Live rock changing colors after breaking it up

[swordfish]

I recently broke up the three pieces of LR I had in my tank in order to A: Giveme more arrangement options and B: Expose more of the surface area of the rock to the water to benefit the tank more. If you're gonna have it in there it may as well be working at peak capacity for you.

 

The purple corraline algae on the rock that is mostly covered with it has since been changing color to a sort of paler shade, sometimes flaking off this white stuff which has developed on it. I am not too woried about it since I have seen this before after I first put it in the tank, but it's happening to an area of the rock which has always been exposed as it is now, this is not on the inside surface of a rock that was recently broken open and newly exposed to the water and light. I am just wondering how breaking that rock into smaller pieces would make the algea on it's already exposed surfaces change like that. Hmmm.

 

JCS

[fishbabies]

so you are saying that the corraline algae that is turning color is still in direct light?

 

color pigments are protection from light intensity. when i placed my new rock in my tank...i placed it on its side. the areas now out of the light have turned pale......and the sides that are now receiving more light are brighter and the corraline is growing.

 

the less exposed corraline would flake on mine too. my guess is it is all light related

[swordfish]

I think it's being exposed to the same or only a small variation in the amount of light it gets. Still, that may be enough to make it turn colors temporarily. I see no harm in this and as a matter of fact it's already turning back. I just wish I could get that same BRIGHT maroon color on it that it had in the LFS. I have it under a 32 watt 50/50 PC so it should be getting plenty of decent light. Oh well.

 

Jeff

[tinyreef]

actually, the maroon or pink usually end up dominating the tanks for me. the purples recede to the background or less lit areas.

 

the flaking could be the waxy buildup often seen from coralline. i believe it's a defensive reaction similar to a typical toadstool's shedding. i've only seen it on the paler corallines, like the pale pink/mauve and pale purples. again, i see it usually as a reaction to something (shifting, detritus, light, etc.).