Coralline algae in a bottle or just wait it out?

[Justfebreezeit]

Can confirm the purple helix works. I used on my old 75g tank. Only fish and rock. No sand, no cuc, no corals. And it was growing within a month of the cycled tank.

Edit: looked back at the old build thread to confirm. I had added a few acros but they were all cut and glued from my smaller tank I was replacing. I

I guess it's possible corraline spores could hitch a ride on acro skin? I do remember at the time being pretty convinced it was the purple helix

 

[BeanAnimal]

The bottled algae works faster than just waiting

What "bottled algae"?

I think most of you are missing the fact that (save one) these products verifiably don't contain algae.The "Purple Helix" product claims to (and may) but has not been proven anywhere that I can find.

Everytime this question is asked, the only answer should ever be:

Yeah it works. You don't need it. It won't hurt if you do.

I don't agree with that whatsoever. Again, most of the products (save one that I know of) sold to "seed" or "promote" coralline algae are just one or another concoctions of calcium, magnesium or other common elements.

So, at the very least the actual product being recommended is extremely relevant.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Can confirm the purple helix works. I used on my old 75g tank. Only fish and rock. No sand, no cuc, no corals. And it was growing within a month of the cycled tank

I assume the fish and/or rock came from some other non-sterile system...

Does purple helix "work", it very well may.

This is getting pointless. Even if it does "work" - the vast majority of products do not and the vast majority of saltwater aquariums will get it (likely at the same rate) without.

I had a FO aquarium in the late 80s that had fake plants, crushed coral substrate and a UGF and crap fluorescent lighting. It had coralline. It came with the fish or came in the air - but it was there :)

Not trying to ruffle anybodies feathers but there is a lot of crap sold and accepted in this hobby and it is frustrating to watch.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

I assume the fish and/or rock came from some other non-sterile system...

Does purple helix "work", it very well may.

This is getting pointless. Even if it does "work" - the vast majority of products do not and the vast majority of saltwater aquariums will get it (likely at the same rate) without.

I had a FO aquarium in the late 80s that had fake plants, crushed coral substrate and a UGF and crap fluorescent lighting. It had coralline. It came with the fish or came in the air - but it was there :)

Not trying to ruffle anybodies feathers but there is a lot of crap sold and accepted in this hobby and it is frustrating to watch.

I amended my original post. A couple fish did come from my old system but the rock was dry and new.

I agree the purple up and similar are/ were pointless. I rember how big of a fad that was.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

l

What "bottled algae"?

I think most of you are missing the fact that (save one) these products verifiably don't contain algae.The "Purple Helix" product claims to (and may) but has not been proven anywhere that I can find.


I don't agree with that whatsoever. Again, most of the products (save one that I know of) sold to "seed" or "promote" coralline algae are just one or another concoctions of calcium, magnesium or other common elements.

So, at the very least the actual product being recommended is extremely relevant.

I'm not talking about purple up. I'm talking about purple helix yes. But my anecdotal evidence weighs lower than your jaded gut feels.

Got it.

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

All good conversations if you ask me.

I feel like a lot of people missed where I said

NO FRAG PLUGS

FRESH CUT SPS ONLY

my hermit crabs had some on them when I put them in the tank.

Patience is what I’m going to do like I have been.

I just like to see what others have to say!

 

[BeanAnimal]

l

I'm not talking about purple up. I'm talking about purple helix yes. But my anecdotal evidence weighs lower than your jaded gut feels.

Got it.

HI - if you can't remain polite and carry on a cordial conversation, then please refrain from posting.

I do very much trust verifiable facts and science against anecdote. That is the premise that I have been speaking from, it has nothing to do with being jaded.

To that end, you (nobody) in this thread mentioned or acknowledged "purple helix" until I mentioned it.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

HI - if you can't remain polite and carry on a cordial conversation, then please refrain from posting.

What was impolite? I simply paraphrased you. Accurately.

We can settle the bottled coralline disagreement. I have a spare 15 gallon, bone dry. I'll set it up tonight and dump nothing but saltwater and purple helix in it. I'll keep it at 79° , 1.026, 9 dkh, 420 cal, and 1350 mag.

No rocks, no sand. Just cycle then pour.

If nobody wants to run one the same exact way, but no coralline, I'll tear mine apart, scrape it.out, clean it, then restart the exact same procedure, without purple helix.

Feel free to join me. But I still contend:

It works. It speeds things up. But you don't need it.

 

[BeanAnimal]

What was impolite? I simply paraphrased you. Accurately.

We can settle the bottled coralline disagreement. I have a spare 15 gallon, bone dry. I'll set it up tonight and dump nothing but saltwater and purple helix in it. I'll keep it at 79° , 1.026, 9 dkh, 420 cal, and 1350 mag.

