Light Required For Coraline Algae

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

For my new 180 project, I am thinking about a different approach for the “break-in phase, than I usually use.

I am going to take things especially slow, and was looking for comments my approach.

After the Dead and live sand and live rock are added to the tank, I was thinking about using NO fluorescent lamps, to illuminate the tank. These would only be used until new coraline algae becomes established, and the tank has “fully settled in” I will also be using an algae filter/refugium/mud bed sump system, so this part of the system will also be in the establishment phase.

The live rock that I will use will be Fiji, with little in the way of photosynthetic organisms to support. I will not be adding any coral etc, at this time.

After the tank has become established, I will switch over to my main lighting system, consisting of 3 400 watt MH and VHO actinic.

So I guess my question is, how much light do you need if all you are trying to grow is coraline algae?

Regards,

Scott

 

[Anonymous]

Heh heh heh..

Your plan sounds fine and dandy.. but, as soon as you add them bad boy halides.. you can kiss that coralline goodbye. It will all bleach out.. not permenantly or anything but for a while.

Check this image out. It shows pretty much what happens to coralline that has been under vho's for a year or so, and then suddenly gets to see the light.

All that being said.. I really support your idea. The next tank I setup, I will add the LR and LS and let the whole thing run for a few months before a I add anything else.. no fish, no corals, maybe some snails and support crew, be mainly just LR and LS.. full lights, fauna sump, wavemaker, etc... it's gonna rock.

[This message has been edited by Bishop (edited 19 May 2000).]

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Scott, base on my experence, if you want high growth of purple coraline algae, use only the blue actinic and of course keeping your Magnesium at 1300 ppm that I'm sure you knew, but once you fire up the bad boys, hehe well, you will loose those coraline and replaced with light loving coraline algae mostly of green, however, the purple coraline will make a come back after they adjust to the light changes, but this process will take awhile .

 

[Anonymous]

I've seen the best growth rates and diversity of coralline algae in a tank that has only NO actinics. I can't comment on regular NO lamps though. Overall, your plan also sounds good to me... If you're really worried about bleaching during the lighting change, a simple way I've found to increase intensities without propping the lights or reducing the photoperiod is as follows: get some fiberglass window screen, lay it on top of the tank, and add as many layers as needed to get a similar net light intensity in the tank... pull off a layer at a time until you reach the final intensity.

 

[Anonymous]

Frisco, are you agreeing with me when you say NO actinic, meaning using Normal Output actinic, or "NO" meaning not having actinic?

 

[Anonymous]

NO NO NO....Normal Output

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[Anonymous]

IMO- I think it is best to start the tank the way you are going to run it in the future. By shifting bulbs and Kelvin ratings, you change what is getting fed in the tank. I have never had any problem with my corraline bleaching due to light, though antibiotics can cause this. I use a 175 metal halide. Coralline grows like crazy as long as my calcium and carbonate hardness is kept stable. Keep your dkh at 8-10 and calcium at 350-400. The live rock is the source for this algae, and the amount you get will depend on the quality of the live rock.
If you shift from one light to the other, you can get a big die-off after cycling, causing a big headache especially if you have coral in there. Get the tank into a cycle that will continue. Stability is the key. No sudden changes of any kind.

Best of luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Scott: My tank has run with 2x175 MH & 2x40 NO actinics. Coralline growth was slow for the first 90 days or so and then started slowly but I never had any bleaching occur. My tank is about 75% purple, 20% green & 5% maroon corallines. The green & maroon were much slower growers and did not start until the last 3-4 months or so. Seems to be a trade-off. You can get better coralline growth under lower lights but it appears you would have to be very gradual on upgrading the light or bleaching will occur. Typical for our hobby. It's always a trade-off...RR

 

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

Thanks for the input, I should have added that I was thinking of Tritons when I was contemplating the normal output bulbs. I have a lot of those left over from other projects. I was thinking about using the throwaway NO fixtures that come with the Oceanic 180.

I also have VHO actinic lamps available, and a VHO fixture.

When I switch over to the MH fixture, it will be suspended from chains so I will be able to initially start with the fixture high above the tank.

Is interesting to contemplate whether when we “bleach” the coraline algae, Is it replaced by a different species, or just re-adjusting to the new, higher light level.

I do believe that it will be good not to expose the live rock to the ultimate light intensities until my refugium/algae filter and live sand beds are capable of dealing with (exporting) the nitrates, phosphates etc.

Regards,

Scott