Coralline algae

jipps · 04-16-2006, 11:22 PM

My tank has been up for about 2 months now, and I've yet to see any coralline algae. I've had the cleanup crew in for about 2 weeks cleanin up the brown algae that had started forming on the rocks and glass and such, but I've yet to see any coralline.

Current inhabitants are:
clean up crew
blue tang
yellow tang
pumping xenia
green geniopora
yellow polyps
two other corals i can't remember the name of

Fly Guy · 04-16-2006, 11:23 PM

I know you have been testing your calcium levels from your post the other night. What are they?

jipps · 04-16-2006, 11:44 PM

Okay, I just tested. As for when the solution first turned from the pink to the darker purple - that was 18 drops, so 360. Is that what I'm looking for? Or am I looking for the definite BLUE color?

Fly Guy · 04-16-2006, 11:52 PM

if you are swirling and adding one drop at a time it should just change.....and then you can add as many more drops as you want but it still wont chage much more from the first big change.....at least that is how it workd when i do it. You need to sustain your levels well above 400 to get the corraline to grow i believe. I keep mine at 450. Lately though i have been getting tremendous corraline growth on my rock...but none on my back wall which kind of cunfuses me as before my last major renovation my back wall was covered.....im kind of wishing i would have taken more care to salvage it.

Loverotties · 04-16-2006, 11:52 PM

It takes some time.Bring it up a little higher!

jipps · 04-16-2006, 11:55 PM

Alrighty thanks guys.

Petunia · 04-17-2006, 12:11 AM

Patience... it will come if you wait.
I've had my nine gallon up and running since last October. My coralline is now just starting to get on everything.

Loverotties · 04-17-2006, 06:13 AM

Also if you get some on something and scrape it in the water it will seed the tank.

Geoff · 04-17-2006, 08:32 AM

if you are still have algae growth than it is harder for the corraline to take hold. wait for the algae to die off than the corraline will start to take. it just takes time.

G~

jipps · 04-17-2006, 08:45 AM

Alright I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything wrong.

Joseph · 04-17-2006, 09:04 AM

Maintain calcium above 400, alk above 8, and magnesium around 1250.
High levels of phosphates and nitrates will inhibit the growth of coraline.
Also try increasing your flow. Coraline will grow better in areas of high flow.