Ever seen Coraline Algae do this???

[Gahngoo]

I was at a LFS and saw something that I have never seen before. Take a look at the attached pictures. It's Coraline Algae growing like a plating coral.

I have been in the hobby for about three years now and this was a first for me. I asked the employee what they were doing to make it do this. He said they use Red Sea pro salt and extra calcium and magnesium. They had halides and PCs above the tank. Either way, I was envious!!!

 

[brannock_16]

Yes it is a quite rare form of coralline. I have only seen it a few times and unfortunately people never want to sell some when they have it. Very cool though!

 

[mcoomer]

I've only ever seen this on the net. Must be a very healthy tank for it to grow that well.

Mike

 

[2006]

I had Florida live rock with coraline that plated like your pics..

 

[reefsurfing]

There are so many types of coraline algea; Cool pic of a plating coraline.

 

[preef]

I have some. It came with some Lr and has been growing since my tank was new. It grows somewhat slowly for me. Mine is more horizontally layered than what is in your pic. Mine is starting to get shaded by a monti cap now.

 

[sahin]

I had that in one of my old tanks. Grew very slowly, but looked cool.

 

[Whisperer]

Lost this when I had a crash and dried everything.

:sad2:

 

[allsps40]

I had some in an old tank. I sold it all off when I moved.

 

[LifeAquatic]

I saw this once in the 70's. Man those were wild times.

 

[Alex T.]

Atlantic City Aquarium has it looking like that in their reef tank. They only use natural seawater pumped in from the surrounding area.

 

[Jabrams]

Is this it or similar?

http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=112

 

[phurst]

I used to have some. The rock it was on went with the tank when I sold that one.

 

[thebanker]

Stunning growth in the OP's pics. Never seen that in person.

 

[XSharkboyX]

I used to work at a LFS that had some plating coraline algae in their display tank. Its really incredible. I managed to seed my first reef with some.

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

I have always thought that it is a different strain that the type we commonly see in our tanks. Most of the time they come if off of imported live rock.

 

[psteeleb]

I got some growing in my 29g - cool stuff - it's not real hard or brittle, it will actually flex some

 

[Whisperer]

Nope, it does not flex. It is very fragile, easily breaks with slightest pressure. I believe my rock was from Tampa Bay.

 

[allsps40]

Yep very fragile.

 

[Jabrams]

Tampa Saltwater does have pretty nice rock but, dont you get a ton of die off?