Get coralline to grow?

Discussion in 'New To The Hobby' started by jdameli1, Sep 26, 2010.

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  1. jdameli1

    jdameli1 Torch Coral

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    What is the best way started with 50 base and probably 20 or so live but didn't have coralline on it. Tank is over a month or so and no algae at all

    I feel so weird for wanting algae :-/
     
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  3. jkuja913

    jkuja913 Spaghetti Worm

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    What do you have for lights? I went about 6 months with only a tiny bit of coraline growth but now that ive upgraded to my halide/compact flouresenct fixture its starting to take off. You also need to seed your tank with something that has coraline on it, its not going to develop on its own. Check your LFS and look for a piece of rubble or something in there display with coraline and buy that off them or even snails are often covered with it. It then also helps to scrape some of it off near a high flow area in the tank to help it distribute. There are also supplements that are supposed to help coraline, but i have no experience with any of them. I'm fairly new to the game as well but these are all the things i've done and i'm finally gettting the darn stuff to grow.
     
  4. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    jdameli

    it will be a few more months before coralline really starts to develop well IME
    and then once it has, you may wish it had not

    coralline grows best on plastic surfaces for some reason, so pipework, filters, and even an acylic tank wall, tends to show signs of coralline before the rockwork does

    you do need to seed the tank with it, Im sure that there are spores on the 20lb of live rock you have, just probably not that much, but given time it will develop

    one good trick to encourage spreading is scrape using a razor blade any coralline you get on the plastic surfaces and let those shavings drift around tank . Coralline will then develop on surfaces that these scrapings settled on


    Steve
     
  5. offensetaken

    offensetaken Montipora Digitata

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    Make sure you have proper Cal, Mag, and DKH levels or you will have a hard time getting the coralline to spread quickly.

    I have used "Purple Up" before. It worked well, just follow the directions on the bottle and maintain proper params. I dosed it at night while the lights were out as it can cause a slight rise in PH. They should have it at your LFS
     
  6. yamaharider73

    yamaharider73 Kole Tang

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    IMPO if you get all your paramaters in check you can save your money on the purple up. I was going to get mine at the LFS and try it but they talked me out of it. it probably works and will help but if you scrape it while water parameters are in check you wont need it.I havent used it on my 120 and it is covering up extremely well. Dont get in a hurry it will come.
     
  7. offensetaken

    offensetaken Montipora Digitata

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    Yes, it will come like yamaharider said. I used it P. Up in my first tank, Not in my current tank. I agree, it's better to just let nature take it's course and let it grow on it's own. ;D;D
     
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  9. cbs3315

    cbs3315 Ritteri Anemone

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    i agree with yamaharider. my tank has only been up and going for a couple months now and i have coraline starting to grow on everything. my overflow my powerheads and my base rock. just give it time. i added about 10lbs of lr to about 130lbs of br so it doesnt take much.
     
  10. ManNurseReefer

    ManNurseReefer Fire Shrimp

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    It may first appear as a lime green color. I've noticed in all the tanks I have had it always starts as a lime green and the is slowly taken over as a pink color.
     
  11. grinder37

    grinder37 Whip-Lash Squid

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    If you have some spores to start with and good water quality,you will have it.I've found it takes around 6 months to start showing up good.
     
  12. jdameli1

    jdameli1 Torch Coral

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    I'm getting new t5 lights tommorow I hope in the mail.

    Would it be a good idea to get another piece of lr that has it already growing. Petco sells for like 10 for a small a