How to grow coralline algae

gemmy

gemmy

Active Member

Proper Lighting
Some types of coralline algae prefer higher lighting output, while others prefer lower lighting.
As your tank gets older and matures the intensity and spectrum of light fades. And then at this time, most aquarist notices their Coralline growths actually increases.
But the question still remains, what type of lighting is best? There is actually no single answer.
Here is what Leroy, from GARF has to say.
Coraline algae loves actinic blue actinic light and hates white light. To give your coraline a boost, increase your blue light and decrease your white light.
Coraline grows best deep in the ocean where only blue spectrum light can penetrate. When starting a reef tank, allow the blue actinic bulbs to run 24 hours a day for two weeks.

Water Chemistry
Maintaining excellent water quality also plays an important role in growing of coralline algae. They are calcareous by nature like hard corals which requirs many of the same things corals do in order to flourish:

  • SG apx 1.024

  • Calcium

    • 350 to 480 ppm

    • Carbonate Alkalinity

    • Between 2.5 and 4.0 meq/L (7-12 dKH)
    Strontium
    Low Phosphates (Close to Zero)
    Low Nitrates (5 ppm or lower)
Regular water changes will keep the phosphate and nitrate levels in check as well as keeping the calcium, alkalinity and strontium at or near their optimum levels.
Using good protein skimmers
also goes a long ways towards controlling nitrates and phosphates.
Remember that at first, it will appear as a lime green coating. Wait until about three months for you to see your rocks turn pink, then purple. Naturally, the degree of coloration will vary from tank to tank.
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/381849/how-to-grow-coralline-algae/20#post_3329589

Proper Lighting
Some types of coralline algae prefer higher lighting output, while others prefer lower lighting.
As your tank gets older and matures the intensity and spectrum of light fades. And then at this time, most aquarist notices their Coralline growths actually increases.
But the question still remains, what type of lighting is best? There is actually no single answer.
Here is what Leroy, from GARF has to say.
Coraline algae loves actinic blue actinic light and hates white light. To give your coraline a boost, increase your blue light and decrease your white light.
Coraline grows best deep in the ocean where only blue spectrum light can penetrate. When starting a reef tank, allow the blue actinic bulbs to run 24 hours a day for two weeks.

Water Chemistry
Maintaining excellent water quality also plays an important role in growing of coralline algae. They are calcareous by nature like hard corals which requirs many of the same things corals do in order to flourish:

  • SG apx 1.024

  • Calcium

    • 350 to 480 ppm

    • Carbonate Alkalinity

    • Between 2.5 and 4.0 meq/L (7-12 dKH)
    Strontium
    Low Phosphates (Close to Zero)
    Low Nitrates (5 ppm or lower)
Regular water changes will keep the phosphate and nitrate levels in check as well as keeping the calcium, alkalinity and strontium at or near their optimum levels.
Using good protein skimmers id=wY7jdKyF*Y0&bids=116956.620339097&type=10&subid=" width="1" /> also goes a long ways towards controlling nitrates and phosphates.
Remember that at first, it will appear as a lime green coating. Wait until about three months for you to see your rocks turn pink, then purple. Naturally, the degree of coloration will vary from tank to tank.
Thanks Gemmy

In my own experience I have noticed that when I keep my Calcium up at 420ppm, my Carbonate at about 10dkh, and my Iodide at 0.06ppm I get faster growing Coralline. I also can add to what GARF has to say about light and that is I see more Coralline growing in the shaded parts of the tank.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Salifert and Elos are my favorite test kits.
Salifert is much easier to understand and overall less time consuming.
But Elos is pro quality...even if the poorly written instructions are by someone who obviously has English as a second language.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Oh and your calcium is kinda high. Not outrageous...but I would say 420 would be a better number to shoot for.
I honestly dont let mine go past 450.
Whats your magnesium at?You want to be around 1300
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
Im in the same boat, my parameters look good, but I don't get any coraline growth at all. I even bought a rock from a local reefer thats got tons of coraline and added it to the tank, coraline on that rock has not died off, but it hasnt spread at all in 2 months of being in there either.
Phos= undetectable
Trates= undetectable
calcium = 400-440
mag = 1300
alk = 10
temp at 80 degrees
tank set up for 1 year and 1 month = 0 coraline growth
Also getting poor growth from galaxia and frog spawn, but great growth from sunset monti, duncan, stag and acro
I can do without the coraline except I like the purple, right now I have lots of green
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstdv8 http:///forum/thread/381849/how-to-grow-coralline-algae/20#post_3329862
Im in the same boat, my parameters look good, but I don't get any coraline growth at all. I even bought a rock from a local reefer thats got tons of coraline and added it to the tank, coraline on that rock has not died off, but it hasnt spread at all in 2 months of being in there either.
Phos= undetectable
Trates= undetectable
calcium = 400-440
mag = 1300
alk = 10
temp at 80 degrees
tank set up for 1 year and 1 month = 0 coraline growth
Also getting poor growth from galaxia and frog spawn, but great growth from sunset monti, duncan, stag and acro
I can do without the coraline except I like the purple, right now I have lots of green
Do you dose for anything? Someone told me to raise the magnesium and lower the alk.....I have Kent Tech M for magnesium, BUT I do not dose...so my alk is just regulated by my w/c's
I also have next to no coraline....and my water is excellent, as are the lights, and the flow
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
I started doseing Sera Marine 6 part just because i won a care package from thema nd they sent me this awesome kit for free, but i do weekly 10% water changes for most of my replenishment up until I started the dosing thing about 4 weeks ago or so. no change so far.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Coralline, as a calcarious algae, is unable to grow without Carbonate (Alkalinity). Starving it of carbonate will instantly stunt its growth. It can grow failrly well with low Calcium levels (to a point) but it will quickly die back when Alkalinity levels are low.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Anywhere near 3.5 Meq/L (10dKH) is excellent. The larger the tank or the more often you dose the lower ALK can be maintained. What needs to be avoided are severe drops (below 2.0Meq/L) and it can drop fast in a heavily stocked reef tank.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
I certainly wouldn't say my tank is even lightly stocked with corals for a 120 its really pretty sparse in there. all of my LPS and SPS are frags and ive probbaly only got 10 hard corals total.
my large colonies are of zoas, GSP Xenia and Kenya
On that note do softies take any calcium at all from the water? I try to keep my kenyas thinned out but about once a month i need to go in the back of the tanka dn take out about 30+ 3" trees and give them away. Crazy little trees.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Many softies take Carbonate and Calcium out of the water faster than stonies. Your Kenya is one of them. Zoanthids are also big consumers. Xenia and GPS do build Calcium carbonate sclerites but not as much as Kenya.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
well then I need to do a better job of keeping them down to jsut the two larger colonies I have so the stonies have a better supply.
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/381849/how-to-grow-coralline-algae/20#post_3329887
Many softies take Carbonate and Calcium out of the water faster than stonies. Your Kenya is one of them. Zoanthids are also big consumers. Xenia and GPS do build Calcium carbonate sclerites but not as much as Kenya.
Bang, would you agree with this statement: tanks heavily stocked with corals have a tendency to see a reduction in coralline growth? Mind you this is not a one size fits all scenario as tanks/setups are different and vary. It is all dependent on the types of corals as well.
 
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