Plating Coralline Algae?

[Kjames]

Is plating coralline algae a real thing? Check this out growing on one of my MP40s. Tank is about 18 months old and this power head has been cleaned a few times so it’s a new appearance. This growth habit seems unique. Not seeing it anywhere else in the tank. Going to scrape it off and put it on a frag plug.

 

[WV Reefer]

Is plating coralline algae a real thing? Check this out growing on one of my MP40s. Tank is about 18 months old and this power head has been cleaned a few times so it’s a new appearance. This growth habit seems unique. Not seeing it anywhere else in the tank. Going to scrape it off and put it on a frag

plug.

It is a thing.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

For some reason, the algae love plastic.

 

[Kjames]

For some reason, the algae love plastic.

So maybe a 3D printed frag plug then

 

[uhgster1]

It most definitely will. And if you have that much corraline it’s affecting your calcium consumption 100%.

 

[Jeffcb]

Sticks plastic first.

 

[Rmckoy]

Plating coralline is a thing for sure .
It’s been there on that rock for years .
I don’t actually think it’s alive anymore but haven’t touched it to see .

Don’t mind the flatworms in the picture.
They have recently started taking over .
The wrasses , damsels and mandarin haven’t made their way up there yet .

 

[Kjames]

Thanks for all the replies. I glued two nice chunks of it on some plastic frag plugs.

Some observations about the coralline growth in this tank - for almost 2 years I've used TM All4Reef at dKH of 7.5 and coralline growth has been pretty amazing. Excessive even, with credit card sized chunks of it flaking off the back wall. After switching to a calcium reactor and raising dKH to around 9, coralline seems to have slowed a bit and this plating form has emerged. Not sure if any of it is related but interesting anyway. SPS really took off after raising the Alk.

 

[Rickybobby]

If it’s black and plastic than that stuff loves it!

 

[X-37B]

I have the same type. Mine grows so fast I have 2 urchins that keep it from taking over everything in my 120.
I have to scrape the 3 viewing sides weekly to keep it at bay.
I run a carx with an alk of 7-7.5 and growth of corals and coralline is outstanding.
Today I had to trim back some corals that were growing into each other.
Here is a powerhead with similar coralline growth.

Here is a few pics before the urchins.