How do I get coralline to grow?

[stnmtn01]

Hi guys/gals,
How do I get coralline to grow on my LR? I have a little bit on there now that was there from when I bought it..I read an article that said for the first 2 weeks, let my actinic light run for 24hrs introducing the white an hour or so as the days pass. I also read something on getting GARF grunge to add to the tank....Any suggestions?

 

[loganj]

It will take a little while for it to take off. The biggest thing, assuming you have adequate lighting, is to keep your calcium and alkalinity levels up. Another thing you can do is to lightly scrub the coraline you have with a new toothbrush. It's been said that this will release spores into the water and get new coraline started where ever the spores land...I'm not 100% sure about that method.
I've heard good things about the GARF grunge, but I haven't ever tried any.
Patience is the key...nothing good happens fast in a reef tank...you have to wait.

 

[stnmtn01]

It will take a little while for it to take off. The biggest thing, assuming you have adequate lighting, is to keep your calcium and alkalinity levels up. Another thing you can do is to lightly scrub the coraline you have with a new toothbrush. It's been said that this will release spores into the water and get new coraline started where ever the spores land...I'm not 100% sure about that method.
I've heard good things about the GARF grunge, but I haven't ever tried any.
Patience is the key...nothing good happens fast in a reef tank...you have to wait.

I have a 29g setup with 1-65watt white and 1-65watt actinic..totaling 130watts. Currently I was running the blue for 12hrs and white for 10..Any suggestions on when to run the lights to promote the coralline growth?

 

[loganj]

What you're doing should be fine. I would probably run the white bulb for 11 hrs a day, but that's just my opinion. The coraline will grow...just have to give it time.

 

[SquishyFish]

According to Dr. Ron, urchins are very useful in getting coralline to grow. Alot of people panic because they see the Urchin eating their coralline, but they are actually helping it spread. Its alot like the toothbrush thing, but a step or two more aggressive.

But like they said, lighting..not nessisarily intense lighting either, Calcium, and alk are the most important in getting it to grow.

Squishy

 

[tundar]

I don't know about that Urchin. I had an Urchin and it ate plenty of my purple coralline algae. You should be patient and let the algae grow in time.

Remember patience is very important in SW and good things will come out of it.

 

[douggiestyle]

I don't know about that Urchin. I had an Urchin and it ate plenty of my purple coralline algae.

under my urchin each day is a little pile of poo and in it is lots of little dots of purple algae which by the end of the day is spread all over, just an observation.
but patience is best and proper Ca/ALK.

 

[SquishyFish]

under my urchin each day is a little pile of poo and in it is lots of little dots of purple algae which by the end of the day is spread all over, just an observation.
Ca/ALK.