Coralline

[Ubergroover]

What is the best way to introduce Coraline? I see additives on the market. Do they introduce coraline or have additives to help it grow? How do you guys do it?

 

[Mandrew]

I think they just give calcium and magnesium and such to help them grow.. but I'm following to see the best way to introduce it as well.

 

[3mm3]

I think the best way is introducing a rock covered in it from a trusted source.

 

[jrwoltman]

Additives do not introduce coralline. You need to seed your tank with a few small pieces of rock rubble from another members' tank who already has it growing (watch out for hitchhikers). It will take about 3-6 months for it to really get growing. If you are doing weekly water changes, using a reef salt mix, and have little to no sps in your tank, you will not need to add anything to get it growing after it is seeded.

 

[Mandrew]

I've heard of people scraping it off rocks from someone you know then dumping it into your tank as well.

 

[Adam113]

Just put something in that already has a small bit on it. Both of my tanks started with snails with a bit on their shells and it absolutely exploded.

 

[Jason mack]

Best way would be too get a small piece of rock covered on n coralline either from a friend or trusted lFS ... then just scrape it a little every couple of days !!!

 

[Ubergroover]

I think the best way is introducing a rock covered in it from a trusted source.

trusted source is a big one....not around here..lol

 

[3mm3]

Well if you make it to the Cape hit me up

 

[glweek]

thank yourself down the road and don't introduce it at all.

 

[Ubergroover]

Well if you make it to the Cape hit me up

end of august....

 

[Ubergroover]

thank yourself down the road and don't introduce it at all.

why

 

[Adam113]

why

Yeah idk... I love it.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Because it's a mess and it clogs your equipment.

 

[Jason mack]

Also so because it competes for calcium and alk with your corals

Yeah idk... I love it.

 

[Adam113]

Also so because it competes for calcium and alk with your corals

I have a pretty small tank and have only dosed calcium once months and months ago, and my levels haven't budged. Tank is covered in corraline.

 

[jgvergo]

This technique works well...

 

[Adam113]

A small tank wouldn't make much difference, but a 300 gallon display with five or six hundred lbs of live rock plus possibly the back glass and sump covered with coralline can consume quite a bit of not only ca and alk but also magnesium as well.

Wouldn't it respectfully be the same ratio wise?

 

[glweek]

why

I completely covers everything and becomes a chore to get it off the walls every other day. It covers the pores of your dry rock minimizing the surface area for the good bacteria and depletes alkalinity like a ****. Yes, aesthetically it can be attractive in small amounts and even in large amounts to some but it creates a lot of extra work in both tank stabilization as well as clean up. Its one of those things that unless you have been in the hobby long enough to experience the negatives you'll never know they exist so i understand the doubt from some.

I have a pretty small tank and have only dosed calcium once months and months ago, and my levels haven't budged. Tank is covered in corraline.

How big is your tank, what do you keep your levels at, how often do you water change and what salt do you use?

 

[Adam113]

How big is your tank, what do you keep your levels at, how often do you water change and what salt do you use?

29g
420 range for calcium
8%~ weekly
LFS saltwater since startup