coralline algae help plz

[Lovge]

Hi all. My tank has been up and running now for 3 months. The rocks have enough turff on them to shame a golf course and I have finally placed a small CUC in there to start mowing it down. My question is, Since I started with dry base rock, how long until i see some coralline growth and what can I do to "FORCE" it to grow?

Thank you in advance

 

[joe_ayres]

Hi there not sure on growth rate of coralline alge but mabe you could buy 1 nice piece of live rock with it on and allow it to spread that way you can actually scrape it off and place it on your base rock to help it hope this helps

 

[mike007]

You will have to seed tank with some coralline algae
and make sure your calcium Is around 410,,alkalinty 7-10 dkh and magnesium 1350-1400. But you need to get the nuisance under control first.

 

[Novillac]

I dosed with Kent Purple Tech and got the coraline algae to grow very nicely on my dry rock and across the back of my tank. It now grows so quickly, if I don't clean the glass every couple of days it starts to get purple coraline that is a real pain to get off. But I do have one warning, the purple tech also seeds the tank for macro algae, or at least it says it does, and my tank has had its fights against macro algae over taking the whole tank (part of my problem was too much white light and not enough blue).

 

[saltfishguy18]

Coraline algae grows when the tank begins to mature. Ensure your calcium, kH, phosphate, and magnesium are all where they should be or it will difficult to grow. As far as making it grow faster, I have dosed strontium and when I do that coraline does grow faster. That being said you only have a 3 month old tank. I would not be dosing strontium to try to grow coraline. Let the tank naturally mature. If your tank was covered in hair algae recently then you have a nutrient issue (p04 or n03). This hobby requires people to be patient. Ensure parameters are in order and the coraline will naturally start growing.

 

[Reefing Madness]

You'll need to source it from another tank. Its not going to just grow by using Purple Up.
Next you need to get your parameters in check. If you have a bunch of HA in your tank, Im betting you have to much Phosphates, and Coralline can't out compete PO4, therefore won't grow.
You need Reef water condtions for Coralline to grow.

 

[Lovge]

Thank u all for the input. Im not sure about the phosphates and such. Its a new setup so it just finished the cycle. The CUC has been in for about a week so im guessing thats why my algae is so rampant. I do know my basic params are ph 8.2 ammonia 0 ites and ates are 0.

 

[CastAway]

tagging along

 

[Eckolancer]

Coraline algae grows when the tank begins to mature. Ensure your calcium, kH, phosphate, and magnesium are all where they should be or it will difficult to grow. As far as making it grow faster, I have dosed strontium and when I do that coraline does grow faster. That being said you only have a 3 month old tank. I would not be dosing strontium to try to grow coraline. Let the tank naturally mature. If your tank was covered in hair algae recently then you have a nutrient issue (p04 or n03). This hobby requires people to be patient. Ensure parameters are in order and the coraline will naturally start growing.

This right here. I have all man made rock and my tank is covered in coraline on sandless bottom and back wall. Like other guy said have to clean glass about every week or it will grow.

 

[saltfishguy18]

You'll need to source it from another tank. Its not going to just grow by using Purple Up.
Next you need to get your parameters in check. If you have a bunch of HA in your tank, Im betting you have to much Phosphates, and Coralline can't out compete PO4, therefore won't grow.
You need Reef water condtions for Coralline to grow.

I would only disagree with the point that it won't grow without sourcing it besides that he is correct. I have had tanks with no rock grow coraline algae and tanks with only fw decorations that get covered in coraline. It will naturally grow on its own.

 

[Reefing Madness]

I would only disagree with the point that it won't grow without sourcing it besides that he is correct. I have had tanks with no rock grow coraline algae and tanks with only fw decorations that get covered in coraline. It will naturally grow on its own.

I stand corrected:
http://www.garf.org/coralline.html

 

[Triggreef]

I would only disagree with the point that it won't grow without sourcing it besides that he is correct. I have had tanks with no rock grow coraline algae and tanks with only fw decorations that get covered in coraline. It will naturally grow on its own.

Something has to seed it. It could have come in on a frag plug or something else. Even a snail. But something, it can't just spontaneously appear.

Anyway, above all else, I'd recommend a good kit for testing alk, ca, & mg. You can grab a red sea combo kit for fairly cheap & very reliable. When you get those 3 parameters to remain stable you can add any corals with confidence & coraline will come on its own. Don't go dosing anything like purple up or Kent purple tech. Those will raise alk & ca to dangerous levels over time & you will nuke some corals. Anything that seems like a short cut in this hobby is asking for trouble.