Lithothamnion

I assume you could break i up into clumps or just add it whole.

 

Different coralline algae species that grow in this nodule configuration are found growing all over the world in different oceans on the sand bed. The two common species which are found offshore of the UK (Phymatolithon calcareum and Lithothamnion corallioides) are locally called maerl beds (MWGI - Marine Aggregates - Maërl). Elsewhere they are called rhodoliths (Scientists Discover New Marine Habitat In Alaska).
These species of coralline algae form massive beds on the sandy ocean floor and act like a reef between rocky areas and provide a home for many different animals. They occur more often in areas with clear waters. I would love to try to keep them, if they are tropical spp. I assume they would require a lot of light. The cold water species I think would require cooler waters, but have not heard of anyone trying to keep either in an aquarium so it would be an interesting experiment.

 

i figured you were going too

I have messed with my fair share of "fruiting" coralline. (What can I tell you this is what I have heard it called) Many, (at least all I have come across-including this one), prefer lower lighting, and pretty clean water with high calcium/mag/alk

Oddly enough, the great diversity of coralline algae are in areas with less light, and as the light increases you generally see a corresponding decrease in the variety of coralline. Best place to look for nice coralline is in the base of the seagrass bed, shaded by the blades, or on the overhang of the rock ledge, receiving only the light reflected from the sand. Sure this is not true for all species, but I have always found this to be true. In the shallows, especially in areas with very clear water, you are almost guaranteed to find more richness in the coralline species on the underside of the rocks.

 

Exactly. I was at the LFS yesterday and purchased my first new corals and was talking about coralline algae and how I only have my blue lights on for now to promote its growth faster (deep water light). They looked at me like they never heard that before and stated it rapidly grows in any light. I can understand when you already have a ton of coralline rocks that sure, in their store it is going to spread regardless, but I don't have much to work with and want to speed up the process. I have read time and time again it does not like "white" light.

 

I think that is 100% true. I have always noticed that and from the few mariculture operations I have had a chance to peak at that is the lighting they use to color up spots that might have a different macro algae on it in nature, and after removal they want to spread out the species.

You may already know this, but I figure I will throw it out there for other readers too..."fruiting" coralline doesn't promote other species of coralline in the tank. If it spreads, you will get more clusters, not the usual "pink/purple/green/red" encrusting varieties. Hard to get it to spread though, I haven't heard of any success stories. I have seen it with some others. You will have to excuse the spelling, but one of the Titanoderma species had covered this guy's whole rock. On another forum so I don't want to link to it, (bad etiquette i think), but let me google image you something...sorry no dice, but the species is titanoderma tessellatum (hey i spelled the genus right! ) Couldn't even find that pic...but here is a cool coralline algae:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/tahoe1095/coraline.jpg

 

Yes, I figured that one out.

That does look very cool!

 

Coralline prefers blue light is a false statement, coralline growing in deep water is also false, some species grow in deep water and some in shallow and some are very adaptable. Corals prefer coralline covered rocks to attach to, there are many scientific papers written on this. If you go to any exposed stony shore in subtropics/tropics you find coralline growing in rockpools and shallow down to deep water. They require low nutrients and seem to prefer higher kelvin bulbs but not necessarily bue light. Plus high flow and clear water. A lot of the mearl beds are found in shallow water usually within 5 metres in clear water with good light penetration, but again it depends on the species.

Following website is a research page into growing coralline.
About.com: http://www.garf.org/coralline.html

 

So what you are saying from that statement is the coralline that grows in the deep ocean that is used to low blue light will be fine and will adapt to very high lighting and propagate at the same rate?

 

In a nut shell - yes, but it depends on the species of coralline in your tank. I agree that coralline grows better under higher kelvin lamps but also needs NSW levels of calcium, magnesium and alk. Coralline also requires low phosphate and nitrate levels and low detritus; high flow rates will ensure less detritus on exposed rocks and coralline tends to prefer this. A lot of people find that coralline will grow rapidly on powerheads and any acrylic such as overflows, due to the high flow in that area.

 

some tidepools receive more light, many receive less once you factor in turbidity. The garf article is focused on growing "regular" coralline, and while true for some species, it isnt true for all, so if you decide to go for the "good stuff", just take the info with a grain of salt. Some of the more diverse species like Peyssonnelia for example are found at 60 feet below, but are more common at over 100 feet below, and they are most common at 140-180 feet below, well within the blue range spectrum. Same of the Jania sp., the Lithophylum sp., and even Lithothamnion species are the same way. Lithothamnion proliferum grows as far as an amazing 80 meters deep, its shallowest reported range being 30 meters deep. Mesophyllum sp. (all awesome by the way), are almost entirely grown in low light conditions, 100 feet or more below the surface and even then they are only found in caves or over hangs. Neogoniolithon is the same way, although you will find some of it in shallower water, at the base of seagrass, if their is dense coverage overhead protecting them from the strong light. (Neongoniolithon frutescens is one of the species I have messed with, it does great under 35w compact fluorescent hanging 3 feet off the water in a tank at the base - 26 inches deep, but always bleached out in my display which has 260w compact fluorescent over a 72 bowfront). Titanoderma species are generally found around 50 feet down, but can exist in shallow water in areas with higher turbidity. Sporolithon, (another favorite of mine), was collected for me by a diver, he had to go 110 feet and into a cave to find this gem. Really nice coralline as well, not that it took hold in my 72 either, the light almost immediately bleached it, but when left in an unlit tank receiving only ambient room light (in his tanks), it had done just fine. (That one hurt...cost me a small fortune...but the past is past...)

I think most of the time blue lighting is used to not for the coralline's sake directly, but to decrease the chances of nuisance or other algae from taking up the real estate. If your sole purpose is to fill a rock with coralline, any little trick to discourage some nuisance algae is worth it. Lower kelvin bulbs are great at growing a variety of "normal" macro algae (and nuisance filamentous algae, etc...) so if your sole purpose is to grow coralline, why deal with the competition?

Reef intensity lighting good water quality etc...means you will end up with just the basics really. If you want to delve into the harder to keep species, you will need to experiment with overhangs, shading and other methods to reduce light for many of the species, (certainly all the ones I was just dreaming about - ) otherwise they become over grown by the more common species in the hobby. Encrusting species of coralline are epiphytic, and fast growing - the nicer stuff is slow growing and susceptible to attack. What can make some of them even trickier is their preference for colder water. It gets colder 80 feet down, and plants in general are very limited by temperature, so if you are like me and end up hunting down a particular species to find out that you can keep it low light, in 70 degrees, but when the warehouse warms up and you aren't running a chiller it dies off en masse. aargh...lesson learned, at least it was only a "plant"

All these difficulties have made me give up messing with them for now, but after this thread I am afraid I may have gotten the bug again, and might try it out some more. So, if you ever find any Cheilosporum in your Internet travels (preferably spectabile - but I am not picky), please let me know. Next to titanoderma it is what I would consider the holy grail of coralline. And it would do just fine in a normal reef tank to boot. I have seen it once, but the guy didn't want to share. Not that I can blame him, but I am still disappointed.