Whats the secret.......

L

lions den

Guest
To getting coralline algae to grow. I have talked with my LFS and they have had me add things like Kent Calcium, Kent Tech CB 2 Part, and Coral Vital by Marc Weiss. My calcium levels are right, but my PH is a little low at around 8. Every person in town gives me a different product to buy. I just added another 100lbs of rock last week and it is starting to turn brown. what am I doing wrong? Never heard if lighting has anything to do with it, but I only have a little over 200 watts on a 135. PLEASE HELP. All I have wanted out of my tank for the longest time is coralline algae, but I cant get it to grow. Are some rocks more prone to having it grow. I have Lettuce and Marshall Island in the tank now.
 
angelofish

angelofish

Member
Calcium and alkalinity are what you need to watch. I had no growth until I used Aragamilk. Grabbing a well covered rock and scraping some into the water definately helps.Do this often.To be honest mine is starting to kick in again after taking a summer break.I dont know why though?:notsure:
 
marvida

marvida

Member
Use kalkwasser and dose with magnesium. Use a clean toothbrush on the coraline that's on your live rock. Don't know why, it just seems to work.
 
L

lions den

Guest
So let me make sure I'm hearing you right. I need to scrap off the coralline algae that I do have??? How long should it be before I see see type of results? I will check the phospates. Right now, I have a wet/dry filter, Sea clone skimmer, and a pump with a spray bar on it. So, if I scrap some off of a rock with a toothbrush and direct the pump and wtaerflow towards it, I should see some results? What about the stuff I have to add to it. Any preference on which is more benefitical.
 
angelofish

angelofish

Member
Oh yeah! If you dont have corals maybe this will help.Ive read on another site that leaving the just the actinics on 24hrs a day for 2 weeks straight will help too.If you try this, turn them off at night. Fish need their sleep.
 
L

lions den

Guest
I have been reading some other post on Coralline and hear people talking about hard white spots on the rock and glass. I get these on my glass all the time. It seems just like some type of small deposit building up. This isnt the early stages of coralline is it?
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
My coraline seems to do better when I keep the dkh higher, like 10+. Also mine seems to do better in partially lit areas vs direct MH lighting. That lines up with what angelofish said about the VHO's too. Just keep your CA @ 450 & dkh 10+ and it will come. Also I can confirm that the toothbrush method does work, so go brush your rocks! Good luck.
KYle
:happyfish
 
spline9

spline9

Member
Brushing coralline on rocks and aiming the powerheads on them helps spread the spores. Just last night I had a tiny piece of rubble that had some coraline on it, I scraped the hell out of it in the water. Hopefully it will spread since I dont have very much myself.
I was actually considering asking a LFS for some coraline covered rubble (or some scrapings off the glass). I always forget when I'm in there. Heh.
 
euphoria

euphoria

Active Member
Isn't coraline strongly attached to the rock? I've never tried brushing it off, but are you guys sure just using a toothbrush will get them off the rock?
 
dragonboy

dragonboy

Active Member
also if you have a good amounts of rock that already has coralline on it helps a lot. But if you start out with just a small piece with some on it can take some time to grow it.
 
euphoria

euphoria

Active Member
Can all this toothbrush dusting and aragamilk and this and that one day backfire cuz one will have too much coraline and they'll get all over the glass walls?
 
marvida

marvida

Member
It's pretty easy to control in a glass tank because you can use a razor blade scraper. It can become a more serious problem in an acrylic tank because of the possibility of scratches.
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member

Originally posted by YellowTail
do not use coral vital because it is ARTIFICIAL SUPPLEMENT and caused my red slime out break.
Hmm id disagree that the Vital was the cause of your outbreak of red slime, you might want to think of other possible causes. I have been using it for 6-7months, no adverse reactions from it in my tank at all. In fact I would highly recomend it. I have noticed a moderate grown of coraline, and coral growth with it.
 
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