White algea? Help identify the picture...

[fishforlife]

http://www.maast.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=52&pictureid=297
We bought some great looking live rock from a well established tank (a MAAST guy) about a month ago. We have noticed the coraline algea turning white and what started as a small patch,now seems to be growing like crazy and growing on other rocks...any idea on what it is? (all levels are normal) is it good or bad?

[Mr Cob]

It's not good or bad. It's just a sign that the live rock is under different conditions now and the white that you see is not actually white growing coraline but dieing coraline algae.

You can test this by pulling a piece off and letting it dry, it will turn white.

When I move rocks in my reef and a piece is in the dark or flipped or unhappy it will die off and turn white.

New coraline will most likely come back once it adjusts provided there is light and flow.

It could also just be bleached and still alive. But in my experience white = dead.

[Gilbert]

it might be dying coraline algea... when i moved my tank i had to drain most of the water out of it and with in a few hours it was refilled but the next day i noticed the coraline algea that was out of the water turned white and died.
at least thats what i think...

[coraline79]

Too much light/heat or to long out of water=dead/white coraline

[Joshua]

No worries, it'll come back.