Purple Coralline Algae in spots other than rocks

[RaymondL]

So my tank is now officially past 1 year mark - I was told by many that I should have had my base rocks turn purple by now, but they haven't - they're more green than anything. Instead there's coralline algae on multiple snail shells, stems of my hammer corals and torch, on some frag discs, but not one speck of purple on my aquascape rocks.

I find that very odd......I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about this.

 

[musaabi]

So my tank is now officially past 1 year mark - I was told by many that I should have had my base rocks turn purple by now, but they haven't - they're more green than anything. Instead there's coralline algae on multiple snail shells, stems of my hammer corals and torch, on some frag discs, but not one speck of purple on my aquascape rocks.

I find that very odd......I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about this.

Some coralina algae is green so could be that. Other than that maybe the green algae is out competing the coralina? I found white light grows way more green algae. I used the coralina spores in my tanks and always had great success. My rocks were covered about 80% in less than a year. Also check your parameters. Coralina uses calcium/ dkh to build kinda like corals. If something is outcompeting it you won’t get the growth. My LFS was shocked how much I had in so little time.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Stability and proper parameters are key. Once I figured this out I get Coraline right away in all of my new tanks. My newest built is less than 2 months old and have Coraline starting on my glass, overflow and returns. Sump also getting Coraline. My parameters are rock solid steady with using a doser.

 

[PeterErc]

Wish for coralline now and hate it when you have to scrape it off glass and acid wash pumps.
However if you want the purple to spread, scrape it off the plugs/snails and let it disperse in the tank.

 

[Lavey29]

It shows up on plastic parts like powerheads first long before rocks if your environment is suitable.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So my tank is now officially past 1 year mark - I was told by many that I should have had my base rocks turn purple by now, but they haven't - they're more green than anything. Instead there's coralline algae on multiple snail shells, stems of my hammer corals and torch, on some frag discs, but not one speck of purple on my aquascape rocks.

I find that very odd......I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts about this.

Coralline is hit and miss
The three essentials are Temperature of 78-79, steady PH of 8.2-8.4 and Moderate lighting. Often rock with coralline already established would allow spreading cells called crustose to adhere to rocks, coral, shells (often seen on snails and crabs) and glass. Adding rock with coralline is actually the easiest way to introduce coralline opposed to the magic liquids which rarely work.
There are fifteen hundred classifications of coralline and red algaes and often people identify coralline by color in which is believed to be the first sign of pink.
It is actually purple which is the highest color followed by white and also green which derives from pigments called phycobili-proteins.