Cool Color algae

[daddyjama]

IS it the lights?
How do you get the cool maroon/pink/deepgreen/red calico style algae to grow on everything?

 

[chuckcac]

good question... :thinking:
lights could probably help but, i think... its a matter of time...? i could be wrong though...
how long do you have things up & running?
bump,
anyone?

 

[nigerbang]

I took a small piece of LR that was covered in Coraline and scraped it off in the water..Did that once a week within 3 weeks it was growing on the glass...WOW is it a pain to scrape off

 

[tall_90]

You have to have some Coaline Algae in your aquarium. such as from a piece of lr and it will grow on its own.

 

[saltn00b]

it will take time, pretty much any lights will do, proper water parameters (calcium) help it immensely. one way to help it - if you bought a piece of LR that had some good color on it, once or twice a week, shut off your return pumps, and gently brush this piece with a toothbrush in the DT water. wait for about 20 minutes and turn the pump back on like normal.

 

[sharkbait9]

do it to much and you'll have it growing all over place. Places you don't care to have it. Like everyone else said buy a good peice that is covered and scrap it and seed the tank.

 

[daddyjama]

Thanx ALL!!!
I did buy a piece a little while ago (2 weeks) with Maroon fuzzy algae all over it..so i'm crossin my fingers..i'll scrape it a bit to when i get home today..didnt htink about that.. to scrape it
my set up:
pretty simple.. 55G i have a 48 dual fixture with a normal light and an atinic.. it's a woppin 60 Watts..embarrasing..if you guys have some halides for under a hunred let me know
..It's been up for about 2.5 months or so.. I am starting to get somthing on the back glass..
And i'm also starting to get some "film" on the water surface..it comes and goes...what is that?

 

[daddyjama]

P.s. Im kinda scard to put my hand in there though..my clown is rediculously mean..he seriously attacks your hand if it goes in..?!?! talk about biting the hand that feeds you? I'll trade a mean clown for a 48" halide fixture if any ones interested..(kidding)

 

[payton 350]

skimmate...you need a skimmer or do routine water changes

 

[daddyjama]

I have a skimmer...it's an intank one..later on i wanna build a sump and drop it under my tank..with a better skimmer..i dont like to put it on full blast (even though i should) becase it fills the entire tank with bubbles. Sometimes they collerct under rocks and the hermits knock them loose..

 

[saltn00b]

a skimmer and "surface skimming" is a slightly different thing. basically you want to have a clear surface that is rippled. to get these effects, simply get more flow at the surface, ideally pointed towards an overflow (but you dont have that as you dont have a sump). surface agitation will not allow the scum to build up, which you dont want because the scum inhibits gas exchange, as well as evap.