Purple Coraline?

[AquaVolGP]

What is the fast way to get this stuff growing?

I have Much more than i used to have, but it is taking forever. I am just now seeing it come up on powerheads and filterbox.

Has anyone ever heard of Purple up?

I only have Flourescent lights.....is this a reason?

 

[Angela Short]

save your money on better lights not the purple up. Regular water changes will give coraline all the right stuff to grow very well with higher light. I am surprised its growing at all under NO. I picked up a used ARO ballast with 2 65 PCs for $40 so just keep your eyes open for a good used deal or get a ebay cheapo for like $100 but it has new bulbs....mine were old. Hope this helps

 

[stevensmd]

I found when calcium and alkaline levels were correct..it really takes off...it covers my tank now, but it is a nuisance to clean.
dave

 

[salt newbie01]

I would agree with angela - once you get better lighting you should see it take off. I did not have any growing under no, but when I upgraded to vho's the stuff took off. now it grows on everything. And make sure the calcium and alk levels are correct. good luck!!

 

[Stipe]

I doubt it is the lighting. My coraline only grown where there is no light hetting it, my refugium or where the light is shaded. I have metal haldies by the way.

One of the msot important things these guys need to grow is current. Thats why they grow on your intake and power heads first. They love and need fast flowing water to help in exhange of caclium etc. Yeh they need calcium too.

 

[ReefRacer]

I experience the same as Stipe, it grows on vertical surfaces and in the refugium. The glass has the pink on it. It seems purple in the sump and on the edges of live rock under halides.

 

[foggy54]

Keep your salinity up around 1.024~1.025, proper magnesium levels are important, higher salinity helps keep the magnesium levels up.

 

[ndfootball5489]

Lighting doesn't havce much to do with coraline algae growth. What coraline is going to grow from is your calcium. Since coraline is a type of calcarous algae, you need your alkalinity and calcium at the right levels for it to come. Another thing that is very important about growth of coraline is water flow. That is why you see it on your filter box and powerhead because of the water flow. So the more water flow you have in your tank the faster it will grow. Also strontium and other trace elements help with coraline algae growth.

 

[imsqueak]

I disagree w/ ND. It's 80% about the lighting and if your param's are good it will go wild.

However, my take on coraline is like owning a nice house with pretty trees which have roots that want to assult your plumbing. Nice to look at but timely and costly to keep it under control.

I was just like you in the beginning. Wanted purple coated everying. Then I had to clean it all - FREQUENTLY! But we are like teenagers when it comes to this and only by experience can we learn, so best of luck getting over the hump. It's just one of many on the rollercoaster ride we enjoy so much.