Coralline algae question

[Trooper182]

Do any of you sale coralline algae chips or know where to get some? My lfs is not the best and most places that sale it online, the shipping is more than the actual product. I want to grind up some chips to seed my tank.

 

[BaliReefBox]

I would gladly give you some but I am a bit far, I am sure someone will hook you up wwith a small piece of rock

 

[Fish Styx]

Indo pacific sea farms (IPSF) sells pvc cards that are coated with it to seed your tank. They have purple and pink. Much better, IMO than the bottled stuff. I feel you on the shipping though.

 

[EricR]

You can buy Arc Reef bottled coralline spores in different colors for about $20 on Amazon with free shipping.

Not sure if you consider that expensive or not.
Just finding some rock or snails locally with coralline growth would be cheaper but if you're desperate.

 

[Jamie814]

Arc Reef bottled coralline spores

Yes I would stay suggest just buying some snails or a small piece of live rock that is covered in coralline to seed your tank. Better if you can actually see the coralline instead of a bottle with a few spores that you can't even see. Just my 2 cents though....

 

[Trooper182]

Yes I would stay suggest just buying some snails or a small piece of live rock that is covered in coralline to seed your tank. Better if you can actually see the coralline instead of a bottle with a few spores that you can't even see. Just my 2 cents though....

I found a guy about 100 miles away who has a ton in his tank. He is going to shave me a bunch and mail it to me just for cost of shipping

 

[Pistondog]

I used the arc reef stuff with good success. I like the cards better though, assuming reasonable cost.

 

[Jamie814]

I used the arc reef stuff with good success. I like the cards better though, assuming reasonable cost.

I'm sure the ARC stuff works but without putting it under a microscope you have no idea if there is any coralline in the bottle and if you added any snails or hard shell animals/corals on any type of base during that time the coralline could just as well established from that.

 

[Pistondog]

I'm sure the ARC stuff works but without putting it under a microscope you have no idea if there is any coralline in the bottle and if you added any snails or hard shell animals/corals on any type of base during that time the coralline could just as well established from that.

They have coraline algae spores in the bottle, so yeah some idea.

 

[EricR]

I'm sure the ARC stuff works but without putting it under a microscope you have no idea if there is any coralline in the bottle and if you added any snails or hard shell animals/corals on any type of base during that time the coralline could just as well established from that.

It's advertised to have spores, as stated in post $9, to be used within a specific amount of time while the spores are viable. (I suppose you could argue possible false advertising but pretty sure their documented culturing/propogating method is real)

Tried the purple once for fun when I had only pink coralline from live rock and one dry rock structure that was pretty new.
Purple appeared and took off rapidly after adding so seems pretty likely to me it was from the Arc Reef bottle.
*just one sample set there

 

[Bucs20fan]

I was hardcore on trying to get some to seed, I went to pet stores and bought snails with coralline on their shells. Also bought some cheap frags I didnt care about bc the frag plug was covered in coralline.

 

[EricR]

Last thought:
Rock/snails with coralline will work.
Arc Reef bottled will work.

...but keep in mind that your tank needs to have the right (reasonable) environment/conditions/parameters for the coralline to thrive

 

[DaprDon]

Did I make a mistake by seeding branching coraline?

Don't know if I'm going to get just branches or if it creeps and covers. Right now I just have white dots on back wall and on the rock.
Should I reseed with creeping coraline?