T5 bulbs and coralline algae

[Fishfood]

I'm having a real hard time getting coraline algae to grow. I had some decent spots on the back glass at one point but it hardly took off. I'm running an Icecap 440 with 4 bulbs and a Tek with 2 bulbs. The two bulb system is on from noon to 10 and the 4 bulb system is on from 5-9. The bulbs are 5 ATI's(4 blue plus, 1 aquablue) and a KZ fiji purple. Acros are growing great. Zoanthids are struggling with the high light, lps need to be on the bottom of the tank and shaded or they struggle.

The tank at my wifes office is now also having a problem. It was doing great on stock Red Sea Max 250 with the 6 bulbs. When we changed them to all ATI the coralline has slowly declinde.

Anyone have any answers? I was dosing but haven't in a while. I didn't notice any extra growth while doing 2 part, other than on my corals.

[jt3069]

WHAT ARE YOUR PHOSPHATES, CORALINE ALAGE REQUIRE PHOSPHATES JUST LIKE HAIR ALAGE
YOUR CORAL SEEM TO BE TAKING UP MOST OF YOUR PHOSPHATES
FROM WHAT I SEEN OF YOUR TANK I WOULD LEAVE IT ALONE, BUT IF YOU WANTED I'D ADD PURPLE UP
IT WILL HELP GROW CORALLINE ALAGE
BUT BE CAREFUL IT CAN ALSO START HAIR ALAGE GROWTH

[Amphiprion]

I experienced much of the same. In fact, the whole time I had T5s, I never really had any coralline. Overdriving may be a large part of it, since other tanks with normally driven lamps don't experience the same issue--at least not to the same extent...

[AuroraDrvr]

I finally am dosing Kalk like I should be and finally started using GFO, and now I am starting to get Coraline growth with T5s. Very minor, but still growing more then it ever has.

[Fishfood]

Yea I just don't think T5 are the best for coralline algae. I've had no problems in the past with MH and even VHO but I've never had much coralline with T5. I have hair algae, cyano, and some sort of turf algae thats brown/red. I also have tons of bubble algae.

I have a lot less nutrients going into my tank but I know the tank at my wifes work gets overfed and has the stock skimmer that comes on one of those red sea max tanks. I've seen the coralline loss first hand. We replaced the bulbs in her tank back before december and there is a huge difference now. Its almost all gone after switching to the ATI bulbs and she use to have the entire back of the tank covered and a majority of the rock.

[Buddy08]

i have 0 phosphates and great coraline algea growth. I dosed with reef code a and b and before long, this stuff was everywhere!

[jt3069]

i have noticed a decline in caoralline alage since i added a phosphate reactor

[29nanomob]

water changes.... purple up. and if it did it after bulb changes i would junk the new stuff.

[Fishfood]

I'm not going to junk any of the bulbs. Most people out there with T5s are using ATI bulbs. I was curious if others were experience similar results. Andrew kind of comfirmed what I was thinking. You might have to maintain better water params while using T5 to get coralline. Its hard to change when my Acros and LPS are doing so well.

[Amphiprion]

Ihadn't considered brands as a factor. Makes sense, considering ATI is more intense than many brands, often by a large margin. I was using among the most intense lamps, plus overdriving them. Then again, I not only had problems with coralline, but severely bleaching coral.

[bluwtr]

When I first set my tank up I put in Hagen Glo bulbs plus a daytime and a purple from other manufacturers. I had zero corraline and then all of the sudden it took off like crazy. It literally attacked my power heads. Well, I knew my bulbs were getting old, so I ordered some ATI's and my corraline started going away as well. First it left my overflow, then my PH's and then my sump (have no idea why there). I blamed the ATI bulbs too thinking they were brighter and defo put off more heat (as evidenced by my tank temp). Well, I've got coralline slowly covering my back glass, OF box, PH's and the middle chamber of my skimmer is covered, but my sump has little to none. I'm actually thinking that I let my alk, mg and ca all get out of whack and the CA suffered first. I've gotten my params back where they are supposed to be now so I'm not so sure it was the bulbs after all.

[29nanomob]

ive always bought german bulbs for my freshwater tanks and plants in the off season (garden year round.) they seem to last much longer and be cooler than others. aswell as better growth. but thats in co2 breathing plants and fresh tanks... went german on the 10 and cant complain. no problems in a couple of weeks