Coraline Algae fading

[RLIrwin]

I'm very new to sal****er aquariums and I need some help. I have a 10 gallon
aquarium with two clownfish, a couple of hermit crabs and a four astrea snails.
I have flourescent light that I leave on 10-12 hours per day. I have a filter
that hangs on the back of the tank (millenium 1000) and an under gravel filter
- so I think that water movement is pretty good. The water chemistry is as
follows: ph-8.2-8.4, ammonia 0, nitite-0, nitrate - 5 - SG-1.022, Alk -
normal, Ca - 450, dKh - 11. Temperature is kept at 78-80. I also have begun
adding the kent trace elements product. I change approximately 2 gallons every
other week - beginning with RO water. About 4 weeks ago I got some fiji live
rock with reasonably good coverage of purple coralline algae, some sponges, and
a few pollyps of some sort (white translucent). Everything seems to be doing
ok except that the coralline algae is fading in places to a white color with
just little green. I'd rather keep in purple if possible. Any suggestions?

[LarryT]

My guess is that the lighting intensity changed for this rock and the algae
color is changing due to it. This will happen in corals many times when the
algae inside must increase or reduce due to light intensity.

In my tank the light that is directly hit by the MH's is a lighter purple
than that which is in a shadow.

Probably not what you wanted to hear....you could try to put more actinic,
but it may not give you what you want.

LT


"RLIrwin" > wrote in message
...
> I'm very new to sal****er aquariums and I need some help. I have a 10
gallon
> aquarium with two clownfish, a couple of hermit crabs and a four astrea
snails.
> I have flourescent light that I leave on 10-12 hours per day. I have a
filter
> that hangs on the back of the tank (millenium 1000) and an under gravel
filter
> - so I think that water movement is pretty good. The water chemistry is
as
> follows: ph-8.2-8.4, ammonia 0, nitite-0, nitrate - 5 - SG-1.022, Alk -
> normal, Ca - 450, dKh - 11. Temperature is kept at 78-80. I also have
begun
> adding the kent trace elements product. I change approximately 2 gallons
every
> other week - beginning with RO water. About 4 weeks ago I got some fiji
live
> rock with reasonably good coverage of purple coralline algae, some
sponges, and
> a few pollyps of some sort (white translucent). Everything seems to be
doing
> ok except that the coralline algae is fading in places to a white color
with
> just little green. I'd rather keep in purple if possible. Any
suggestions?

[Marc Levenson]

I'm thinking that your lighting is less than what the LR was under before, and
the salinity is lower as well.

I'd increase your salinity to 1.026 sg / 35ppt at least. If you can increase
your lighting as well, that would help to a degree. However, I've had coralline
grow in very nicely in my refugium with lower lighting, so it could just be one
of those situations where things have to adapt to your specific setup and you'll
have to allow time for this.

Marc


LarryT wrote:

> My guess is that the lighting intensity changed for this rock and the algae
> color is changing due to it. This will happen in corals many times when the
> algae inside must increase or reduce due to light intensity.
>
> In my tank the light that is directly hit by the MH's is a lighter purple
> than that which is in a shadow.
>
> Probably not what you wanted to hear....you could try to put more actinic,
> but it may not give you what you want.
>
> LT
>
> "RLIrwin" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I'm very new to sal****er aquariums and I need some help. I have a 10
> gallon
> > aquarium with two clownfish, a couple of hermit crabs and a four astrea
> snails.
> > I have flourescent light that I leave on 10-12 hours per day. I have a
> filter
> > that hangs on the back of the tank (millenium 1000) and an under gravel
> filter
> > - so I think that water movement is pretty good. The water chemistry is
> as
> > follows: ph-8.2-8.4, ammonia 0, nitite-0, nitrate - 5 - SG-1.022, Alk -
> > normal, Ca - 450, dKh - 11. Temperature is kept at 78-80. I also have
> begun
> > adding the kent trace elements product. I change approximately 2 gallons
> every
> > other week - beginning with RO water. About 4 weeks ago I got some fiji
> live
> > rock with reasonably good coverage of purple coralline algae, some
> sponges, and
> > a few pollyps of some sort (white translucent). Everything seems to be
> doing
> > ok except that the coralline algae is fading in places to a white color
> with
> > just little green. I'd rather keep in purple if possible. Any
> suggestions?

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