Coralline algae not growing please help

[GupGup]

g day guys I’m really new to the hobby and well this is my first tank and set up And it’s been going since about November last year
So it’s like a 120L tank and I have a few cloves in there with a green star polyp And I thought they were all going well. In fact I still do But I’m not noticing the coralline algae that I see in so many others successful tanks
And of course I want my tank to be successful
So is there any chance you guys could help me out ?? ))

 

[Justice4u2]

g day guys I’m really new to the hobby and well this is my first tank and set up And it’s been going since about November last year
So it’s like a 120L tank and I have a few cloves in there with a green star polyp And I thought they were all going well. In fact I still do But I’m not noticing the coralline algae that I see in so many others successful tanks
And of course I want my tank to be successful
So is there any chance you guys could help me out ?? ))

Welcome GupGup

Congratulations on the new tank.

When you started your aquarium, did you start with new dry rock? Coralline has to be introduced to the system, if you started with new dry rock or live rock without any coralline, you will need to get a small rock from a tank that has some coralline algae on it. I have even heard of hobbyist grinding up coralline algae into a sand/dust and dumping that into the tank.

In addition, it does take some time for it to grow. I add some new live rock into my aquarium several months ago and it still does not have any coralline on it yet.

 

[Roytrolls247]

^^Just like @Justice4u2 said you have to introduce it into your tank. Plus coralline likes stable conditions no alk swings and steady calcium and mag just like corals. My advice is to monitor those levels and introduce coralline into your tank. It still takes several weeks/Months to establish even after you seed it..

 

[EvanDeVita]

g day guys I’m really new to the hobby and well this is my first tank and set up And it’s been going since about November last year
So it’s like a 120L tank and I have a few cloves in there with a green star polyp And I thought they were all going well. In fact I still do But I’m not noticing the coralline algae that I see in so many others successful tanks
And of course I want my tank to be successful
So is there any chance you guys could help me out ?? ))

Don't worry about it. My coralite didn't come in for about 3 months ( I started my tank with dry rock and sand). It came in when I introduced a hermit crab with corallite on its shell

 

[GupGup]

Welcome GupGup

Congratulations on the new tank.

When you started your aquarium, did you start with new dry rock? Coralline has to be introduced to the system, if you started with new dry rock or live rock without any coralline, you will need to get a small rock from a tank that has some coralline algae on it. I have even heard of hobbyist grinding up coralline algae into a sand/dust and dumping that into the tank.

In addition, it does take some time for it to grow. I add some new live rock into my aquarium several months ago and it still does not have any coralline on it yet.

Well I started with live rock and lots of it has like red coralline looking stuff on it but like I’m not sure if it’s growing or anything
Because it was kind of already there. I’m not seeing any new growth in the glass or anything either

 

[EvanDeVita]

Well I started with live rock and lots of it has like red coralline looking stuff on it but like I’m not sure if it’s growing or anything
Because it was kind of already there. I’m not seeing any new growth in the glass or anything either

Give it time my friend

 

[GupGup]

^^Just like @Justice4u2 said you have to introduce it into your tank. Plus coralline likes stable conditions no alk swings and steady calcium and mag just like corals. My advice is to monitor those levels and introduce coralline into your tank. It still takes several weeks/Months to establish even after you seed

And I’ve also been keeping those conditions relatively stable with testing and stuff
The only other thing I could probably think is when I put the live rock in to cycle it I didn’t have a chiller and it’s very very hot where I live and the water temp was about 34C for like 2 weeks. Would that maybe effect it?

 

[GupGup]

Give it time my friend

That’s my favourite kind of advice

 

[Frogspon]

warmer temps will help it grow faster, but as with anything in saltwater- it's a fine line where too warm will fry it completely.

 

[EvanDeVita]

That’s my favourite kind of advice

I hated it too. trust me

 

[GupGup]

warmer temps will help it grow faster, but as with anything in saltwater- it's a fine line where too warm will fry it completely.

Yeah for sure. I mean I have a chiller now and all is well with the temp situation

 

[GupGup]

I hated it too. trust me

I mean it is kind of a slow thing though hey

 

[Justice4u2]

Well I started with live rock and lots of it has like red coralline looking stuff on it but like I’m not sure if it’s growing or anything
Because it was kind of already there. I’m not seeing any new growth in the glass or anything either

Are you able to post a picture of your rocks? Plus it give us an excuse to see your new aquarium =)

 

[Roytrolls247]

And I’ve also been keeping those conditions relatively stable with testing and stuff
The only other thing I could probably think is when I put the live rock in to cycle it I didn’t have a chiller and it’s very very hot where I live and the water temp was about 34C for like 2 weeks. Would that maybe effect it?

As long as its stable you will get results no swings

 

[Roytrolls247]

My tank is 3 months old it started showing up on the rock and on the bare bottom.

 

[GupGup]

Are you able to post a picture of your rocks? Plus it give us an excuse to see your new aquarium =)

Yeah for sure. So this was it on the 3rd of November when I first got everything and like just finished cycling

then the second one I just took

and of course I only use the white light to take the photos to gauge colour better
It looks super cool in the blue as well

 

[RobB'z Reef]

It can be stressful starting out..I get it. Oddly no one in this thread is asking about alk, ca or pH.... Those are important factors in calcification. Coraline is no exception to these requirements and they can take some time to sort out. I've always had success with promoting coraline growth while dosing calcium chloride (kalkwasser).

 

[Hugh Mann]

I don't suppose you have an urchin in your tank? Those little buggers seem to love coraline. I had this 4lb rock that was 95% covered in beautiful purple coraline. Introduced a tuxedo and in 3 days it had it down to bare rock.

Buddy of mine commented once he wasn't having it grow in his tank either, then he noticed his urchin would cruise the tank and snipe the coraline as soon as it started growing.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

g day guys I’m really new to the hobby and well this is my first tank and set up And it’s been going since about November last year
So it’s like a 120L tank and I have a few cloves in there with a green star polyp And I thought they were all going well. In fact I still do But I’m not noticing the coralline algae that I see in so many others successful tanks
And of course I want my tank to be successful
So is there any chance you guys could help me out ?? ))

I have had 3 systems total since 2008, my first system took over 1 year to get steady coralline growth and that was with me buying these silly little plates of it to scrape off in the tank and spending a king's ransom on live rock. Second tank was an upgrade when I moved and started it with Tampa Bay saltwater live rock; took about 1 year to get steady coralline (now I hate it, have to scrap the back wall and overflows weekly). My third system is my frag tank, started it January 13th last year and now finally have some growing on the back wall and my frag trays, it's been a little over 1 year.

Patience is key in this hobby. Nothing happens fast other than unexpected coral/fish death.

 

[ScottR]

g day guys I’m really new to the hobby and well this is my first tank and set up And it’s been going since about November last year
So it’s like a 120L tank and I have a few cloves in there with a green star polyp And I thought they were all going well. In fact I still do But I’m not noticing the coralline algae that I see in so many others successful tanks
And of course I want my tank to be successful
So is there any chance you guys could help me out ?? ))

I started my tank with all live rock that I’ve had for years. My tank was completely covered in coralline after a couple of months and now it’s become more of a nuisance than anything. Introducing it is key and keeping your parameters up is crucial. Coralline prefers the same parameters as SPS corals do because it’s a calcifying algae. Coralline tends to grow faster in low lit areas and typically won’t take hold on sand so easily.