Algae

[PGriff]

Let me start off by saying I'm not going to do anything crazy. lol But I do have a question.

My tank has been running since March 23 rd it's done cycling and as of last Tues, I put a Midnight clown and fire red shrimp in it. All my numbers look good so far and the tank seems very stable.

My question is. How long does it take to start seeing coralline algae?

At this point, the only thing close in my tank is what looks like someone drawing on my rock with a crayon using a phytoplankton green crayon, roughly an inch long.

I've seen this Kent Marine Pro-Buffer dKH with the coralline accelerator.

Anyway, I thought maybe you all could tell me when to expect some algae so my shrimp has something to eat other than scraps. lol

Thanks.

 

[ScottR]

Let me start off by saying I'm not going to do anything crazy. lol But I do have a question.

My tank has been running since March 23 rd it's done cycling and as of last Tues, I put a Midnight clown and fire red shrimp in it. All my numbers look good so far and the tank seems very stable.

My question is. How long does it take to start seeing coralline algae?

At this point, the only thing close in my tank is what looks like someone drawing on my rock with a crayon using a phytoplankton green crayon, roughly an inch long.

I've seen this Kent Marine Pro-Buffer dKH with the coralline accelerator.

Anyway, I thought maybe you all could tell me when to expect some algae so my shrimp has something to eat other than scraps. lol

Thanks.

Coralline doesn’t just show up in a tank. It has to be introduced. Usually live rock that already has coralline is the best way to go. If you’re scared about hitchhikers, rock can go in the sump. How long it will take will determine on your parameters. Coralline likes parameters that corals like. There are other secrets to getting that growth accelerated. Scraping rock so the spores can move around the tank is one. I saw a tank at a LFS. He was running BB and the entire bottom glass had thick coralline. And I asked him hold old the tank was. He said 3 years. I was shocked. Then he showed me his 100g sump loaded with live rock.

 

[Salty Lemon]

I set my tank up (with water) in December. I'd like to think that I take pretty good care of it and I'm just now starting to grow corralline.

 

[BestMomEver]

The easiest way to get coralline algae into your tank is on the backs of snails and hermits.

 

[PGriff]

Coralline doesn’t just show up in a tank. It has to be introduced. Usually live rock that already has coralline is the best way to go. If you’re scared about hitchhikers, rock can go in the sump. How long it will take will determine on your parameters. Coralline likes parameters that corals like. There are other secrets to getting that growth accelerated. Scraping rock so the spores can move around the tank is one. I saw a tank at a LFS. He was running BB and the entire bottom glass had thick coralline. And I asked him hold old the tank was. He said 3 years. I was shocked. Then he showed me his 100g sump loaded with live rock.

So that's why. I have dry rock and live sand. So you're saying the Kent Pro buffer stuff doesn't actually start algae it works with live rock with algae already?

 

[PGriff]

The easiest way to get coralline algae into your tank is on the backs of snails and hermits.

Interesting. I got my fish and shrimp from LiveAquaria and was planning on getting some clean-up crew early next month think they will already have some?

 

[ScottR]

So that's why. I have dry rock and live sand. So you're saying the Kent Pro buffer stuff doesn't actually start algae it works with live rock with algae already?

No. It doesn’t contain. It’s a coralline booster. But it works as a buffer to increase alk and pH. So keep an eye on your parameters for swings. Someone mentioned snails, I like them too. I find the dirtiest turbo snails. They do help.

 

[HappyPotatoes]

Dirtiest turbo snails....

 

[ScottR]

Dirtiest turbo snails....

Not my pic. But this is a dirty one I like these guys running around my tank.

 

[ScottR]

Dirtiest turbo snails....

Not my pic. But this is a dirty one I like these guys running around my tank.

 

[ScottR]

@PGriff ~ I thought I’d share a nice cheap way to get some coralline growth. Keep in mind it takes time to see good growth but it’s a start.

