Coralline algae

Amanda_n_Jason · 01-25-2006, 06:16 PM

How do you get coral line algae to grow good ?? my 20 gallon has been up for about a year and a half and no coral line i did get a bit once but nothing to brag about all my water is good...all i have in there right now is mushrooms i have heard of "Purple Up" its supposed to accelerate the growth but i kinda wanted it to occur naturally or should i try this purple up ?? thanks

Salinity 1.025
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Calcium 420

FishPharmD · 01-25-2006, 06:24 PM

What kind of lighting do you have?

showfish · 01-25-2006, 08:14 PM

Your water pars look good. What length of photo period are you doing? I have heard good things about Purple Up. I guess you could give it a try, but your tank is well established and should be growing Coralin naturally.

BubbaWPB · 01-25-2006, 08:24 PM

Purple Up does not contain coralline algae... it is sorta like fertilizer... you still need to be sure you have seed for what you want to grow. It won't work if you don't have any source of coralline algae spores.

**kevinpo** · 01-26-2006, 08:13 AM

I don't see a listing of your alkalinity. It is a key parameter for coralline growth. Alkalinity in the range of 7-9 dKh or 2.5-3.0 meq/L will provide for good coralline growth. High phosphates will also inhibit coralline growth. Calcium and alkalinity are much more important than lighting for coralline growth.

Regards,
Kevin

ReeferSD · 01-27-2006, 02:23 PM

If you can I would go to a LFS and just ask them to scrape some of the coralline off one of there tanks. If there cool it should be free but not more then a couple of dollars. Take it home and blend it up, and seed your tank with it. Once thats in there the purple up might work but i think that its a waste of money. If all parameters are right, you should have no problem getting coralline to grow. Especially after 1 1/2 years. Have fun

WRANGLER · 01-27-2006, 02:57 PM

I got puple up due to my sea urchin just eating it up, I have been adding purple up and have noticed an improvment.

showfish · 01-27-2006, 10:06 PM

With your calcium level of 420, it is possible for your alkalinity to be low. As Kevin has stated, alkalinity can play a big factor in coralline growth. Are you dosing Kalkwasser?

FishPharmD · 01-27-2006, 11:03 PM

For the record, Purple up is nothing more than expensive ionized calcium, strontium, and trace elements. I remembered this thread while I was in the LFS today and read the label for the ingredients. They wanted ~$20 for a 6 oz. bottle, I think. Pretty pricey.

BubbaWPB · 01-28-2006, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishPharmD

For the record, Purple up is nothing more than expensive ionized calcium, strontium, and trace elements. I remembered this thread while I was in the LFS today and read the label for the ingredients. They wanted ~$20 for a 6 oz. bottle, I think. Pretty pricey.

Depends how you look at it Casey. If you bought calcium, strontium, and trace elements separately, you may wind up spending a heck of a lot more than $20.

....and the 16 oz bottle is $16.99 at my LFS. So I'd agree, your 6 oz bottle IS pretty pricey!

Amanda_n_Jason · 01-28-2006, 10:42 PM

Alk is 8 dkh and i have no idea about phosphates...

**kevinpo** · 01-29-2006, 10:42 AM

I set up a tank just over 6 weeks now and I'm starting to see the first coralline algae appearing on the black acrylic overflow. Coralline also likes high water flow.

Regards,
Kevin

***zhenya*** · 01-29-2006, 10:54 AM

Has anyone thought about effects of magnesium on coralline growth?

All I know is that if I dose Mg for a while the coralline grows like mad. I always had moderate growth of coralline on the glass in my 75g tank but since I started dosing Mg ( levels dropped in my tank) the back glass is literally covered with it, so I just wondered if keeping proper Magnesium levels has any effests on the coralline growth.

BubbaWPB · 01-29-2006, 11:00 AM

Gene, taking an educated stab at it, since other calcium-fixing organisms are dependent on adequate magnesium levels, I'd bet the farm that coralline would need adequate levels of magnesium also. Plants also need magnesium for photosynthesis (if I recall correctly without finishing my first cup of coffee this morning). I haven't seen any studies on magnesium and coralline growth though.

***zhenya*** · 01-29-2006, 11:11 AM

Bubba, I tend to think the same way and I know I've read something to this regard but I'm not home right now and don't have all my links on this PC.
Well, at least I have Internet connection...

