Help, coraline takeover

[RandU]

so I have been using a long handle plastic scraper to get off the coraline where I can reach but because of the Euro bracing and canopy I cannot reach a lot of areas. This weekend I plan to take the canopy off to scrape it all. Once I get the coraline off is there a way to keep it from coming back as strong? Do I just need to scrub the acrylic with a mag float every day? Would a UV reduce this infestation considering it’s algae? Thanks

 

[Rjukan]

I've read blue tuxedo urchins eat coraline. I dont have first hand experience though.

 

[KrisReef]

Scraping spreads Coraline algae, so you might help yourself if you siphon-vac the sediment after you are done with scraping to remove some of the algae flakes?
The parameters that encourage Coraline are the same for coral, which isn't at all helpful in your current mission.

I do not believe that I have before encountered anyone who was actively trying to eradicate it, but it is an interesting question. The only solution that I can think would be to drain the tank because it seems to die fairly quickly (above the water line) when I used to do massive water changes.

GL

 

[HolisticBear]

I'm guessing the majority of people use an algae magnet with a razor blade, like the flipper or tunze. Sorry, that applies for glass tanks rather than acrylic.

With glass, you don't want it to go too long, but you definitely don't need to do it every day. If you did it once a week, it will definitely come off pretty easy with a razor magnet.

Hopefully someone with more experience with acrylic will reply soon.

 

[lapin]

Look at the algae cutter pads/bag sold by mighty magnets. Its a woven plastic bag that goes over the magnet. Works everywhere but the corners.

 

[Oshengems]

Blue Tuxedos urchins will absolutely eat coraline algae I had one and I could see a trail of his track since he would strip my rocks and back panel of coraline algae

 

[RandU]

So I don’t Necessarily want to eradicate it I just want it off my acrylic but I also understand I don’t get to choose where it grows. So I’m hoping to just slow it’s growth. But if that is going to stunt the growth of my coral I really don’t want to do that either. I really like that mighty magnet and bag. That looks like it would definitely let me keep up on the algae on the acrylic once I get it off. I’ll also look into the urchin. I would be worried about that on the acrylic though. Thanks guys.

 

[Oshengems]

Actually I also have a long spine urchin in my sump he’s been down there for 5-6 months he was banned because he was also stripping my coraline from my rocks and he was a D**** he forced plugs of rocks

 

[brownsalt92]

I've read blue tuxedo urchins eat coraline. I dont have first hand experience though.

This is true mine cleaned spots to clean glass again