When does the coralline come?

[Expensive Sushi]

New to salt water -

Okay, the tanks been running for about 3 months now. I'm starting to get regular green algae on the rocks. Normal? Are these just growing pains to deal with? Just let it be until the coralline starts growing?

 

[Ah64av8tor]

You have to keep the Ca and alk up around 400-450 and 9-12 Dkh the higher the better and it will come. Then after your arm is aching from a few hours of scraping you will wish it never did.

 

[Expensive Sushi]

Ha. So thats how people get scratches on their tank glass huh?

Yeah my Ca has been on the low side.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

A razor blade can clean and scratch.

Here is a nice calculater to help with dosing.

Read every thing from Randy in the Chem forum.

 

[Expensive Sushi]

Nice - that can come in handy - thanks.

Oh yeah something else I meant to mention. I started with very little purchased rock with corelline on it. I probably need more right? It must be introduced or will it grow on its on?

 

[Ah64av8tor]

You can wait for what you have to grow or add more; that which comes on frags or rock, or add the scrapings from an other tank.

Check out Garf.org

 

[amheck]

All you really need is a good 2 part additive (you can make it cheap) and you should have no problems getting it to grow. That being said, I agree with Greg. It's a little over rated when you have to clean it so often.

 

[mflamb]

Magnesium is also necessary for coralline.

 

[BlueCoast]

Sushi, i was in the same boat. After i read Randy's articles and my brain stopped hurting the corraline came quick. I will never regret buying Salifert Ca and Alk kits. So much more accurate than the cheapo kits from the LFS. All i do is put a little 2part in daily and measure occasionally or when someone looks unhappy in the tank.

So i scraped my display glass clean, and now my new sump is al speckled.... This stuff is more contagious than cooties.

 

[stevemc]

Good water flow helps too, but if you have a lot to seed with thats the best. Also most types(yes, there are hundreds of different types) dont like bright white lights, they mainly like bluer lights. But like Greg said, high alk and calcium together, with non existant nitrates, nitrites, and phosphates-important! it will grow. You may have to get a phosphate remover. You must start with some anyway, it helps to have several types, as it all wont live, according to your lighting etc.