Coraline and lowest lighting success

[natman2]

Just wondering what the lowest lighting is that anyone has had success with growing or maintaining coralline.

Reason I ask is my 30g make shift fuge sits right next to my 75g visible to all. It houses my macros and some vary nice base rock under wally world shop light fixtures. Daylight 60 watts and about 4 and a half inches of play sand. Its been up for about 4 months.

It also now has a fire fish goby in it that wasn't quite cutting it in the 75 with the other community fish and now that it has a place to call its own is faring much better. Also some nassaris snails and a few scarlets. I guess technically you really couldn't even call this thing a fuge anymore by the strictest definition.

Since its out in the open and I would like to pretty it up a bit by hopefully adding some LR with some coraline. Maybe from my DT or buy some. I figure I will probably have to spend some money and get at least a PC fixture for it if I want this to happen.

If anyone has a cheaper alternative by all means please let me know.

 

[seaham358]

I have a NO strip with 2 48" URI 40 watt bulbs and I have tons of coraline in my 55 fowlr.
never dose anything, only do regular 16-20 gallon water changes.
The URi bulbs are great and give nice color.

 

[natman2]

So are you saying the shop light fixtures I have may already be enough? Not sure what uri bubls are.

There are two of them, compact florecents each with a color rateing of 2800. They do fine for the macros.

I guess one way to find out would be to take a small peice of LR out of my DT and place it in the fuge. If the coraline begins to die off I will have my answer.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

I have a 4700 K Home Depot shop light hanging over my fuge, which is covered in coralline. If the conditions are right, coralline will thrive under many lighting conditions. HTH and Good Luck!

 

[ace1uno_00]

I don't wat to steal the thread but, since we're on the topic of coralline.

How long does it take for it to start spreading in a tank?

I have had a 12 gal. eclipse running for about 4 months and my coralline hasn't spead. At on point it started to fade. but now its turning darker. I think i have white coralline rather than purple. is that normal?

Thanks.

 

[oyf709]

hehe just to add something interesting here, i am not even sure they need lights, i got lights out for 1 month and coralline in my tank go nuts, I had no or little of any of them and after 1 months, my side glass cover with them which can't even see thru.(After my lights on again normally, most got rip off by my urchin,lol)

 

[vsnsofadrgn]

coraline algae usually prefers lower to no light.

 

[lando]

Promoting coraline algae growth has more to do with 1) intoducing it into the system and 2) having a higher CA level with the proper ALK/CA balance. Lighting actually has little to do with it.

 

[maporsche]

Promoting coraline algae growth has more to do with 1) intoducing it into the system and 2) having a higher CA level with the proper ALK/CA balance. Lighting actually has little to do with it.

How do you introduce it into your system? Would LR introduce it?

What are the proper CA/ALK levels?

 

[MarineFlake]

I have a 10g with LS and LR. Been up, I don't know, 'bout 6 months. I've never changed the water, never cleaned the nano filter (HOB). Just top off and have a single 10w 50/50 self ballasted bulb in it. It grows pink and purple algea better then any of my larger tanks. 1 crab (hermit) some mushrooms that I would have otherwise thrown out. Not sure this helps the coralline question, but I put little to no effort in my experimental tank and thats the smallest 50/50 lighting I could find.

 

[lando]

How do you introduce it into your system? Would LR introduce it?

If the LR has some visable purple coraline algae on it you should be fine. Otherwise, you can get "srappings" from the LFS or www.garf.org

What are the proper CA/ALK levels?

This is variable. The promotion of coraline is aided by a bit higher CA levels. 420-450 should be fine. As CA climbs be sure to monitor ALK levels.

 

[spinman]

So can someone remind me why us FOWLR folks need 4 watts per gallon and all this fancy PC lighting if the coroline doesn't need it?

Spin

 

[lando]

Better lighting MAY help promote coraline algae growth. As mentioned, there are other, more important factors. You do not need 4 watts per gal of cf lighting for a FOWLR tank.

 

[dorian965]

i have about 3 watts per gallon of no lighting with a calcium level of about 385 and my coraline grows fine. magnesium is pretty high .

 

[Brenden]

So can someone remind me why us FOWLR folks need 4 watts per gallon and all this fancy PC lighting if the coroline doesn't need it?

Never heard of that? For corals... yes but not coralline.

 

[OceanMist]

so, does water flow have anything to do with the growth of coralline algae ?? :?