01-25-2006, 06:16 PM	#1
Amanda_n_Jason Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 17	Coralline algae How do you get coral line algae to grow good ?? my 20 gallon has been up for about a year and a half and no coral line i did get a bit once but nothing to brag about all my water is good...all i have in there right now is mushrooms i have heard of "Purple Up" its supposed to accelerate the growth but i kinda wanted it to occur naturally or should i try this purple up ?? thanks Salinity 1.025 PH 8.2 Ammonia 0 Nitrate 0 Nitrite 0 Calcium 420

01-25-2006, 06:24 PM	#2
FishPharmD Perpetual Student Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Amarillo, TX Posts: 102	What kind of lighting do you have? __________________ mmmkay? Casey

01-25-2006, 08:14 PM	#3
showfish Citizen Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 186	Your water pars look good. What length of photo period are you doing? I have heard good things about Purple Up. I guess you could give it a try, but your tank is well established and should be growing Coralin naturally. __________________ Learning is a lifelong process

01-25-2006, 08:24 PM	#4
BubbaWPB Governor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,234	Purple Up does not contain coralline algae... it is sorta like fertilizer... you still need to be sure you have seed for what you want to grow. It won't work if you don't have any source of coralline algae spores. __________________ Bubba Hmmm... now that the tank is full, I could convert the pool to saltwater... Bubba's Aquarium Log

01-26-2006, 08:13 AM	#5
kevinpo Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Spokane Valley WA Posts: 2,434	I don't see a listing of your alkalinity. It is a key parameter for coralline growth. Alkalinity in the range of 7-9 dKh or 2.5-3.0 meq/L will provide for good coralline growth. High phosphates will also inhibit coralline growth. Calcium and alkalinity are much more important than lighting for coralline growth. Regards, Kevin __________________ SPSguy On - On

01-27-2006, 02:23 PM	#6
ReeferSD Tenant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Lake Havasu Posts: 54	If you can I would go to a LFS and just ask them to scrape some of the coralline off one of there tanks. If there cool it should be free but not more then a couple of dollars. Take it home and blend it up, and seed your tank with it. Once thats in there the purple up might work but i think that its a waste of money. If all parameters are right, you should have no problem getting coralline to grow. Especially after 1 1/2 years. Have fun

01-27-2006, 02:57 PM	#7
WRANGLER Just Moved In Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: california Posts: 40	I got puple up due to my sea urchin just eating it up, I have been adding purple up and have noticed an improvment.

01-27-2006, 10:06 PM	#8
showfish Citizen Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 186	With your calcium level of 420, it is possible for your alkalinity to be low. As Kevin has stated, alkalinity can play a big factor in coralline growth. Are you dosing Kalkwasser? __________________ Learning is a lifelong process

01-27-2006, 11:03 PM	#9
FishPharmD Perpetual Student Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Amarillo, TX Posts: 102	For the record, Purple up is nothing more than expensive ionized calcium, strontium, and trace elements. I remembered this thread while I was in the LFS today and read the label for the ingredients. They wanted ~$20 for a 6 oz. bottle, I think. Pretty pricey. __________________ mmmkay? Casey

01-28-2006, 10:42 PM	#11
Amanda_n_Jason Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 17	coralline algae Alk is 8 dkh and i have no idea about phosphates...

01-29-2006, 10:42 AM	#12
kevinpo Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Spokane Valley WA Posts: 2,434	I set up a tank just over 6 weeks now and I'm starting to see the first coralline algae appearing on the black acrylic overflow. Coralline also likes high water flow. Regards, Kevin __________________ SPSguy On - On

01-29-2006, 10:54 AM	#13
*zhenya* Owner Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: new jersey,usa Posts: 7,750	Has anyone thought about effects of magnesium on coralline growth? All I know is that if I dose Mg for a while the coralline grows like mad. I always had moderate growth of coralline on the glass in my 75g tank but since I started dosing Mg ( levels dropped in my tank) the back glass is literally covered with it, so I just wondered if keeping proper Magnesium levels has any effests on the coralline growth. __________________ Kind regards, Gene.

01-29-2006, 11:00 AM	#14
BubbaWPB Governor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,234	Gene, taking an educated stab at it, since other calcium-fixing organisms are dependent on adequate magnesium levels, I'd bet the farm that coralline would need adequate levels of magnesium also. Plants also need magnesium for photosynthesis (if I recall correctly without finishing my first cup of coffee this morning). I haven't seen any studies on magnesium and coralline growth though. __________________ Bubba Hmmm... now that the tank is full, I could convert the pool to saltwater... Bubba's Aquarium Log

01-29-2006, 11:11 AM	#15
*zhenya* Owner Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: new jersey,usa Posts: 7,750	Bubba, I tend to think the same way and I know I've read something to this regard but I'm not home right now and don't have all my links on this PC. Well, at least I have Internet connection... __________________ Kind regards, Gene.

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