Coraline alge growth help

[gwilcom]

My tank is now 2 months into its first cycle. I have Tonga rock that has multiple different colored coaraline algae growth. The problem is the purple algae or more correctly, lack there of.

Early on in the cycle process buds were popping up everywhere and growing like crazy. That has now all stopped and some of the buds seem to have discolored and died. I used Purple Up early on but that led to green algae growth so I discontinued using it based on advice from folks in this forum and cut back on the lights on time.

What can I do to get the purple growing again without causing green algae growth? My metal halides are on 6 hours a day. Should I slowing start keeping them on longer and at what point is adequate light? 12 hours a day?

 

[Len]

Coralline is temperamental. What you need, for sure, is to make sure your calcium levels and alk are up. This means dripping kalkwasser (works really well to grow coralline), using a Ca reactor, or adding 2 part solutions.

Different coralline algae like different light levels. The deep purple ones usually prefer lower and more blue light. If you want more deep purple, less light or more blue light is a good idea. Extending your MH photoperiod will likely result in less coralline, not more.

Again, focus on water chemistry first. Ca is VERY important to get coralline to grow like a pest.

 

[Anonymous]

And don't wish too hard for it.

I haaaaaatee scrapping that crap of the glass all the time :evil: