coraline algae is gone, need help to get it back

[Rkthepainter]

Hello all, i had a question, i can no longer keep the deep purple,pink algae i once had. heres what has changed . i added new lights around last year, i had the stock fixutres, i now use pc's. nitrates have always been around 40(mg/l), kh is around 200, ph is at around 8.4. cal is around 300, phosphate at around 0. i never added much calcium before, and had great coraline growth.any help would be great thanks. RK

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The calcium is low and may be limiting the growth. I'd raise it to 420 ppm or so.

Also, certain species of coralline have certain preferences for lighting, and the brighter lights may be too much for it.

How are you measuring phosphate?

These articles may help:

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Phosphorus: Algae’s Best Friend
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm

[DemoDick]

Hi Randy, it's been a while. I spoke with a gentleman tonight at Living Sea named Ian, he was a wealth of info, but told me your the man. Let me ask you seeing that you are talking about calcium levels, if I add calcium should I be adding something else to counter act what the calcium does to the ph. And also what do you think of the product Bi-onic that I am using on a daily basis.

Thanks
Rich

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That all depends on what form you are adding calcium. If you use calcium chloride, or the clacuium part of B-ionic, then it will not impact pH, and you need not add anything for that reason.

The two part additive B-ionic is a fine system to use. :)