Lr Dying?

[WLSS]

Have about 10kg LR in a 2ft tank, and being there for about 1.75 year. They have turned white, not as "flourish" as when I start the tank ... very plain now. Have they died? Can they be "saved"?

[Achilles Tang]

LR can be 'cultivated' again. These white rocks are still colonised by beneficial bacteria so they still have a function.

If all the coralline algae has died off, it is probably due to poor water quality coupled with low levels of calcium.

Get your water quality up and parameters, esp PH & Alk consistent. Calcium levels should be maintained at around 400. Get a pc of quality LR, full of coralline algae and use that to seed your tank. Increase your water circulation as that really helps your coralline algae to grow faster. Blow it onto your coralline-encrusted rock and dead rocks. 'seed' your tank by scraping the coralline algae or rubbing two pcs of coralline-encrusted rocks.

Do not allow nuisance/filamentous algae to grow on the dead rocks as coralline algae will not be able to compete with them.

[WLSS]

, AT, for the valuable advice!

Now I noe the LR ain't hopeless ... I have been monitoring the pH and kH ... will continue to do tt, and may try the "seed-ing" method. BTW, how does coralline algae look like? Izit maroon in colour? How do I distinugish between the "good" and "bad" algae?

[Achilles Tang]

Use the 'search' function (top right corner of the forum).

Keywords: 'coralline algae'... this topic has been covered many many many times.

[WLSS]

Hee ...

chked out using the search engine ... n saw coralline algae. Thx!