red hairy algae??

[stryder]

Hello again!
Ok, so everything seems to be going well; my clowns are frolicing (sp?) through the anenome, my manderine is doing well, getting enough to eat (phew!) my corals seem to actually be growing in size (maybe slightly), BUT... I can't seem to get nice coraline algae growth. I have a little pail green hairy stuff growing, and now some hairy red stuff growing. Are these beginning stages of coralline or am I on the wrong road all together? I know it's awefully hard to tell from this but I just thought that there may have been someone else that went through this "stage".

Thanks as always!!

[wseaton]

In order to get coralline growing strogly you first need a rock with some established on it first. If it's happy with your tank it will start to spread. A piece of LR with some established coralline thickly growing on it purchased from a friend or LFS is your best bet.

Coralline likes high calcium levels, and/or tanks with frequent water changes since the fersh salt mix will keep calcium levels elevated and stimulates it's growth. Coralline also loves actinic light, but will not grow as rapidly under white light. Conditions that are ideal for your hard corals will usually be ideal for coralline, but you really need a seeder rock to get things moving quickly.

[stryder]

I have a good number of live rocks that came with some coralline already but it doesn't seem to be spreading. My calcium levels are about 380-400 and I have actinics as well. hmmm... Have you ever heard of "scrubbing the coralline off a rock in the tank to spread the spores??

Turn off your skimmer if you have one.. Grab a piece of LR and scape off some coraline with a knife into the water... Within a week or so if your levels are good you should start seeing the coraline all over the place.. It will start small then get bigger.. But CA and ALK levels have to be in order..


HTH<
James

[two11devan]

It might take a while. I had my tank up and running for about 3 and a half months before I started to see it spread. Now its spreading like crazy! Just takes some time.

[stryder]

cool, good advice!

Any thoughts on the red hairy stuff??