Live rock question

[ecancienne1983]

How can u get the alge to grow on your live rock fast im talking about the purple and other colors and what not? Is it just something that happens over time or a chemical or Something i can add in the tank?

 

[Macscale]

It's Coraline algae. Yes there are products that make it grow everywhere, but it will coat your glass too. You can also take an unused tooth brush and scrape some off other rocks and hope that it settles on another rock.

 

[mr_X]

No, there are no products that will make it grow any faster. Correct parameters and time (and of course the presence of the algae in the first place) is all you need.

 

[anthonygaliazzo]

Does the algue spread only by touching an other rock or it can pop up on any rock?

 

[Macscale]

Really? I swear someone mentioned one called Coraline-Grow somewhere.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Really? I swear someone mentioned one called Coraline-Grow somewhere.

Oh they sell them, but they don't do anything but mess with your calcium levels.

 

[mr_X]

Think about it- it's a calcium based algae. How would you speed it's growth? Too much calcium would crash the alk. What else would make an algae grow? Things like "purple up" and "coralline grow" are just snake oil, since you can't pour a bottle of calcium and alk supplement in a tank at one time and see positive results.
Good parameters are the best you can do. Scraping it off of the rock with a knife and letting it blow all over will give you the glass and other rocks effect you mentioned.

 

[Macscale]

Oh I said they exist not they work. I've never added a chemical to my tank I never will.

 

[Stinky Pete]

1st you want it real bad then you get sick if scraping it off your glass weekly.
Coraline Algae forming naturally is a good sign for a reef tank. When it appears you know your doing something right.

 

[ecancienne1983]

Ok now it grow if theres no coral correct?

 

[ecancienne1983]

How does it begin i mean is it just keeping good water parameters or what ?

 

[bribo12]

How does it begin i mean is it just keeping good water parameters or what ?

Yes keeping everything in balance will cause it to start

 

[Stinky Pete]

How does it begin i mean is it just keeping good water parameters or what ?

Yeah pretty much.

 

[ecancienne1983]

Ok sounds good ill try my best now if everything correct as in perfect water whats an average time frame do u think i will start to notice it growing

 

[Stinky Pete]

I had some in about 4 months. It could take a year tho. If you don't look for it it will show up

 

[ecancienne1983]

Heres all the rock i have now just wondering ive u see any

 

[ecancienne1983]

Thats been in the tank about three months

 

[bribo12]

It will take a while for coralline to show. It took about 6-7 months for mine to start sprouting up and it grows slow in my tank now. Well and my urchin devours it

 

[ecancienne1983]

Do snails or hermit crabs or coral banded shrimp eat it??

 

[bribo12]

No just urchins