Coralline Algae growth lighting

lighting

Thanks!

 

When I start a tank and I want to encourage coralline growth, I run the actinics only for about 14-16 hours a day.
I also seed the tank with coralline scrapings from a mature tank and leave the skimmer off for the first month or so.

 

OK but be warned. I have terrible handwriting

 

lighting

ill do the same and just leave the actinics only but how many days for 14 to 16 hours and then used both day and actinic

 

Well, if you're not going to have corals, I don't see the need for daylights But, they do make the tank look better so if you've got them, you might as well use them. I usually run blue actinics only until I'm ready to add corals so anywhere from 2-3 months.

 

On my Liverock curing tubs, yes I use tubs instead of tanks for curing liverock. I run TRUE 420nm actinic fluorescent bulbs, 2x40w 24/7. I dose with purple up every other day. I normally would start with one piece from my show tank thats totally covered with Coraline, then place it with a bunch of dead rock and in about 2-3 months, all of the deadrock is live rock with good growth. Oh yeah, I also dose/feed the rock Spectra-Vital. Liverock will not live without food. You can really make your liverock come alive when you feed it.

Hope this helps you.

 

is is alright to protien skim while you using purple up or will it be taken out of the water

 

I have been using PurpleUp and not turning my skimmer off and my coralline is spreading like wildfire. That doesn't mean that it is the right thing to do but it is working for me.

 

I tend to leave the skimmer off for the first 2 months of cycling.

 

Of course, there is the other side of the coin.

I can't stop the coralline. It is running amok and taking over my tanks, including the acrylic. Coralline on rock is good, but getting coralline off acrylic is a PITA. I'm now spending a couple hours a week scraping away to try and reclaim my tanks. Major sections of the 300 are tough to get to.

Be careful what you ask for. ;D