Coraline ?

[swjunkie]

I think thats how you spell it. Anyway is that the purple algea?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Purple, red, pink, yes. It's the hard encrusting algae that grows on your rocks, and eventually everything else in your tank, if you have the right conditions. 8)

 

[swjunkie]

Okay how long does it take to start growing? I am cycling now with a shrimp.
Melissa

 

[hackteck]

several months

 

[swjunkie]

Okay
Thanx
Melissa

 

[jaiden]

if all your rock is base rock, you'll need to "Seed" it to get it to grow. You should buy 1lb of "real" live rock and scrape a bit of the purple off into the tank. that will help.

 

[swjunkie]

okay I bought some live rock that already has a little on it already. Will I need lights? I am cycling my tank now.

 

[hackteck]

the lights that came with your aquarium will do fine lr doesnt need any high output light

 

[swjunkie]

would it be better to cycle the tank with or without lights?

 

[hackteck]

doesnt really matter, ur choice. also are you cycling with an uncooked shrimp? or just lr

 

[swjunkie]

uncooked shrimp and lr/ls. if the lights are on would that cause algea that I dont want to grow?

 

[Devilishturtles]

You will see very little, if any, coraline growth if you keep the lights off. What kind of lights do you have on the tank? How long a day do you leave them on?

Lights will not cause other algaes to grow if your tank is well maintained. Ie: Frequent water changes, skimming, or RO/DI usage, etc.

 

[swjunkie]

I just started cycling it yesterday and I havent turned the lights on at all. I just have the lights that came with the hood. I think it is a compact strip.

 

[elephantshoeyou]

red coraline?

i just set up my tank last week and have been cycling it since friday. 3 out of the 6 rocks i have in my tank all have coraline algae on them (purple, greenm, and some redish). well i noticed starting a couple days ago that its faintly starting to grow on the other rocks which had minimal if any coraline on them. the weird part is, the algae on my already seeded rocks has gone almost entirely dark red/brownish in color. is that bad or good or doesnt matter? thanks

 

[swjunkie]

from what I have read on here the brown algae is a norm when cycling a tank and it will eventually go away soon after the tank is finished cycling.

 

[ferretttt]

On a lot of the LR that I bought, I had Coraline growths, Featherdusters, small brittle stars, and who knows what else.

iT WAS VERY COOL.

 

[jaiden]

I'd turn the lights on for at least 3h/day even though coralline doesn't need much light. That won't be enough to grow much.. you'll probably get diatoms anyway.

 

[hackteck]

diatoms are apart of your cycling process they burn out overtime

 

[elephantshoeyou]

what are diatoms?

 

[hackteck]

brown algae