Coraline Algea

extinct 1ne

extinct 1ne

Member
When will I start to see some coraline algea growth in my reef? I heard that it grows depending on your calcium levels. My calcium is currently at 460, and see absolutely no coraline growth whatsoever. Tank has been up for about 4 months. Here are my parameters.
Ph - 7.9-8.0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
Calcium - 460
Alkalinity - 5-6
Phosphate - 0.25
Temperature - 80°F
Specific Gravity - 1.021
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
i am having the same problem as you are...my calcium is 460 also and my params are all pretty much what they should be. you do need coraline in the tank on live rock or something...it has to be introduced basically...it wont grow on its own. i heard you could take scrapings of coraline algae and put them in your tank with your filter off and use a powerhead to blow the algae everywhere on the rock...but idk how this works because i have never done it before.
my tank has also been up for four months and ive only seen the slightest amount of coraline spreading...it can take years..which sucks but its true.
id make sure you have a sufficient amount of coraline on your live rock to start with...and if not go buy a piece covered in the stuff...thats my two cents (im also new to the hobby so bear with me on this info)
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
I can vouch on the scrapings. I didn't turn off the filter though. I went to my dads house which has a well established tank, borrowed a live rock covered in algae and it took fast. The next day the pieces were attached and a few days later it was spreading.
The best way I think to do it is with a soft bristled toothbrush, it wont harm the live rock, good water flow I have been told is helpful. You can always take the pieces that seem to be growing the best and scrape them into areas that are struggling.
Also adjust your lighting schedule if needed. I added 2 hours onto mine to try to boost it. It will make other algae bloom also but a nice size clean up crew will help with this until your algae gets established and you can cut it back to normal.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Coraline is indeed a pain when it grows on the glass.
Buy yourself a nice piece of rock with coraline on it, scrape it in front of a power head. Plastic seems to be an accelerator for coraline to grow on...if you have an acrylic tank coraline is going to drive you crazy later. An old credit card or plastic phone card make a great scraper.
The magnet types of scrapers work great for keeping the glass clear, but if a spot of coraline gets a hold it is hard to get off, then you will need the credit card method.
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
yes I have a magnetic scraper, works good for everything except coraline those will always take work.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
takes a source (coralline) and adequate parameters, I wouldn't fixate on calcium. excessive calcium isn't going to do anything a stable 400ppm wont do. it requires all the things corals require to thrive. for me time has been the most important factor (about the 3 month mark). Mine still doesn't grow on live rock well but the bottom glass got covered 3wks after taking the sand out %% I still havent figured out why its surface seletive in my tank. top of my skimmer is covered too but not much else.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Xcali1985
http:///forum/post/3069839
yes I have a magnetic scraper, works good for everything except coraline those will always take work.
Have you tried the credit card? I have coraline that develops on the low edge of my tank just above the sand, and along the silicone strip in the corners. I have to clean it up about once a month...I don't like to put my hands in the tank unless I absolutly have to. I wash my hands first but I still feel paranoid about introducing something.
The credit card makes short work of it.
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3069848
Have you tried the credit card? I have coraline that develops on the low edge of my tank just above the sand, and along the silicone strip in the corners. I have to clean it up about once a month...I don't like to put my hands in the tank unless I absolutly have to. I wash my hands first but I still feel paranoid about introducing something.
The credit card makes short work of it.
No my tank is fairly new and I was able to seed it very good off of my dads tank which hes had for 8 years. I cherry picked his best rocks and all. With the full intention of returning them in about 6 months

Since they were covered in coraline I took a new toothbrush and brushed about 60% off of each rock and let it blow around until it settled. Then I fed it lots of calcium and blue light. In a cycle of 4hrs blue, 5 hours MH, 4hrs blue, 11 moonlight. I litterly saw expansion everywhere within 4 days.
Knowing what I know now I would have taken and scraped most of the algae off the rocks into a bag or a nice size bucket and poured it in with a water change. I even have it starting to grow on my sand bed. Very lightly.
 
jas1

jas1

Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3069848
Have you tried the credit card? I have coraline that develops on the low edge of my tank just above the sand, and along the silicone strip in the corners. I have to clean it up about once a month...I don't like to put my hands in the tank unless I absolutly have to. I wash my hands first but I still feel paranoid about introducing something.
The credit card makes short work of it.
Hi Flower
I was worried a little at first about introducing something to my tank from my hands too. But then I got to thinking (sometimes bad idea) The soap residue on my hands after washing would probably be more harmful than the oils and "dirt" on my hands in the first place. So I just kinda scrub my hands and arm with a damp paper towel.
 
alix2.0

alix2.0

Active Member
my tanks been up for five years and ive tried everything to grow some and it just wont take for whatever reason.
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
Originally Posted by alix2.0
http:///forum/post/3070056
my tanks been up for five years and ive tried everything to grow some and it just wont take for whatever reason.
Ive only been up a few months. Theres a few products that can help with advancing it. I add it from time to time. I add daily a dose of Calcium, Iodine & every 4 days I add Strontium & Molybdenum. Coraline is basically the same care you would give a coral. Try the Kent Reef Starter Kit. My brother used it with a live rock that had a very small amount of purple coraline on it and his was very active by the time he finished the mini bottles.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

I am going to sound like a broke record...never, ever under any circumstances dose your tank with anything you do not have a test for. Especially iodine, it can become toxic in the improper amounts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top