Coralline algae

[Serafin]

Hey guys I have smallish patches of coralline algae on 3 peices of my live rock and the tank has been set up for over a year now with no probs what so ever. I've tried scrapping the algae to spread it but I can't seem to get it to take. All prams are good do 20% weekly water changes, any help on how I can get this to spread as I would like it to cover all my rocks.

[baron1282]

You can try "purple tech". It's suppose to help grow a ton of that stuff.

You don't have anything that eats it in your tank do you?

[BigRedsReefs10]

Originally Posted by baron1282

You can try "purple tech". It's suppose to help grow a ton of that stuff.

You don't have anything that eats it in your tank do you?

Don't use those products, all they will do is screw up your params. Some times it just takes a long time, but if you have it forming in some spots just let it be

[Serafin]

I've not got anything in my tank that's eating it as the spots that are there have been there ages. Also I know it takes a while to grow but after 17mths I was expecting to see much more growth.

[BigRedsReefs10]

Some systems just don't grow it....

[dragonfisher33]

Originally Posted by BigRedsReefs10

Some systems just don't grow it....

agree. in my tank, it only grows on the back glass AND up to certain height. any point higher than that point = no coraline algae.

[baron1282]

I have used purple tech, and it has never messed my tank up.

[Serafin]

Anyone else used purple tech/purple up with any results?

[54seaweed]

You don't need it !! all it does is overdoses your calcium levels to extreme levels
as long as you keep safe calcium levels and have proper lighting you should have no issue growing Coraline
I found some salts are better than others to promote Coraline
since I switched to Kent marine salt it grows rather fast
some pet stores sell bottled Coraline you just sprinkle it all over your tank to seed your rock
it also depends if your rock is porous or dense the more porous the rock the faster it will grow
I love the colors but sometimes it just gets on my nerves when it builds up in the power heads and pumps and on the front glass

[Cichlid-dude]

I switched from regular instant ocean salt to instant ocean reef crystals and my coralline algae took off like crazy.

[DaleHauze]

I have read that if you scrape it off of where it is growing it should help seed it around your tank

[Sniperhank]

My tank has been set up since 2011 and it doesn't really grow coraline...I have some but not very much. You can try brushing at it with a toothbrush to spread it around, but make sure you turn off skimmers and filtration or it won't go anywhere but out. Products like PurpleUp and others are just calcium in a bottle...if you want more calcium or alkalinity, just get a salt mix with more in it. You can save money that way and not risk throwing parameters out of whack.