Coralline aglea?

[Degonese]

Just trying to figure this part out. How long does it take before you tank starts to grow coralline algea? What does the coralline algea need to grow in your tank? How do you get the purple and brighter colors? I'm really lost with all this. Thanks

 

[melosu58]

Make sure of good Alk, calcium and magnesium readings. You`ll need to make sure you have some seeded in the tank. Does any existing rock in the tank have any on it now.

 

[Degonese]

just a little bit, from some really good LR I bought. But most of it bleached and I don't think it's good anymore.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Bleached is OK... it'll do that if it's out of water for even a short period. But it'll still kick start a bunch more.

There's no magic time table regarding how long it'll take to get established, but if your Calcium is at least 360 or so, and your alkalinity is somewhere around 8 to 12 dKh, you should have a fair amount within 6 months.

 

[goisles1]

Bleached is OK... it'll do that if it's out of water for even a short period. But it'll still kick start a bunch more.

There's no magic time table regarding how long it'll take to get established, but if your Calcium is at least 360 or so, and your alkalinity is somewhere around 8 to 12 dKh, you should have a fair amount within 6 months.

Kurts Advice seems RIGHT ON!!

That is exactly what occured for me.. I setup my tank in Dec08 with 50lbs of LR with nice Purple/Green Coraline coverage. However, during the 1st month of the tanks life, it pretty much all Turned White. I stressed over it for some time then just kind of took the attitude that when it comes, it comes.

Here I am (5 months Later) with Coraline growing on my Glass, Powerheads, Overflow Box, Snails, my Mag Cleaner, etc. Oh yeah, and my LR is looking really good again..

Over these 5 months, mY Rock went from Purple, to White, to Neon Green (Nussiance Algae), to Dark Green, to Purple green. Now it's almost all Purple


EDIT - BTW - Last month I added 30lbs of baserock and it looks like the process is starting agin with this rock. After 1week the Neon Green covered this rock. Now I already see Purple Spots Growing

 

[melosu58]

Bleached is OK... it'll do that if it's out of water for even a short period. But it'll still kick start a bunch more.

Totally true IME.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

It takes a while, but yeah... once it starts, it starts! Look down near the bottom of the first page of this post...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f45/not-happy-108423.html

I posted a series of photos showing the coralline progression across the back glass of my tank. It takes a while, but nothing comes fast in this hobby.