CORALLINE ALGAE….. our hobby’s inconsistent mystery

[Glenner’sreef]

It won't be on the glass first. It covers plastic parts like powerheads first then rocks. Then glass.

I hear ya. But I have 3 very plastic, coralline attracting powerheads. Zero purple.

 

[Sod Buster]

I hope you get lucky Glenner. Maybe when it shows up you'll get the scrolling type. That stuff looks pretty nice to me on the back of tanks.

 

[Lavey29]

I hear ya. But I have 3 very plastic, coralline attracting powerheads. Zero purple.

How old is the tank? Did you seed it at all with the bottle stuff or scrapings?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I've had to totally rip clean a tank due to coralline growth. It seems to grow completely out of control in my tanks. Anytime I start a new tank, I use existing rock that's got my rock star strain on it.

Maybe a coralline algae business in your future. “Rock Star Strain”!$$$$$$$$$

 

[Glenner’sreef]

How old is the tank? Did you seed it at all with the bottle stuff or scrapings?

The tank is new. A year and a half old. 180g. And yes on purpleup and scrapings.

 

[Hypnotoad]

I have strong feelings about this.

I think coralline gets way too much credit for having anything to do with anything.

A few months back, I insta-tanked a 10 gallon in my basement guest room/WFH office with dry rock and a bag of Matrix from my sump. Added a bunch of frags day one and more since and everything is doing really well. If I had waited for coralline to tell me the tank was ready I’d still be waiting.

My main display has very little. I think the tiny starfish the hobby misidentifies as Asterinas are eating it because it only grows on the ends of my Vortech wet sides at this point, and that’s pretty much the only place the stars can’t get to.

Sometimes it bums me out, but it’s also nice to be able to clean the background and glass gently instead of aggressively.

 

[Lavey29]

The tank is new. A year and a half old. 180g. And yes on purpleup and scrapings.

My tank is a year. I've had coraline on the powerheads for 4 months but only recently started spreading on the rocks as my parameters stabilized. I think you are right in the window of opportunity now with your larger tank. As others mentioned, calcium and magnesium along with good lights. I think you will purple up soon.

 

[Rmckoy]

I really wish there was a way to irradiate coralline for good .

once upon a time at the beginning we all prey for one day to have a little .

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I really wish there was a way to irradiate coralline for good .

once upon a time at the beginning we all prey for one day to have a little .

Even better! A strain that would not attach to glass or plastic.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

My tank is a year. I've had coraline on the powerheads for 4 months but only recently started spreading on the rocks as my parameters stabilized. I think you are right in the window of opportunity now with your larger tank. As others mentioned, calcium and magnesium along with good lights. I think you will purple up soon.

I hope you’re right. Have added coralline snail shells and chunks of live rock with it covering. We’ll see.

 

[X-37B]

I really wish there was a way to irradiate coralline for good .

once upon a time at the beginning we all prey for one day to have a little .

You can keep it down, under control? I use 2 urchins in my 120. Recently one died and its comming back quickly. Need to get another. If I waIt a week to clean the front glass their are dots of it everywhere.
Good encrusted live rock has always worked for me. That and water stability.

I recently set up a nano cube, its almost 8 weeks old now with quality live rock from my other systems. Coralline is already on the back and going strong.

It will grow in low light and high light and almost always on any plastic surface first.

This pic is 8 months in on my 120.
Urchins were added after this pic and they destroyed the bottom. Its comming back now that one is left.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Maybe a coralline algae business in your future. “Rock Star Strain”!$$$$$$$$$

Once I get the bigger tank up and running I may start shipping out vials of the "secret sauce", we'll see. I've given some to local reefers and they've had good success with it jamming their pumps and caking on equipment. BET YA WANT CORRALINE NOW EH?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Once I get the bigger tank up and running I may start shipping out vials of the "secret sauce", we'll see. I've given some to local reefers and they've had good success with it jamming their pumps and caking on equipment. BET YA WANT CORRALINE NOW EH?

Purple cake and jam is all I want!!! Lol

 

[BanjoBandito]

Purple cake and jam is all I want!!! Lol

LOL, I add you to the list and hit you up if we can get the 100 gallon system to cake itself in purple.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

LOL, I add you to the list and hit you up if we can get the 100 gallon system to cake itself in purple.

Hilarious!!!

 

[pecan2phat]

Great on rocks to keep nuisance algae from easily adhering to but other then that it's a pain. I have sheets of it falling off the back glass.

 

[DaneGer21]

I’ve had good luck taking samples from my tank and seeding other local tanks.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Great on rocks to keep nuisance algae from easily adhering to but other then that it's a pain. I have sheets of it falling off the back glass.

SHEETS??? Lol. What do you attribute that to?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I’ve had good luck taking samples from my tank and seeding other local tanks.

And I’ve done the reverse, taking from multiple local tanks an seeding mine. (Cricket sounds)

 

[Doctorgori]

It won't be on the glass first. It covers plastic parts like powerheads first then rocks. Then glass.

The odd thing about this is that a lot of people observe this. It’s like it loves black plastic…
I used to think it was just a contrast thing and black made it easier to see, but that’s not the case…
Agreed