Do FOWLR tanks get coralline?

[xtm]

I'm trying to set up an acrylic FOWLR tank and I'm wondering if coralline grows in FOWLR tanks? This tank will have no other supplements except water changes and it will only have PC lighting. It would be a nightmare to have coralline grow all over an acrylic tank..

thnks

 

[neotekz]

as long as the lighting is good coraline will grow...i had a lot under pc lighting

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Yes. Where there is saltwater, coralline will grow.

 

[supervdl]

Definitely will grow.

 

[scoutmaniak]

Mine is growing under the 18 watt NO bulbs, lol. Not as fast as the pc lighting in my reef, but it will grow!! Have fun, hehe.

 

[Tang Salad]

Agreed. Although there may be some way to alter your water chemistry to make it grow slower. I think it either low or high alkalinity will limit its growth. Someone will come by with an answer.

(LobsterOfJustice: Love the Username! )

 

[jag1979]

lack of calcium and alk will slow or stall the growth. I don't like it it is sucking up all the calcium and alk in my tank.

 

[kfowler]

My experience with coralline and new tanks is that you sit there and wonder if it's going to grow. Then you walk in one day and you notice some growth. Next thing you know it's spreading like wildfire. My turbo snails are getting all over their shells.

Make sure you have an adequate algae crew to keep the nuisance algae down. This will help.

 

[Navyblue]

Let your calcium or magnesium (likely the former first) deplete and maintain only carbonate level, which you need to keep the water buffered.

 

[xtm]

Which inverts consume coralline? I'm thinking a long-spined urchin.. is this 'ok' with any fish?

thanks for the replies

 

[Navyblue]

Many urchins would consume coralline, and in fact I am getting rid of my tuxedo for this reason. But IMO, limiting calcium is your safest bet if you don't want your acrylic scratched. Some urchin would also leave teeth mark on acrylic.

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

coralline algae rocks!

 

[kaihonu82]

Re: Do FOWLR tanks get coralline?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9211041#post9211041 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xtm
It would be a nightmare to have coralline grow all over an acrylic tank..

thnks

Why do you say that? I have an acrylic tank and it has coraline on it. It's no big deal If you don't want it on the tank itself, you can easily scrape it off with a razor blade, leaving no evidence it was ever there. It won't scratch the tank if you do it properly.

 

[neotekz]

you can buy acrylic safe blades and magnets

 

[sean48183]

Use instant ocean salt and don't add a calcium supplement. Instant ocean is around 250 ppm calcium -way too low for corraline to grow.

 

[antonsemrad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9214460#post9214460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sean48183
Use instant ocean salt and don't add a calcium supplement. Instant ocean is around 250 ppm calcium -way too low for corraline to grow.

Yep.... thats what I would do.....

 

[trapper01]

Hi guys Hay just a reply to antonsemrad you should send back your instant ocean salt if it only has 250 ppm calcium. I have never had it less then 350 ppm and a lot of the time it is 380 to 400 I have had bad luck with reef Crystals low calcium around 250 ppm and when i opend the 5gal bucket it had strong smell of vitamins just nasty stuff. But you are right at 250ppm I dont think coralline will grow to good nor will his snails or any other thing that needs calcium if mine ever got down to 250 I would have a hart attack I keep it 420 to 450