First Piece of Live Rock!

For best results, your Cal, Alk, Mag, and pH should be in their normal ranges, along with low Nitrate and Phosphate levels. Don't bother with Coralline boosters such as Purple-Up; IMOPE, chemically-induced Coralline does grow, but only as long as you continue adding the chemicals. As a more experienced aquarist, my advice is to never dose anything without testing first.

BTW, what type of lighting do you have, and what is your daylight schedule?

 

I have Aquaticlife Reno 48" LED strip lights three of them here are the specs for each
48-Inch Saltwater LED Aquarium Light Fixture with (42) 1/2-Watt LED's, 12,000K, 21 Watts, 1365 Lumens. LED's: (21) 0.5W White, (21) 0.5W Blue

LED's: (21) 0.5W White, (21) 0.5W Blue

Lights are usually on from 11 am until about 9-10 pm

 

Unfortunately, strength in numbers doesn't apply well with such low-powered LEDs. 0.5w lacks PAR penetration. You should have at least 2w diodes; 3w would be optimal.

 

I would like to have better but have to use what I can afford. But I have seen tanks with less lighting where the coraline grows fine.

 

coralline does not need high powered lighting but it is hepful - it does need calcium.

 

I agree- it does not require strong lighting. On my 29H, I have a 2x24w T5 which is not powerful by any stretch of the imagination. That's the one in which coralline spread so rapidly just from hermits picking it off the snail's shells. OTOH, I have an LED fixture that employs 96 0.5w diodes over a shallow 20L FO tank, and you guessed it- no coralline. The only two spots are the ones that were on the rocks when I placed them in the tank nearly a year ago. Again, 0.5w diodes lack PAR penetration. While you don't need an abundance of PAR to grow coralline, it must reach below the water's surface.

BTW, I use regular IO sea salt, and I don't supplement anything...

 

Just some food for thought. I dislike coralline. It takes over everything. I have very little in my 220 and plan to keep it that way. coralline doesnt always mean a healthy and successfull tank.

 

It really is a matter of taste I agree. Mine is so thick that it's impenetrable (sp) to scraping and I kind of miss seeing clear glass. I think that scrapings help a lot. Our tanks are such interesting little ecosystems - it seems what works on one is not the same as what works on another.

 

I would like to add more dry base rock, is that a problem for a tank thats up and running already? Honestly I want more live rock but its expensive lol.

 

Nope, not a problem at all. In fact, I always recommend going with dry when adding to an existing system; far less chance of upsetting the delicate ecological balance you've already established.