How do I grow Coraline Algae

[hemicross]

I know this sounds weird but I like the way it looks, someone told me it's good for the tank as long as theres not to much. How do I grow it? Do I want this algae? Is it bad or good? Do I need an H.O. light or better like with coral? after all that Which algae is good to have to support scavengers, just the green algae or what types can I have

 

[grubsnaek]

alright no one answered yet so ill give it a wack.
coraline algea grows natrually. under any light.you do want your calcium level around 400 or better for really good growth, this is also needed for corals too. as far as light for corals big difference there, depending on what type of coral you want influences what type of lighting is required. theres no such thing as to much coraline. do you want it, its highly desired in this hobby. it indicats that your tank in matureing and also healthy. so yet you want it. its not a bad algea so yes its good. again any light will grow coraline. all types of algae will grow. the clean up crew will take care of this. an occasional cleaning of the front and side glass will be needed. you do not have worry about the scavengers they eat all types of things not just algae. also there is macro algae but thats for fuges not really your main tank.

 

[hemicross]

the only light I have right now is the cheap flouresent one, however you spell it, its not a coral light or any type of high output, its just one bulb i dont know how many watts, coraline algae is the purple looking stuff right?

 

[reefkprz]

coraline algae is a various light level calcaerous algae. it can grow extremely well in low light scenerios. flow, low phosphates, and high calcium are important, as well as moderate high flow. While flo2w is not super critical to coraline growth it does play a large part in adhesion and spreading. phosphates are extrem,ely damaging to coraline.... I cant emphasize it enough.

 

[lawman]

I will share my limited experience here. Coraline has to be introduced to your tank by way of live rock, etc, it doesn't sprout up on it's own. Some people have said that scrubbing a piece of LR that has coraline with a stiff brush will cause spores to land elsewhere in your tank. also, many people report great success with a product called Purple Up, it is a supplement that adds elements that are supposed to speed up Coraline. however, read the bottle and test your water prior to adding anything. I believe this product is loaded with calcium and adding it may affect other water perameters.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Lawman,
It says on the purple up bottle that it does not contain any calcium and that you should maintain proper levels of calcium to be successful with the product. Personally, from my experience, I do not add a single thing to my water that I can not measure. I do not add iodine, strontium, magnesium or anything at all to my water. The only thing I add is calcium by a kalkwasser drip.
Hemicross,
Coralline likes low and high light. However, it likes certain spectrums of light. Coralline mainly likes the blue spectrum of light, mostly in the 420nm to 460nm range backed by a 10k light of some sort. Coralline will in my experience not grow under an ordinary shop light with 4k to 6,500k light. (too yellow and not intense).
Kalkwasser is the way that aquarists in Europe have been adding calcium to aquariums for years. Kalkwasser needs to be diluted in water (recommended 2 teaspoons per gallon and no more then 4). The mixture has to sit for 2 to 24 hours before it can be added to the aquarium. Only the clear water on top with the calcium needs to be added slowly to the aquarium. Usually the aquarist will notice more coralline algae groth after 6 months of aquarium maturity.
The more coralline algae, the better. Coralline takes up calcium hydroxide to secrete it around their cells and during the night they secrete a buffer (magnesium something) that keeps the dkh and pH balanced during the day and night.
Have fun growing your algae! If you want to make some money on the side, or perhaps trade for frags, buy some live rock and grow tons of coralline algae on them and trade/sell them and pass along your methods and recipe's. Happy reefing!

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
Lawman,
It says on the purple up bottle that it does not contain any calcium and that you should maintain proper levels of calcium to be successful with the product.

sorry to disagree but on the back of the bottle it specificly says
and I quote
"UNIQUE DUAL METHOD APPROACH TO CORALLINE ALGAE ACCELERATION:
1.)IONIC CALCIUM: immediadly raises dissolved calcium levels in your aquarium water
2.) 10 MICRON ARAGONITE: targets the liverock surface, where it dissolves in situ, delivering calcium, strontium, magnesium, and carbonate right where its neeeded."
as well as
"Iodine replenishment: Purple up also replenishes iodine, an essential element for coraline algae tissues that quickly becomes depleted in closed systems.
Easy to use: One bottle of Purple Up Replaces the typical multi-product recipe for successful coralline algae growth favored by advanced aquarists
CONTAINS SUPER SEA CALCIUM: Natural calcium derived pristine tropical rescources."
but thats just whats on the lable. I dont think any calcium, tropical or not is any different fropm any other real calcium..... calc is calc.
IMO purple up is a really expensive way to buy two elements that you can only use if your low on both. not much point in using it if both arent low, if you need just calcium you could overdose on iodine, if your low on iodine and you dose to adjustit you can cause problems with calcium ald alk if youer nopt low in that factor..... dosing as per lable can cause a lot of headaches in this case.

 

[lawman]

Nuff said!

<---Reefkeeprz lmao
I will however say again, test before you add. I learned this the hard way not so long ago.

 

[cubsfan]

I have seen that the lighting does play a role in coralline. I have a 20 with just reg flour. and nothing grows, I have a 90 with 130w p.c. and red coralline grows, and I have a 15 with 130w p.c. and purple coralline is growing. All use the same water and same salt mix, ect....

 

[hemicross]

what is the color difference, is it bad to be in red or purple? i was going to get this 260w for my 75 gallon?

 

[reefkprz]

different colors are different (species?) of coraline algae, they are all good, there are MANY colors ranging primarily in our tanks through the pinks and purpleish hues, while there are yellows, greens, almost reds, even tan and more, generally the light level in your tank dixctates wich will do the best in your tank as well as some requiring more established aquariums to thrive, wich is why people consider it a good sign that you have coraline as it does not do the best (it will grow and live) in poorer/less established tanks. water. and of course a type of caroline cannot just pop up on its own it has to be introduced.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Hmm, I just looked at my purple up bottle's label and it said that it does not contain any calcium and to adjust calcium levels accordingly.

 

[reefkprz]

thats is weird because I was reading that directly off the labe of my purple up as I typed it. I wonder if they changed the recipe or something. give me a minute I will post a pic of my bottle.

 

[reefkprz]

Here. maybe we are looking at two different products.

 

[lawman]

Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
Hmm, I just looked at my purple up bottle's label and it said that it does not contain any calcium and to adjust calcium levels accordingly.
Heres my bottle also. it's about 2 months old

 

[snakeblitz33]

I tried purple up about a year and a half ago. Maybe they changed their formula. The other local fish store owner warned me about it not containing calcium.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I've been researching etc. for awhile now, (and have experamented on a couple of my tanks) and I no longer add any additives to my aquariums other then kalk and regular water changes.