blenny, 2 yellow tail damsels, horseshoe crab, cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, filter feeding cucumber, and CUC. coral- colony of green star polyps/button/brown mushrooms, large devils hand, Kenya tree Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef set up NEW

06/23/2011, 04:06 PM	#7
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	and the calcium thing I did not think that was high.... kinda thought it was low. according to the booklet that came with the test kit it should be around 400 and 500ppm __________________ 55 gal reef 30 gal sump. ammonia 0/nitrite 0/ nitrate 0/ KH 8 dkh/ phosphate 0/ cal. 420 ppm/ PH 8.0 3 scissor tail chromis, 1 true clown, purple tube anemone, 1 starry blenny, 2 yellow tail damsels, horseshoe crab, cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, filter feeding cucumber, and CUC. coral- colony of green star polyps/button/brown mushrooms, large devils hand, Kenya tree Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef set up NEW

06/23/2011, 04:36 PM	#9
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	o ok just kinda had me worried that I was reading something wrong... __________________ 55 gal reef 30 gal sump. ammonia 0/nitrite 0/ nitrate 0/ KH 8 dkh/ phosphate 0/ cal. 420 ppm/ PH 8.0 3 scissor tail chromis, 1 true clown, purple tube anemone, 1 starry blenny, 2 yellow tail damsels, horseshoe crab, cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, filter feeding cucumber, and CUC. coral- colony of green star polyps/button/brown mushrooms, large devils hand, Kenya tree Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef set up NEW

06/22/2011, 08:06 PM	#2
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	I'd say it was the change in lighting; intensity change can really kill it off quickly.

06/22/2011, 08:50 PM	#3
Army_JAG Moved On Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Fort Stewart GA Posts: 58	i am going to second that ^ because LEDs have a HUGE variations on the quality and spectrum they produce. I am weary about LEDs, others will disagree. I noticed your Calcium is at 400ppm, are you dosing to keep your levels that high?

06/22/2011, 11:12 PM	#4
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	^I tend to agree also....expect to see more threads on this...LED's Killed My Coraline (sung to Video Killed the Radio Star)

06/23/2011, 04:40 PM	#10
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	not at all mine stays between 400 and 420 regularly and I never dose.. __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

06/23/2011, 05:20 PM	#11
hayes_101 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: yarmouth N.S Posts: 214	do you think a bubble tip anemone do ok in my tank with this lighting? __________________ 55 gal reef 30 gal sump. ammonia 0/nitrite 0/ nitrate 0/ KH 8 dkh/ phosphate 0/ cal. 420 ppm/ PH 8.0 3 scissor tail chromis, 1 true clown, purple tube anemone, 1 starry blenny, 2 yellow tail damsels, horseshoe crab, cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, filter feeding cucumber, and CUC. coral- colony of green star polyps/button/brown mushrooms, large devils hand, Kenya tree Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef set up NEW

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