best way to get coraline algea to grow

[Mchava]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7919745#post7919745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by afelder
When I was trying to build up my coraline levels running the acinics 24 hours a day for 3 weeks along with dosing purple up built it up quickly and effectively.


Ariel

Well since I have a SPS dominated tank I can't realy do that. I know it works since that is what I did when I set up my very first sw tank.

 

[raskal311]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7918647#post7918647 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stryker_578
i remember when your tank was crazy purple with the single 250w. i guess you can't have the best of both worlds.

I'm not a big fan of the purple look anway.

 

[smoney]

I have been using calcium and that seems to be creating alot of coraline.

Also, ancient chinese secret, get urchins, I have two urchins in my reef tank, and they chomp on the coraline algae, but they spread the coraline algae because when they chip away at it chips of the coraline go in the water and spread to the rest of the tank.

 

[GTR]

It's an algae and requires nutrients and light just like all the rest. High PO4 will inhibit growth. In my frag system it stays alive but really no growth to speak of. In the two tubs with the frag plugs it grows good and the only light it gets is from a skylight.
SteveU

 

[Project Reef]

Coraline is sooo 1990s.

I don't mind the look of coraline on the rocks, but hate the look of it on the glass. I would love to scrap the heck out of all the coraline off of the back and side glass of my tank, however siphoning out all the coraline pieces that would end up in the water colum and sand after the scraping would be a huge drag. One day I'll do it.

I haven't used 10k bulbs in a long time, but coraline seems to grow like crazy with 14k and 20k bulbs, with high water movement and low p04 levels. Kalk dripping helps a lot. Just make sure to keep your glass clean before it goes insane. A few months back, I didn't clean the front of my glass for a good 3 weeks and the entire front was pretty much covered with coraline. Had to look through the top of the tank and small gaps here and there between coraline to make sure I still had animals.

 

[SirLight1337]

We have 4x 96watt PC's on our 100g FOWLR here at work, and the back panel, and sides are cover so thick with coraline you cant see through it. We decided to go with a window look for the tank. Just the front is the only place to view the tank, the rest is covered.

 

[Mchava]

well I know my p04 levels are low. I just measured them with a Hanna meter and its at 0.01. It realy funny even when I had my old tank I never got enogh coraline algea to grow on my tank. Dont know if its something with my water. I will try the stronium and see what happens. I dont think I have to worry about scraping the glass since I keep it spot less.

 

[smoney]

Yeah, I hate the look of coraline algae on my glass, it looks so dirty, I scrap all of it off my glass so that it looks clean, that really helps as well to spread the coraline onto the rock.