Coralline algae

[Moneymike1]

Looking to get some coralline algae in my tank. But not sure how exactly to do it and make it spread? What is needed for this to happen? And once the growth starts is it hard to control? Any help would be great!

 

[PurplePolyp]

Coralline must be introduced to a tank. Buying a snail with coralline on the shell is the best way. He moves around and deposits the spores for it start growing. The secret to letting it flourish is stable water parameters and patience. You can try scraping coralline off your rock if its already there and turning your pumps and filters off for a couple hours also.

 

[Moneymike1]

Thanks a ton! And don't know if I will go for the snail or not due to just buying a Niger trigger today.

 

[Sniperhank]

I used margarita snails to get it started in my first tank. Worked out really well, spread fast in that tank. In my reef, it's been a year and it is still struggling to get going on the glass but it is all over the rocks and powerheads...its even forming on the inside of my skimmer. It is neat stuff, one piece on a powerhead looks like a big potato chip.

 

[PurplePolyp]

You can buy a small piece of live rock that has coralline on it. Take some tank water and put it in a bowl, scrape the coralline off the rock and into the water, then pour it back in the tank. Again...with filters off.

 

[Khij159753]

I've always wondered. Does coralline algae need a certain light? Or can it grow under any lighting?

 

[Moneymike1]

Care to share any pics sniper? Would love to see them.

 

[Moneymike1]

Any pics from you all would be great!

 

[Sniperhank]

There are tons of pics of just about everything in my build thread, UPGRADE 55 gal something something...I forget. It's under the getting started section. At 100 pages, you'll get to see alot and even more failures.

In terms of lighting, I very rarely turn the light on in my 36 gal. I only turn it on when I feed the only inhabitant, my snowflake eel. So that is twice a week. There is not only coraline in the tank, but there is also hair algae...from me not doing a water change on that system since the end of summer. FYI, don't ever do this to a tank ever. To have a successful tank, treat it like I treat my reef...not the red headed stepchild one I forget about during weekly water changes.

 

[Khij159753]

Awesome! Cause I have a predator tank and I want it to purple up eventually but I didn't wanna waste my time seeding it to see no improvement. I have a reef that's just starting to get some coralline