? Dead Coraline Algae; what to do?

[kjb]

I just moved my tank and had it empty for too long, thus all the beautiful coraline algae on the back wall has lost it's pinkish color and turned a pale green. I think I killed it all

Now I wonder if I should try to scrape as much off the wall as I can and the siphon it out of the tank, or should I leave it be hoping for new growth to cover the dead?

 

[monkeyboy]

Leave it! Since glass is one of the last places coralline grows maybe the bare skeleton of the dead algae will attract new colonies? Give it a whirl, and it'll save you some elbow grease...

 

[Anonymous]

I vote for scraping it off. When the algae is scraped off it will fall into the water and release the calcium into the water more readily than it would if it remained on the walls. The Ca will be used up by the coralline algae that is/will be forming.

GL

Dan

 

[VegasDealr]

Leave it for sure.... It will re-grow even stronger and in bigger circles than before. Just keep your calcium and alk up. With good flow it'll be back in a few weeks.


VegasDealr

 

[kjb]

Thanks all,
Actually I have an acrylic tank with the black background... and the coraline was growing like crazy! I did scrape off a little, but let it drop to the bottom of the tank, so maybe it will help being in there.
Look like I leave things as is unless I get a definative differing opinion.
Thanks for the ideas all.
Very good to share thoughts and questions.
K