Keep in mind that you must introduce this to your tank. It won’t just show up one day.

This turbo snail on my propagation box was bought at my LFS. I only got it because of the purple growth on its shell. It makes its way all over my tank, sharing the coralline.

Next, this is a golf ball sized rock I saw at my LFS. Beautiful growth. When I asked how much, he gave it to me free with a coral purchase. I simply placed this on my dry rock to help seed it. I actually move this rock every few weeks to a new spot to support new growth.

Hope this helps. You can buy coralline spores online for a hefty price but there are cheaper and possibly more efficient ways to get coralline introduced into your system.

 

[PGriff]

@PGriff ~ I thought I’d share a nice cheap way to get some coralline growth. Keep in mind it takes time to see good growth but it’s a start.

Keep in mind that you must introduce this to your tank. It won’t just show up one day.

This turbo snail on my propagation box was bought at my LFS. I only got it because of the purple growth on its shell. It makes its way all over my tank, sharing the coralline.

Next, this is a golf ball sized rock I saw at my LFS. Beautiful growth. When I asked how much, he gave it to me free with a coral purchase. I simply placed this on my dry rock to help seed it. I actually move this rock every few weeks to a new spot to support new growth.

Hope this helps. You can buy coralline spores online for a hefty price but there are cheaper and possibly more efficient ways to get coralline introduced into your system.

Thank you. when i call the pet shop for more fish and clean up crew im going to ask for dirty snails and may even pick up a chunk of live rock and throw it into my sump,

I actually have a new question. I've done research on how to build sumps and blah blah blah. but I am having a bit of a problem with my cheato now. Only having the one fish and one shrimp, the nitrates are at 0. the problem is I don't know if it's starving or if it's my light down in the sump area. maybe you know. #ReefSquad

the first is what the bottom of my sump looks like.
second is the one fixture with 2 65k 24 w bulbs.
third on the bucket is a single 24w 64k bulb that I was about to mount under the (4th picture) board holding up my Phyto containers

 

[Fudsey]

It seems like you have very little nutrients for the cheato to uptake. Lights may be a problem but I would think 0 nitrates is more of a problem and could cause an algae out break. I'd remove the cheato and wait till you have more nutrients in your tank or dose nitrates.

 

[bluprntguy]

Arc reef also has a bottled product that contains live coralline spores that have been quarantined. You dump it into your tank and the spores attach to the live rock. It drastically accelerates coralline growth on live rock.

https://arcreef.com/product/coralline-algae/

 

[PGriff]

Arc reef also has a bottled product that contains live coralline spores that have been quarantined. You dump it into your tank and the spores attach to the live rock. It drastically accelerates coralline growth on live rock.

https://arcreef.com/product/coralline-algae/

Thank you, ill look into that.

 

[PGriff]

It seems like you have very little nutrients for the cheato to uptake. Lights may be a problem but I would think 0 nitrates is more of a problem and could cause an algae out break. I'd remove the cheato and wait till you have more nutrients in your tank or dose nitrates.

Instead of removing it do you think it would help if I threw a shrimp or fish flakes in the sump to let it rot and add nitrates? Just till I get a few more fish?

 

[PGriff]

It seems like you have very little nutrients for the cheato to uptake. Lights may be a problem but I would think 0 nitrates is more of a problem and could cause an algae out break. I'd remove the cheato and wait till you have more nutrients in your tank or dose nitrates.

BTW you don't think it has to do with the wattage of the lights?

 

[NS Mike D]

BTW you don't think it has to do with the wattage of the lights?

I know BRS did test with lights, but IME cheato doesn't require much light. you have a new tank. it's going tp take time to build a stable and diverse ecosystem.

 

[Fudsey]

Adding a shrimp or flake will take time to break down. If you want nitrates, I'd dose NeoNitro just enough to bring them up to 2ppm.

I agree with @NS Mike D on the lights, cheato doesn't require a ton of light to grow.