View Full Version : coralline
emonemo420
08-08-2007, 10:38 PM
well i did some minor cleaning of the tank today and i used the powerheads to blow some of the diatoms and algea off of the rocks and i think some of the rock i got was base rock ...there was no corraline on it at all...just looked like regular rock...but my ? is how do i speed it up...i want those cool purples and pinks and stuff....a few of my rocks came with it but how long does it take to spread? can i like take some from a friends tank and put it in mine? will my new lights im getting help it grow faster?
ricsreef
08-08-2007, 10:48 PM
"Purple Up" is a good way to get coralline to grow.You can buy it at your LFS.Personally I have never used it,but it has good reviews.If you have a good lighting system it will spread to your other rock in a few months.
clown-lover
08-08-2007, 10:52 PM
Here is a good link that explains a lot about growing coraline algae..
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/aboutcorallinealgae/ss/coralline.htm
I'd personally not use Purple Up. Instead I'd use a reef salt and lights towards the bluer spectrum.
Reefscape
08-09-2007, 8:05 AM
Products like purple up are a total waste of money...good calcium and lighting is simply all that is required for corraline to grow...They type of lighting will also govern what colour of coralline will grow too....
Niko
Subliminal
08-09-2007, 8:43 AM
Well, good calcium, proper alkalinity, and magnessium levels. But same difference. ;)
Reefscape
08-09-2007, 8:52 AM
for sure its the same difference...the point about it is that additives are not needed and simple good water and light are all that is required.
Niko
Subliminal
08-09-2007, 9:07 AM
Well, that's really dependent on which salt a person uses. Some of the salts do not have the same content as far as mg, alk, and calcium as others. Reef Crystals is pretty good, as are a few others, but instant ocean and some of the other salts leave you very low on those few items, and often times require additives, in the form of a 2 part calcium/alk and possibly mag as well.
Or so I've learned in my experience.
:)
Good to have you back, Niko!
Reefscape
08-09-2007, 9:11 AM
thanks Damon...its good to be back mate...was an awsome break all the same...but, back to hunting down trolls, haters and spammers again....lol....
Niko
Pallen81
08-09-2007, 9:29 AM
I used Instant Ocean for the first 3 months I had my tank setup and I had explosions of Coraline Algae. Extreme Purples, Pinks, Aqua Colors. Very Cool.
I recently switched to Reef Crystals because none of the stores around my had Instant Ocean in stock. Even more coraline!
So in short, good salt mix, decent lighting, good nutrient levels, good WC schedule. Your coraline algae will start growing very soon. It's only a matter of time. I wouldn't spend any money on something that will surely appear very soon!!!
:)
Subliminal
08-09-2007, 9:32 AM
Pallen,
I bought my reef crystals from your favorite store, but they had about 15 tubs of instant ocean that i had to wade through to find it.
Guys there hooked me up, though, and gave me 10% off the salt tub, so 160g of RC was like $49...which is pretty sweet IMO.
Riverserver
08-09-2007, 10:13 AM
...the point about it is that additives are not needed and simple good water and light are all that is required.
Hmm, I wonder how hard it would be to farm coralline in a sump...
/me dashes off to laboratory
Reefscape
08-09-2007, 10:52 AM
Hmm, I wonder how hard it would be to farm coralline in a sump...
/me dashes off to laboratory
not hard at all..if you have good growth in your display tank, then you can have good growth in the sump with a simple lighting upgrade...
Niko