Lighting Problems!

[FreshyFresh86]

Right now I have two 15W light strips over my 30 gallon tank. One has full spectrum with high yellow, blue, and med to low red light. The other has the highest blue down to the lowest yellow. Is this light enough to promote purple, red coarline alge on my live rock? What do I do to try to get the most color on my rock? I bought purple up a calcium raiser and I used to put a lot of calcuim in the tank before i bought purple up. Nothing is giving me a crazy increase how do i get my rocks like the ones in fish tnak stores and in all of the pictures? Open for suggestions.

[Blown 346]

The real way to get corralline algae is to have proper lighting, and to do the required water changes.

The water changes will have all the essential elements you need to get it going.

[Ti]

coraline is low light.

[jpluttme]

I've not heard that before. My tank is incredibly bright and I have coraline growing on every part of my tank. It's all pink/purple, so maybe other colors are low light, or maybe I'm just mistaken. I use Aragamilk to supplement the calcium and a few other elements in my tank which seems to work.

[Blown 346]

Coralline will grow in no light to high light. I have 2 250 watt halides and it grows everywhere. The main source for coralline growth is proper water conditions.

[FreshyFresh86]

I know this sounds really really bad and I know any one will tell me I must do this but I have never done a saltwater change and I have had my tank over a year now. I have attempted to make a batch of salt water but was unsuccesful in getting the right saltiinity. Plus I heard you should let the saltwater arriate for 3 days before doing the change. I check my nitiriates and everything is at a decent level could be lower but nothing dangourous and nothing even fliriting with poetenital problems. I dont have a 250 watt over hang I have 2 15 watts can I still get teh same resluts as you guys?

[Blown 346]

While, by doing water changes you will be taking out the old used up essential elements our tank feeds on, and replacing them(essential elements) with new ones like calcium,strontium,iodine etc.

By not doint this you can still get coralline growth but it will be near none.
Coralline needs calcium to grow.
With you water changes the salinity doesnt have to be exact target. You can have 1.022 or 1.025 or anywhere between, as long as the salinity in the tank isnt over 1.025 or under 1.020 you will be fine.
They say to aerate it for a certain time to make sure the salt is dissolved. What I do is get all my RO water in a garbage can( new dont use a used one.) and I dumpmy salt into the water. I place a pump or power head there for a few hours andcheck the salinity. If it is i line I will add it.

[FreshyFresh86]

I just tested my nitrites and they are way off chart, I only tested it once I am going to test it once more tonight. I am going to do a water change tommmorow. Try to get it prepared tonight. I bought some new lights to add to some wattage. I previously had two 15 watt type of 50/50. I have that now and one compact 50/50 with 65 Watt. I lay both on top of my custom hood. Do you think this is good enough to have corals? Back to my nitrites they were high but my nitrates were low to nothing. Is this odd? I thought they kinda fluctuated together.

[Surferlopez]

coraline algae grows when there is good levels of calcium, alkalinity and strontium- make sure your phosphates are low and your levels are right and you should have coraline growing in no time.
Danny