Best way to increase coralline?

NeveSSL · #1 07/04/2007, 05:55 PM

Hi all!

First off, I wish a wonderful 4th of July to you.

Second off, what do you all think the best way to increase my coralline would be? Is it just patience? I don't have much on my rocks to begin with (a little bit, but not a ton) and I would definitely like some more.

I've seen/heard about a couple of supplements, but I'm a little wary of them. Seems like ISPF.com has one that should be pretty decent, and I'd like to order from them, anyway.

Thanks!

Brandon

mwwhite · #2 07/04/2007, 06:00 PM

Just maintain your water parameters, especially calcium and alkalinity, and give it some time. It takes a couple of months.

Check out the reef chemistry forum. Randy's DIY is easy and inexpensive. Most important is to test your water. Don't dose what you don't test for.

NeveSSL · #3 07/04/2007, 06:02 PM

Gotcha... thanks.

When you say Randy's DIY, I assume you're talking about the two-part?

Brandon

kau_cinta_ku · #4 07/04/2007, 06:06 PM

yep the 2 part

1F2FRFBF · #5 07/04/2007, 06:49 PM

Agree with mwwhite, just let things ride and your coralline will grow. If there's some on your rocks it's already present in your system, so the only thing you need to do is make sure your water's in good shape.

Happy 4th to you as well!

BWine · #6 07/04/2007, 10:14 PM

I think that you need to seed rock with a rock that already has coralline. That's what I did. I started with mostly base rock and I add few pieces of coralline covered live rock. Before I knew it, all of the base rock was covered with coralline.

NeveSSL · #7 07/05/2007, 02:40 AM

Thanks for the replies.

I just noticed today some green coralline on my rocks, and from what I hear, it will eventually turn to purple.

Its also on some of my hermits... hehe.

Thanks!

Brandon

ihopss · #8 07/05/2007, 06:23 AM

hehe

gummi · #9 07/05/2007, 06:59 AM

I disagree with 'seeding' coralline with coralline. I believe this to be a myth and all you can do is maintain water quality, make sure dkh and cal is in check as well as give it good lighting.

Criminal#58369 · #10 07/05/2007, 09:41 AM

I just keep my alk/cal/mg in line and i have loads of coralline, if it was rare, i would make a fortune selling it.

Tremolo · #11 07/05/2007, 10:02 AM

i started to get lots of coralline once i started to use b-ionic 2 part system.

NeveSSL · #12 07/05/2007, 10:11 AM

Cool deal... thanks for the replies, guys.

As trivial as this may be, when should I start dosing two-part? Immediately or wait? I have only one zoa polyp (hitchhiker

) and a mushroom... I don't think they need a lot of calcium... hehe. Although other things may benefit.

Thanks again!

Brandon

Toddrtrex · #13 07/05/2007, 10:21 AM

You should start using it when you need it. How's that for an answer.

But, by that I mean when your levels start to fall. Depending on all that is in your tank, water changes may be enough.
Suggest getting yourself some test kits.
For the first couple of months that I had my 29g set up, water changes were enough to keep the levels in check, but now that the tank has matured a bit, and I have SPS in it, I have to dose.

kevin2000 · #14 07/05/2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NeveSSL

As trivial as this may be, when should I start dosing two-part? Immediately or wait? I have only one zoa polyp (hitchhiker ) and a mushroom

Regular water changes will provide all the calcium and alkalinity your tank needs for now .. (for both coralline and your corals). I would not recommend "dosing".

phenom5 · #15 07/05/2007, 10:40 AM

keep your water parameters good, and give it time. in a few months time you'll be cursing coraline algae as you scrape it off the glass...

pito · #16 07/05/2007, 10:48 AM

Not to steal the thread but is there any real benefit to haveing coralline? When i had my 29 set up I felt it was a pain in the @$$.
I'll be setting up a 125 soon and would rather not have coralline unless there was a true benefit.

Toddrtrex · #17 07/05/2007, 10:51 AM

I don't think there is a true beneift -- looks is in the eye of the beholder.

However, I don't know of a way to have a tank without it, it is going to come on something you buy. Sure there are urchins that will eat it, but don't know if they would eat it all.

So, if you want to have any type of corals in the tank I don't know of a way to by truly free of it.

pito · #18 07/05/2007, 10:57 AM

I kind of figured there was no true way of preventing it.
Are there any downsides of coralline ( besides keeping it off the glass)? Does it clog LR or anything?

kevin2000 · #19 07/05/2007, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pito
Not to steal the thread but is there any real benefit to haveing coralline? When i had my 29 set up I felt it was a pain in the @$$.
I'll be setting up a 125 soon and would rather not have coralline unless there was a true benefit.

Algae issues are mostly cosmetic issues ... most like the color of coralline and it doesn't overwhelm a tank like some of the other alga's. Coralline also competes with nuisance alga's for rock space .. a definite benefit.

If you wanted to have a coralline free tank I suspect that could only be accomplished if you kept anything that had coralline out of the tank ... strictly base rock .. no snails with coralline encrusted shells etc. That might be more a pain that occasionally scraping coralline. Tuxedo urchins are pretty good at chowing down on coralline .. and they are small and won't bother anything else in the tank.

michaeldaly · #20 07/05/2007, 11:33 AM

Time is definately the most effective method, corraline seems to take quite a while to adjust to ones tank - many months before it really starts to grow well.

ahullsb · #21 07/05/2007, 04:10 PM

Hey BWine, "Who's the master...?" haha Leroy has the power!

pito · #22 07/05/2007, 06:51 PM

Kevin2000, It's probably dang near impossable, but I might give it a shot. All of my rock will be base anyway. I'm gonna have a H. tusk that'll probably eat any snails I put in the tank. So I did'nt plan on adding any. The tank will be a BB with super flow and super skimming and low nutrients. So, I really wont need a clean up crew. All I'd have to watch is what ever my frags would be attatched to.