Algae Barn Coralline In A Bottle

[George S.]

I'm curious if anyone has used this product and if it works or is it snake oil? Im currently cycling my first tank with Dr. Tim's one and only and came across this product. I haven't seen or heard much about it being used.

https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/aquarium-supplies/coralline-algae-bottle/

 

[Alex Cataldo]

Mine didn’t work. Read and followed all the instruction. Stability was at its best. From the looks of it it was just just bottled spores. And this is 10 weeks in for the record.

 

[Viva'sReef]

I used it at the 5 month mark in my tank because I was not seeing any coraline, having started with dry rock it was a concern. I added it and lo and behold about 3 weeks later I started seeing spots of coraline on my back tank wall and on the rockwork. Coincidence? I don't think so anyway

 

[Alex Cataldo]

I used it at the 5 month mark in my tank because I was not seeing any coraline, having started with dry rock it was a concern. I added it and lo and behold about 3 weeks later I started seeing spots of coraline on my back tank wall and on the rockwork. Coincidence? I don't think so anyway

Is this 3 weeks after the 5 month mark?

 

[Bo.]

I used it about 8 weeks in. I had coralline starting about 4 weeks later, but that could have come off the turbo snail shell or off one of the frags I got about that time. I figured it was cheap enough that I wasn't gonna be hurt if it was snake oil. I think it bumped me to free shipping wherever I bought it.

 

[Viva'sReef]

5 months was the age of the tank when I added the bottles. 3 weeks later and poof, coraline algae had taken a foothold in my tank and has been growing ever since

 

[Gzfrank]

I used this product 6-8 months ago. Didn’t see anything for a long time but then coralline was everywhere.

 

[Mav88]

It works it takes time though. I wouldn’t use it right away. Also when you get some coral or snails scrape the coralline off into the tank, this has the same effect.

 

[Alex Cataldo]

I used it about 8 weeks in. I had coralline starting about 4 weeks later, but that could have come off the turbo snail shell or off one of the frags I got about that time. I figured it was cheap enough that I wasn't gonna be hurt if it was snake oil. I think it bumped me to free shipping wherever I bought it.

I feel like the spores might of died in the bottle, shipiping it in the dead of winter in Wisconsin may not of been the best idea

 

[Jekyl]

Coraline won't start to grow until months after cycle. Usually toward the end of the ugly phase. You can seed the tank by scratching some off of a snail into a powerhead.

 

[Alex Cataldo]

Should I be expe it to have started growing in 4 and a half months?

 

[Viva'sReef]

Thanks, Now I have to put this on! TRADITION!!!

 

[The_Skrimp]

It’s okay. I used the purple helix bottle. It definitely works. I had a few spots of purple to burgundy coraline pop up on the rocks and back wall shortly after using it but eventually the one most dominant purple color took over. To be honest though, just getting a handful of frags and live rock rubble in my sump was enough to introduce coraline to my tank. I doubt it would have taken much longer to get the same coverage on my rocks had I just scraped some live rock.

 

[littlebeard]

What are your Nitrates and phosphates at? I used this product and no effect. I would actually have to disagree with their instructions.

It says
Nitrate < 5ppm
Phosphate < 0.25 ppm

Guess what, 0 doesn't grow anything either!

It's not until my battle with cyno and I started dosing nitrate and phosphate that I saw any type of coraline growth.

If I were to start my tank again, I'd buy a nitrate test, phosphate test before the ca/alk/mag and start dosing those. Bare rock is hard!

 

[Alex Cataldo]

What are your Nitrates and phosphates at? I used this product and no effect. I would actually have to disagree with their instructions.

It says
Nitrate < 5ppm
Phosphate < 0.25 ppm

Guess what, 0 doesn't grow anything either!

It's not until my battle with cyno and I started dosing nitrate and phosphate that I saw any type of coraline growth.

If I were to start my tank again, I'd buy a nitrate test, phosphate test before the ca/alk/mag and start dosing those. Bare rock is hard!

I think you might be on to something. I was running double zeros with my fuge. Definitely the cause

 

[Anytka]

Should I be expe it to have started growing in 4 and a half months?

My tank is 4~ month old and I have not added purple helix but top of my rocks is covered with specks of coralline algae

 

[Viva'sReef]

I think you might be on to something. I was running double zeros with my fuge. Definitely the cause

could be the case also. I noticed that when my P04 was running under 0.03 no coralline growth. When my P04 was running at 0.06 is when I started to see the Coraline growth. I can't say for sure that the addition of Purple Helix did the trick but it sure made me feel better when I finally saw some spots pop up lol

 

[George S.]

Thank you all for the answers provided. I cant add it for a while anyway so once my tank is stable I think at the cost its worth a shot. Id be embarrassed to complain about $40 worth of product even at this stage in the game lol!

 

[DaddyFish]

What are your Nitrates and phosphates at? I used this product and no effect. I would actually have to disagree with their instructions.

It says
Nitrate < 5ppm
Phosphate < 0.25 ppm

Guess what, 0 doesn't grow anything either!

It's not until my battle with cyno and I started dosing nitrate and phosphate that I saw any type of coraline growth.

If I were to start my tank again, I'd buy a nitrate test, phosphate test before the ca/alk/mag and start dosing those. Bare rock is hard!

@littlebeard I hear ya !!! I have a FOWLR filled with fat piggy puffers. Nitrate and Phosphate are readily available by swapping 5-gals of water between tanks.
:rolleyes: ;)

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

I think you might be on to something. I was running double zeros with my fuge. Definitely the cause

Exactly, modern systems are over filtered and bottom out too easily. I run a filter sock and skimmer, or Triton method (skimmer/fuge), all 3 combined will starve out anything in my tanks.