Growing coralline question

[gregzbobo]

I've had my tank running for perhaps 2 months now, cycle is complete, and am in the middle of a diatom bloom. Calcium is about 420, alk is about 3.9 meq/l. Salinity is 1.0225, and I dose perhaps 3 quarts of kalk every night. Lighing is 1 20 watt actinic tube, and one 10k tube, both bulbs are rather old though. My live rock has the most gorgeous maroon and purple coralline on it, and SOME of it is showing a white border around it, but not all, and it doesn't seem to have colonized my base rock or the tank walls yet. What suggestions do you experienced folk have to get coralline growing? I add a capful of coral vital every week because it claims to promote coralline growth, but am starting to think this is just another snake oil that "the man" uses to part me from my cash. I also dose with Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium, about 1 level scoop per day.

 

[gregzbobo]

Oh
ammonia =0
nitrite = 0
nitrates = about 25ppm
ph = 8.2
alk = 3.9 meq/l
calcium = 420ppm
salinity = 1.0225 (raising this slowly over the next month to 1.024)

 

[infanterene]

As soon as I upgraded the bulbs that came with my NO the coraline took off.

 

[ntvflgirl]

I've heard good things about vital reef DNA. Try doing a search on it. I've not tried it myself. Good luck.

 

[broomer5]

From what I've noticed - it has always taken about 4 months after initial tank set up, before I noticed any significant coralline growth on the glass and other equipment.
It always shows up first in the inner box of the acrylic overflow. Must just love that high current !
Other than that gregzbobo - your levels sound great - and I'd guess it should start appearing within the next month or so.
Making a lighting change can increase it's growth - or decrease it too for awhile ~ at least over here it has.
Mine's tapered off a lot since new lights - but has started up again here and there.

 

[reefsoe]

B-Ionic worked well for me regarding growth... it put a thick purple and pink layer all over everything

 

[simm]

Originally posted by ntvflgirl
I've heard good things about vital reef DNA. Try doing a search on it. I've not tried it myself. Good luck.
I second that. I use it and I saw a bloom within a week.

 

[reefsoe]

Guess im goin out to try some, is that the big blue bottle that lasts longer if you put it in the fridge?

 

[simm]

Yes. BE sure to fridge it. I think you use 1 capful per 100 gallons. It will last a while. Add it like every day for teh first 30 days.