Coralline algae

[Saltlife757]

Are there any tips for growing coralline algae? I could be wrong, but isn't that type of algae really good for an aquarium?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Tips are

Has to be seeded
Good lighting
Good water quality
Good water parameters
Stable water

It's very nice to look at and it right away says "this tank is healthy"

 

[Bent]

I had no idea coralline had to be seeded.

 

[ericarenee]

Keep Calcium Alkalinity and Magnesium in check.. Magnesium a bit on the higher end of spectrum helps..........

 

[jetfixer100]

Tips are

Has to be seeded
Good lighting
Good water quality
Good water parameters
Stable water

It's very nice to look at and it right away says "this tank is healthy"

I'm new to the hobby. Could you kindly explain how to seed coralline algae? Sorry to th OP! Didn't mean to hijack your thread!

 

[shifty51008]

Pretty much if you add a snail or frag that has a lil bit of coraline on it then the tank is seeded.

 

[jetfixer100]

Pretty much if you add a snail or frag that has a lil bit of coraline on it then the tank is seeded.

So, it (the piece with the coralline already on it) just has to be in the tank, and not in direct contact with the rocks that you want it to grow on?

 

[shifty51008]

Nope, once in the tank it releases spores which cause it to spered around

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Shifty is correct :thumbsup: It only has to be in the tank.

You can go to your lfs and scrape some off of say their tank where they cure lr or even on of their other tanks. Most won't mind doing this for you. Get some shavings and drop it in. Or buy a snail or hermit crab that has it on it's shell. That's how I got mine.

 

[Saltlife757]

Sweet! Thanks for the tips. I just went out and got a nice piece of live rock with a ton of coralline algae on it and put it in my sump tank. How long will it usually take for the algae to spread to my other rocks? I have about 120 pounds of LR.

 

[ericarenee]

Sweet! Thanks for the tips. I just went out and got a nice piece of live rock with a ton of coralline algae on it and put it in my sump tank. How long will it usually take for the algae to spread to my other rocks? I have about 120 pounds of LR.

Put it in your Display tank in a brightly lit heavy flow area.... It Takes months and months to get a good Full coverage...

Its a Marathon NOT A SPRINT....... Slow and Steady wins the Reef

 

[Saltlife757]

Very true. I have a pin cushion urchin In my main tank and was worried that he would eat the coralline. Is that something to be concerned about?

 

[Isaacs55]

I posted a thread of my coral blog but it shows how fast I got my coraline algae to grow within 3 months.
Kept my magnesium at 1400 and Calcium at 450-500 daily.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2522494

 

[Saltlife757]

I posted a thread of my coral blog but it shows how fast I got my coraline algae to grow within 3 months.
Kept my magnesium at 1400 and Calcium at 450-500 daily.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2522494

Wow that's great!

 

[Luke Schnabel]

If your LFS has a good piece of love rock that has tons of coralline algae on it buy it, put it in your tank by a power head. Then about every week or two you can scrape off some chunks and it spreads all over your tank. I did that in my old tank and in 5 months everything was purple and I was cleaning it off the glass weekly.

 

[ericarenee]

I posted a thread of my coral blog but it shows how fast I got my coraline algae to grow within 3 months.
Kept my magnesium at 1400 and Calcium at 450-500 daily.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2522494

This i agree with .. Magnesium is key in my Opinion.


Just do NOT DOSE IF You cant check it

 

[Isaacs55]

Wow that's great!

Thank you!