Coraline as an indication of good tank health

[ming]

Not to say testing your water isn't important, because it definitely is.
But when you look at someone's tank, do you judge how healthy their tank is based on the amount of coraline growth in the rocks?
I usually do.
Heres a quick photo
4/29/08

5/31/08

 

[FISHFM1]

Hi nice tank if u have some frag from pl call me 917-859-4005 Shah

 

[marrone]

I usually don't. What you'll find it some tanks are better setup to have coraline will others aren't. Some people can't stop growing it, and don't have successful tanks, while other can't and have excellent tanks.

 

[NYreefNoob]

i wouldnt say so alway's, i know of a swamp tank that has killer coraline growth and all he dose's in purple up, doesnt do water change's and little to no flow and only usinf pc's

 

[autoponicz]

yea i kinda do look for the coraline...it usually means your alk/cal/mg is in the proper ratios...

but seems like corraline grows on my glass more than the rocks...would there be a difference:scratchch

 

[ming]

I should mention with the exception of softy tanks, and maybe LPS
Coraline usually mostly the same elements are SPS or LPS skeletons so I figure they go hand in hand.
I have yet to see a SPS dominated tank without much coraline unless its relatively new (< 1 year old) and a bunch of twigs isn't considered successful

 

[NYreefNoob]

dang and i thought i had a successful tank with my twigs and it being under a year old. i get coraline growth in odd place's

 

[wxl14]

I dont think its a sign of a good tank. Just a sign of Coraline algae growth.

 

[ming]

dang and i thought i had a successful tank with my twigs and it being under a year old. i get coraline growth in odd place's

Are those odd places where your powerheads are blowing?

 

[mray]

Coralline grows faster on my glass than on my rocks.

 

[ming]

Coralline grows faster on my glass than on my rocks.

Are your powerheads aiming at your rocks or your glass?

 

[mray]

Never thought of aiming them at my rocks. Right now it's pointing at my glass.

 

[ming]

Never thought of aiming them at my rocks. Right now it's pointing at my glass.

Not saying to aim that at your glass, but coraline grows much faster from more flow. There probably is low flow over your rocks which will cause less coraline growth there as well. I have a small wave going so it gets water movement everywhere, which will give corals as well as my rocks a lot of flow which I think helps them grow better.

Something like a maxijet 1200 aimed at your rock would be intense because it blows water like a jet stream. It can rip the skin off your corals as well.

 

[NYreefNoob]

i get it in back corner's and on my bulk heads, front glass which my ph's are aimed at barely get's any, my external over flow is covered on the inside. most of my rock is covered, but i also try and scrape the coraline and then crush it up and dump back into the tank

 

[ming]

i get it in back corner's and on my bulk heads, front glass which my ph's are aimed at barely get's any, my external over flow is covered on the inside. most of my rock is covered, but i also try and scrape the coraline and then crush it up and dump back into the tank

I don't know whats happening with the back corners, but if you clean your glass with a magfloat every day, it will greatly slow down the growth of coraline on the glass. Even though a mag float won't scrape coraline off, I find it prevents it from growing in the first place. As for your overflow, since yours is clear, that allows the light to shine in and water splashes down increasing the amount of flow there which would probably increase the growth. Do you scrape the back wall to get rid of the coraline? If you let the back wall get covered in coraline, the coraline inside your overflow would get less light and might die off.

 

[NYreefNoob]

i dont mind it on the overflow, keep's me from seeing the piping

 

[KuyaMark]

my corralline grows on both my rocks and glass especially on my koralia's!

 

[Wes]

i don't judge by the amount of coralline algae BUT... When I see tanks with dead or dying coralline it's a sign that something is not right.

 

[reefman]

coraline is 1 of the top 5 signs. that in itself is not. i have a friend with so much coraline growth that u need a chisel to chip it off. but it sure aint a successful reef tank.

 

[DontXtripNfall]

Whats the best solution for getting the hard stuck on algaes off ur bent corners of the glass... anyone have a fav afffordable scraper?