Need help growing Coaraline

[burnin]

I have had my tank up and running for about 8 months now and it has been very slow to growing coraline algae. I started introducing a drip of Kaltwasser at night of around half a galloon. Is this good practice? How often should I do this? Are there any other measures I can take to help speed up the process? Is it time for new lighting?
Thanks
Brian

 

[vair]

I think you have to supply all your tank specs for help on that one.
- water parameters
-equipment

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

Aside from needing to know a bit more, you have to introduce it in order to grow it. It doesn't spontaneously generate in a closed system.


Jim

 

[elpescado]

Ask your LFS for some sheets of coraline algae that commonly flake off from the sides of coral sales tanks or reef displays. Crush it up and sprinkle it all over the tank. You can also buy some nice coraline encrusted live rock.
As for water chemistry, we need to know the following:
Calcium levels
Carbonate levels
Magnesium levels
Phosphate levels
pH levels
Iodine levels

We also need to know what spectrum, wattage, etc. of lights you have over your tank.
Calcium should be above 360ppm, carbonates between 7-14dKH, magnesium above 1200ppm, low phosphate levels <.1ppm, pH 7.8 to 8.4 (8.0 to 8.2 is better). As long as you are doing weekly to every other week water changes, or adding an iodine suppliment on a regular basis, have proper lighting. You should be able to grow it.

 

[Ben1]

What does iodine have to do with coraling algae? It is usually added w/ water changes and some frozen foods anyway, just wondering.

 

[ChrisRD]

Lighting may also have an effect. IME it establishes more quickly under less intense lighting like fluorescents or lower wattage (or bluer spectrum) halides. For me, under more intense lighting (and the whiter halides) it takes a lot longer to establish and tends to be lighter colors (including white).

 

[Anonymous]

One word: calcium.

Keeping in mind all things must balance. T'is the reefin way, to walk the fence, one must have balance, grasshopper.

 

[Anonymous]

>...What does iodine have to do with coraling algae?

Some macroalgae need iodine, but for coralline algae, it is not an issue.

Trust, You will want to get rid of coralline algae all together so that you don't have to clean the glass twice a week! Be careful what you wish for!

 

[ChrisRD]

Trust, You will want to get rid of coralline algae all together so that you don't have to clean the glass twice a week! Be careful what you wish for!

Heh, true...

 

[radar!]

i have had pretty good experience with growing corilline with lower intensity lighting.
i have also noticed if you do have it seeded and it is growing urchins will also "chew" it off the glass and rocks causing it to continually seed the system. keep in mind that's not ALL they eat...

 

[elpescado]

Iodine is used in the pigmentation process (an iron compound being the main pigment). It is also used in the formation of the calcareous cell wall (Algology, Cellular Plant Biology). It is also suspected to be used in other cellular functions. However it requires a rather small amount so frequent water changes take care of that.

Side note: Liverock without coraline algae is drab, uuuuuugly, and boring. You might as well have bleached out coral skelleton (not that the bleached look cannot look attractive). But as a Marine Ecologist I tend to go for the natural look. Coraline algae plays a vital role in the ballance of the reef ecosystem, otherwise why would there be so much of it.
If you need to scrape it off use a metal blade. They work great. Unless you are really uncoordinated you wont scratch the glass. If you have acrylic you can use a credit card. This is a hobby, not a "hands off" viewing sport.

 

[danmhippo]

One more important thing, low phosphate.

If it's just coralline you concern with, don't worry too much about lighting, as different shades of corraline will survive to respond to different level of light intensity.