no coraline growth!!! I think.......

[supermarvin76]

My tank has been up now for over a year.

Ammonia=0,
Nitrite=0,
Nitrate=20,
Calcium=440,
Alk=13,
PH-8.2

I know the Alk is high, (I think it should be around 8-9) but I don't add anything to my knowledge to make it that high. All that I add is Seachem Reef Complete. Some of the rocks that I bought have very nice coraline on them, but I don't notice any new coraline growth.....There may be some new on some rocks, but I don't know if it is just my imagination. I would think that I would start to see it first on power heads, and the overflow box....Am I correct in thinking this?

Also, there appears to be new growth on the rocks that is light green. It looks hard though, not like regular alage, and one rock has alot of the same thing on it, but yellow. Is this a different type of coraline than I am used to seeing?

Thanks!!!

[PatMayo]

I would not add the Seachem stuff. It obvously is changing the alkalinity. Do they list what is in the ingredients?

The general rule of thumb is not to add anything to your tank unless you can measure or test it. With the Seachem your adding all kinds of things to your tank that you are not currently measuring for.

I would stop dosing that and just see if your alkalinity does not fall back down. (Chances are it will.)

Regards,

Pat

[Danster]

In your parameters you never said what your phosphate levels are. If they are elevated it can prohibit coraline algae growth.

[bertoni]

SeaChem Reef Complete contains calcium, magnesium, and strontium. It won't lower alkalinity noticeably unless a precipitation event occurs.

The phosphate level might be an issue. Also, I've noticed that some macroalgae seem to outcompete coralline in my tanks, so perhaps there's not enough food available.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that elevated phosphate and elevated organics are frequent causes of poor coralline growth, along with inadequate populations or strains/species to start with.

The slightly high alkalinity is not a problem for coralline.