Boosting Coraline Growth

[Sports Girl]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can boost my coraline in my 60 gallon reef? I have some on my rocks now, but would definitely like more. Do any of the additives work (i.e. Purple Up, etc.)? I should let you all know I do have two urchins and realize that they will keep the coraline down, but maybe someone has advice on boosting it anyway. Thanks in advance!

 

[Trigeek]

Make sure your calcium and alk levels are good. Kalkwasser or a calcium reactor may be helpful to keep these levels where you want them. Water changes will help replenish the calcium also.

 

[navajo]

Hey Sports Girl,

What I have found in my tank is if I keep the Calcium up and drip Kalk, the coralline takes off quite nicely.

I have also noticed that the brighter my lighting, the slower it grows.

HTH

 

[Shnabbles]

Ya do what he said.. dont add any purple up crap.... PS eventually youll have so much coraline youll wish you didnt

 

[jessp]

i agree, water changes and two part drip will do it. i have an urchin and astrea stars that eat the corraline and you wouldn't have any clue they where there.

more importantly time is what the key is.

 

[NoSchwag]

do a search for "sr. AND corraline".

 

[Sports Girl]

What is "sr."? How would I set up a drip (never done it before)?

EDIT: I don't have a calcium reactor, what are my options?

 

[SDguy]

Just keep your ca and alk levels stable, and make sure your Magnesium is at least 1300ppm or so. It'll take off...

 

[Brenden]

CA and alk is the key. Please take some of my coralline. I hate scraping it.

 

[javajaws]

Sr == strontium

 

[scumonkey]

here's a simple DIY kalk dripper
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/nftt/index.php

 

[Paintbug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8315733#post8315733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
Just keep your ca and alk levels stable, and make sure your Magnesium is at least 1300ppm or so. It'll take off...

that pretty much sums it up. target 400-420ppm for calcium/ 8-10 dKH on alkalinity, and pretty soon you will be complaining about having to scrape the glass weekly like the rest of us .

heres an article on how to choose a supplementation scheme http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm . i use a 2 part myself. its simple to use, no mess, no fuss. you just have to remember to add it everyday

 

[MichaelFreedman]

I have to say that I used Purple Up on my tank when it was about 3 months old. Coraline started growing immediately. Worked real well... just have to make sure you shake the crap out of the bottle before you put it in. You do have to have something in the tank with Coraline on it to start though. Find a good piece of LR that is covered and put it in your tank before you use the Purple Up.

Mike

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8317521#post8317521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scumonkey
here's a simple DIY kalk dripper
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/nftt/index.php

If you do use kalk, definitely keep an eye on Mg.