No rocks, no sand. Just cycle then pour.

If nobody wants to run one the same exact way, but no coralline, I'll tear mine apart, scrape it.out, clean it, then restart the exact same procedure, without purple helix.

Feel free to join me. But I still contend:

It works. It speeds things up. But you don't need it.

I am sure that people would be eager to see the results. If that product (or any that actually has live coralline or viable spores in it) is used, I have no doubt that it will "work".

If you spend a minute to search there are a couple of other threads here where people have done similar. They may be in the chem forum.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Feel free to. I am sure that people would be eager to see the results.

If you spend a minute to search there are a couple of other threads here where people have done similar. They may be in the chem forum.

Will do. I'm gonna use pink though. No starter bacteria. But will dose ammonia bicarb to start my cycle.

 

[reeftankdude]

Take a small rock from another tank covered in the purple. Point a water flow power head close and right at it. Shazam.

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

What was impolite? I simply paraphrased you. Accurately.

We can settle the bottled coralline disagreement. I have a spare 15 gallon, bone dry. I'll set it up tonight and dump nothing but saltwater and purple helix in it. I'll keep it at 79° , 1.026, 9 dkh, 420 cal, and 1350 mag.

No rocks, no sand. Just cycle then pour.

If nobody wants to run one the same exact way, but no coralline, I'll tear mine apart, scrape it.out, clean it, then restart the exact same procedure, without purple helix.

Feel free to join me. But I still contend:

It works. It speeds things up. But you don't need it.

Start a research thread and post progress! Or post here that’s fine too but you should make a research thread. That is awesome!

 

[crazyfishmom]

I am not a patient person but I’ve been really surprised at how quickly coralline starts to grow once you have stable/good water chemistry.

My first tank never had any coralline. I had all sorts of issues with it. Tried to add it in a bottle. Did not work.

My most recent tank, all dry rock except for two rocks in the sump, less than 2 months in and it’s growing everywhere. I had some come in on frag plugs. It is growing so well it is starting to outcompete dinos!

 

[BeanAnimal]

Start a research thread and post progress! Or post here that’s fine too but you should make a research thread. That is awesome!

To do this right you would honestly have to put so w co Reims in place so there was no cross contamination. That would really include air. I would assume that these spores could survive as aerosol or maybe even dry?

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

To do this right you would honestly have to put so w co Reims in place so there was no cross contamination. That would really include air. I would assume that these spores could survive as aerosol or maybe even dry?

There has to be a YouTube already of someone doing two tanks already. With the purple helix.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

There has to be a YouTube already of someone doing two tanks already. With the purple helix.

Well, I just purchased 2 rimless 2.5 gallon aqueons, and two identical heaters, and two aquaclear hob filters. I planned to run them both with AI blades (already owned) and on the same inkbird. I have a new unopened bag of reef crystals I was never going to use. I thought two Kamoer ato's (already owned) on the same ATO reservoir. I can do everything except meet @BeanAnimal 's requirement for separation of systems to avoid aerosol cross contamination. My wife would be none too pleased, nor surprised with me running a pink coralline algae experiment throughout the house just in time for her mom to come visit for a week.

I have nothing but time and a pack of zig zags in front of me tonight. I will dig around and see if this experiment has been run in a convincingly controlled manner with clear results before I set up.

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

Well, I just purchased 2 rimless 2.5 gallon aqueons, and two identical heaters, and two aquaclear hob filters. I planned to run them both with AI blades (already owned) and on the same inkbird. I have a new unopened bag of reef crystals I was never going to use. I thought two Kamoer ato's (already owned) on the same ATO reservoir. I can do everything except meet @BeanAnimal 's requirement for separation of systems to avoid aerosol cross contamination. My wife would be none too pleased, nor surprised with me running a pink coralline algae experiment throughout the house just in time for her mom to come visit for a week.

I have nothing but time and a pack of zig zags in front of me tonight. I will dig around and see if this experiment has been run in a convincingly controlled manner with clear results before I set up.

keep me updated! I don’t have papers but I have my other ways lol

 

[slingfox]

I tried two different bottles coralline products in my tank when it was only a few months old. Either worked. Around month 9 coralline started appearing after my tank was stable for a few months. Now coraline is starting to spread all over.

For some reason I can't edit my original post. I meant to say that neither of the two bottles coraline products I purchased worked. My tank simply was too young to support coraline early on.

 

[dmsc2fs]

IPSF will sell you plastic sheets they pull out of their farm with coriline growing on it if you want to go with an alternative to a bottle.

http://ipsf.com/corallinebooster.html

 

[Peter Houde]

Much ado about nothing. I'd hate to see a debate over something truly contentious.