Coraline Algae Growth Help Needed!!!!

fordguy67

fordguy67

Member
:help: :help: :help:
i started my tank with sand and rock that wasnt live and the tank is fully cycled and is running fine is stocked with fish and looks great. Its been running with fish for about 4 months and i let it take about 2 months to cycle but thats not my question. My question is how do i get that coraline algae to grow. that purple algae that grows all over the rocks. i have been adding "purple up" every day and there really isnt much growth at all. what else is there that i can use to make it grow?
any help is greatly appriciated (sp)
:help: :help: :help:
 
mrsgoose

mrsgoose

Member
I'm new to the hobby but am very interested in coralline growth. From what I've researched and heard, you should get a piece of live rock that has good coralline growth on it so that it can spread to your other rocks. You can gently brush the purple growth with a toothbrush and allow the spores to spread. Make sure your calcium levels are high enough (over 400). If you get a nice piece of lr locally, ie. w/o die-off, you should be able to put it right into your tank. I hope this helps - I'm waiting for mine to spread more, too!
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
Yes, you need to add real live rock to your tank to introduce coraline algae into the system. I would aim for a 50/50 mix. You'll also need lighting more powerful than standard hood lights to encourage growth. Real live rock also contains the microscopic organisms that reduce toxins in the water, and helps to buffer ph. Also try using Coral Vital. I've had excellent luck with it.
 
maelv

maelv

Active Member
Originally Posted by rbaldino
Yes, you need to add real live rock to your tank to introduce coraline algae into the system. I would aim for a 50/50 mix. You'll also need lighting more powerful than standard hood lights to encourage growth. Real live rock also contains the microscopic organisms that reduce toxins in the water, and helps to buffer ph. Also try using Coral Vital. I've had excellent luck with it.
I'll have to look somewhere on here..but I thought I read that lighting is not an issue for coraline algea to grow......am I wrong or mis understand something?
 
fallnhorse

fallnhorse

Member
That's a big debate...different coralline algae thrive under different intensity's of light. But coralline will need more than stock lighting but not so much as wattage but spectrum. More blue side i think helps. Or did for me.
 
nigerbang

nigerbang

Active Member
I got mine to spread rather quickly by taking a small piece that already had some growth and scraping it off into the water to let it spread around...I have to scrape it off of the glass now..I started doing that about a month ago and it seemed to make a huge difference..Maybe my tank is finally coming together though..never can tell unless you try..
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
Originally Posted by maelv
I'll have to look somewhere on here..but I thought I read that lighting is not an issue for coraline algea to grow......am I wrong or mis understand something?
I didn't get much in the way of growth until I upgraded my lighting. Besides, if you want much in the way of a real reef tank you're going to need better lighting anyway.
 
maelv

maelv

Active Member
fallnhorse / niger bang
Thanks for the information and suggestions. I do have some peices of rock with quite a bit of coraline on them that I purchased, but also want it on the base rock that I bought.
rbaldino
I understand the lighting issue with reefs. I only asked because I have kept my lights off during the cycle and half expected for coraline to start spreading. I guess I will turn on my lights for a while during the day....thanks.
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
As said earlier you will need seed rock that already has coralline on it. IME it will grow under a lot of different lights and NO Aquarium lights will work.
1. I have a 75 gal that has a lot of Coralline Algae - On this tank I run VHO 2 50/50 and 2 super actinic, this was my seed rock.
2. I have a 120 that has a lot of coralline - 2 VHO super actinic and 2 MH HQI 250w -These were 10k for a year and now 20k bulbs.
3. I had a 50 gal AG tank with a 500w Halogen work light. It grew all over the tank. also had a 10 gal Fuge at one time with a 18w grow light and it grew in there, although slow.
With all those comparisons, I'd say the VHO lights on the 75 has the overall best continued (maybe because it was seed/LR) growth, but if you have NO there is no real need to upgrade just for Coralline.
Check your Ca and Alk levels as this can have a big impact on growth.
Check the balancing table in the link for Ca Alk
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=86674
 
fordguy67

fordguy67

Member
thanks for all your help
i have seen in different comments that stock lighting will not work. if any of you are familiar with the aquapod, which is the tank i have, i have the metal halide light that comes with it. is that going to be a good enough light to grom coraline algae under?
 
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