Encouraging Coralline Algae

[Electrobes]

Barring keeping stable parameters, what are your tricks and suggestions for encouraging coralline growth?

 

[deanfaught]

Get a coralline covered piece of rubble from a buddy. Scrape it up good and put it in the DT. It will seed it

 

[Reefrookie220]

Ask for a nice chip from your lfs display, grind it up fine and sprinkle it in your tank, works for me.

 

[Havok]

LFS will razor blade some off a tank back wall, catch it with a fine net then grind up and sprinkle.

 

[Watkinsdan]

I bought a piece of live rock from my lfs with coralline on it. I now have it on a couple of my other pieces. I was wondering if a uv filter will keep it from spreading though. I just recently purchased one and I don't want to kill off the coralline.

 

[Cherim7]

Have read a few times that they like actinic lighting

 

[Tahoe61]

Kalk works every time for me.

 

[PnoyToiTz]

My VHO super actinic grows it.

 

[hart24601]

I have found 2 things about coralline algae; it doesn't like bright light and it likes higher alk.

Under high PAR LEDs I only got growth in shaded areas, and when I increased my alk to ~10dkh those areas really took off.

 

[puffer420]

How did you get your alk up without lowering your cal. I dose with sodium bicarbonate for alk and my cal drop really low under 300. I just dose kalk and gradually my alk will raise but only to 7 dkh.

 

[watchguy123]

coralline algae are symbiotic with a healthy tank. A tincture of time, good parameters, good lights and you're there. Adding coralline algae slivers or crushed up coralline algae or purple up, they all maybe increase the start or rate maybe. It doesn't seem all that long for a healthy tank to have its rockscape, warm powerheads and glass encrusted. And time is less expensive and less labor intensive than all the other attempts.

 

[Midrats]

I have found 2 things about coralline algae; it doesn't like bright light and it likes higher alk.

Under high PAR LEDs I only got growth in shaded areas, and when I increased my alk to ~10dkh those areas really took off.

I echo this sentiment. It also seems to like good flow.

 

[Akida17th]

Who needs coralline when you can grow some awesome bright green brown hair algae! I'll sell you some if interested way better then coralline algae

 

[ReeferBean]

I'm waiting on a product I can put on my glass to STOP it!

 

[BigMike81]

Seems go like calcium as well, its really taking off in my tank now that the calcium levels are higher.

 

[yeah2311]

There is a product out there called purple up that promotes coraline growth. I thought it flooded your system with calcium and dropped alk levels. But i might be wrong

 

[Harold Green]

It seems to be a favorite food of several long spined urchins in my tanks. They definitely keep it off the rocks anywhere they can get to.

 

[20 gallon nano]

i have never been able to grow coraline in my tank.ive tryed scraping it off rocks that had it on it, i grinded them, i tryed a accelerator. my calcium levels are at 422, i have a 4 bulb t5 light fixture. my tank was up for almost a year now and there is no coriline on any of my rocks except the ones i got with frag corals.