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How do you grow CORALINE all over rocks in a sump?

3K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  GotReef 
#1 ·
I now have a 100g rubbermaid sump.

I have some LR in there now but have plans to add much more if I can master putting LR in there and growing purple coraline all over it. I dont care how long it takes, months and months if need be, as long as I taking the right step in making nice purple coraline rock.

Questions:

1) to grow coraline LR in a sump do you need to blast lots of light with high watts? or do you need subtle light?

2) do you need like 6700K or 10000K light? or do you need more bluish light like 20000K?

3) how long would a light cycle be? 6hrs? 12hrs? 24hrs?

4) do you keep the LR clean by pulling it out and dunking-n-swishing in a separate bucket with RO water or clean SW? or do you let it be, sediment and all?

......any other tips? ....there's got to be a formula to the madness
 
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#9 ·
different spectrums can grow different species of coralline. different flow rates also affect which species can grow.

i am not sure the amount of energy used to provide the lights for the coralline, along with the added cost of supplying Ca, Mg, alk to the system will be offset by the cost of growing coralline covered LR.

coralline is one of those things that is in everyones system as long as there is any LR in the system. people are able to grow it if the tanks are running fine. if they are not than adding coralline LR will not help things. also anytime you move the coralline algae there is a good chance that it will all die off. different light spectrums/levels and flow patterns will cause different species to die off and others to repopulate. maybe if you were looking to sell LR rubble with some coralline on it, that may work. that way you would be supplying the spores, if for some reason the buyer does not have any, maybe they started with all dry rock.

G~
 
#11 ·
different spectrums can grow different species of coralline. different flow rates also affect which species can grow.

also anytime you move the coralline algae there is a good chance that it will all die off. different light spectrums/levels and flow patterns will cause different species to die off and others to repopulate. maybe if you were looking to sell LR rubble with some coralline on it, that may work. that way you would be supplying the spores, if for some reason the buyer does not have any, maybe they started with all dry rock.

G~
This is very interesting. I had the entire back wall of my tank encrusted with purple coralline algae about 3 months ago. Then, I increased flow pretty dramatically over the course of the next month. Then I saw all of the purple coralline die and flake off (in huge chunks) onto my sandbed. I thought something was wrong with my system, but over the next two months the wall was repopulated with a PINK coralline algae that seems to be stable. Good to know.
 
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