How to get Coralline Algae

mchammer

Member
I started a new tank and use dry rock and dry sand. It's been cycled for 2 months now and I was wondering if coralline algae will grow on it's own or do I have to introduce it into my tank? I know there are products like purple up I don't know if increases growth of existing coralline algae or produces coralline algae. Any help would be appreciated.
 
You need to have something in there that has some on it to begin with, i.e. snails, hermit crabs, etc. If you got a piece of LR from someone with some on it that would be good too. If you keep your Ca, Alk and Mg within normal ranges, it will start to grow. You'd be better off using some kalkwasser in your top off water, than buying the purple up.
 
You have to put something in the tank with coraline algae already on it. It can be anything from a live rock, snail shell, or even a heater or powerhead covered in coraline from an existing tank. Some people even just scrape some off the glass of an established tank and dump the shavings in their tank.
 
first thing keep the main three parameters up to range and steady, cal alk and mag. then introduce a piece of rock with coralline algae on it. coralline need strong lights.
 
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My first green and purple coralline appeared this week! never thought I would get excited about algae, I started off with dry rock, live sand and there may have been some on the shells of 2 turbo snails I put in there last month... tank is now 4 months old.

So you will need something to introduce it, if you are going to keep coral most frags will have coralline on the rubble or plug when you buy it too.
 
If you're anywhere near northborough, I have a turbo snail that I could give you. He has coralline algae on his shell and does a great job eating other algae.
 
I started with a live rock piece that had some on it then I added purple-up and within a couple weeks started seeing a lot of coraline.
 
products like purple up is nothing but waste of money and time. its just sand with high calcium numbers thats all.
just keep good parameters and strong lights and introduce a small rock with lot os coralline on it and place it in high flow area and scrape it a bit to spread the spores around.
soon enough u will have it growing in areas u will come back to post how to remove it from glass.
 
Thanks for the info. I had an existing tank with live rock but I didn't want to introduce any bubble algae to my new tank. I did transfer my turbo snails into this tank and some coral that has some coralline algae just didn't think it was enough to seed my new tank. Thanks for the offer Netta, I live 30 miles south of Boston.
 
+1 on purple up being a waste. If you have a coralline source in the tank already, just monitor parameters and have patience. It will come =) :D
 
Fastest way is to get a small piece of rock w/ it covered on it and scrape it in front of the return nozzle and it will spread all over the tank. Be sure to keep your foundation elements to the upper end of normal, and be prepared to start dosing Alk and maybe Ca when it really gets going.
 
Give it time, you'll be wishing you hadn't wished for it later. This weekend is scrape weekend for me. An hour or two scraping glass. Oh the joys of reefkeeping!!!!
 
Give it time, you'll be wishing you hadn't wished for it later. This weekend is scrape weekend for me. An hour or two scraping glass. Oh the joys of reefkeeping!!!!

+1.

Like everyone who commented above, make sure all three CA, MG, & ALK are in there respective ranges and it will grow. You will also need to maintain these levels or the coraline will turn white and die.

Don't forget, coraline as well as SPS and LPS need CA, MG, & ALK to grow. Sooner or later, you'll wish that you didn't have any coraline so that all the CA, MG, & ALK would be consumed by the corals.
 
My sig line has parameters that assure a lot of coralline. It's a slow grower, getting started, so tanks you see with a lot of it have been around a while.
 
from dry dead rock to coralline out of control in 6 months. (no additives no dosing no suppliments, just cal reactor and strong lights.)
before:
DSC_0002-3.jpg


after:
20130312_205552_zps18c96dc7.jpg
 
Thanks for the reply. Nice tank bnumair. I can't believe that is just six months growth of coralline algae. Like I said earlier I have some coralline algae via the snails and the rock with my coral which is very purple it just hasn't spread anywhere else. I guess I'll have to wait a little longer. all my parameters are good except for calcium with is a little low (390) Mag 1430 and ALK 8.4
 
key is STEADY parameters. if u already got some coralline in some form just keep ur parameters steady stable. with strong lights it will take off soon.
Good luck and safe reefing.
 
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