Coralline growth question

[mmorrison55]

How did your coralline growth start?

Im at the end of a tank reset due to an ick outbreak and about to add my rock structure back in after it was pulled, bleached, de chlorinated, cleaned and soaked in beneficial infused saltwater for 4 weeks. Once it’s added back in to the display and I turn my lights back on, im guessing I will end up going through another ugly stage.

My 1st go around, I got green algae. It was not hair nor did it appear to be cyano or Dino’s. I was told it was green coralline, but idk how accurate that was. Regardless if it was actual coralline just green in color,but with this reset, I’d really prefer to develope the purple or pink coralline and not green if I can avoid it.

So my question for those of you who have grown a full tank of the purple/pink coralline, did you start out green? And how long before you started to see significant purple/pink coralline? I assume it will eventually replace the green algae?

 

[SOGavity]

I dont have a full tank of coraline yet, but it's been a year and I have purple spots about a centimeter in size dotted randomly on my rock. That started abput two months ago with no additives or live rock. My guess is it came from a frag at some point. My rocks are also green. Ive been told coraline algae starts green and slowly changes to purple. So, regardless, you'll get the green no matter what. And you will hit the brown ugly stage too.

 

[mmorrison55]

Thanks. I was just starting to see some pepper sized purple and pink spots before my issues, but they showed up on the what parts of the rocks, I didn’t see any spots that were replacing the green, so I was not sure the green coralline would be replaced with the more desirable pink/purple.

 

[X-37B]

I use live rock so my coralline is fast to grow. I just removed a large stag from the middle of this pic I just took. Tanks 1 year. Minimal green and straight to coralline.

 

[mmorrison55]

I use live rock so my coralline is fast to grow. I just removed a large stag from the middle of this pic I just took. Tanks 1 year. Minimal green and straight to coralline.

That’s a lot of coralline,a do bare bottom as well? Nice!

Was your whole rock structure live rock? Im thinking of picking up a few pieces to put one or two in my display and another piece or two in the sump.

 

[X-37B]

That’s a lot of coralline,a do bare bottom as well? Nice!

Was your whole rock structure live rock? Im thinking of picking up a few pieces to put one or two in my display and another piece or two in the sump.

Yes 150lbs

 

[Merge_595]

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/p...PAyo55TqRNMhHs6IQwHz_JHrS1RVxDVIaApIREALw_wcBWhat i've used to start a few tanks..works good

 

[IceNein]

If you get some real ocean live rock that has been on the top of the pile, it will absolutely have coralline on it, and it will seed your tank effectively. I got the pico package from TBS which was like 3lbs "premium" that has the coralline, 3 lbs base (which may or may not have any, some of it was obviously in a cryptic environment), and 3lbs of sand. I probably used about 50% fake rock and 50% live rock and I have coralline growing everywhere.

Worth the cost for all the critters it adds to your system, in my opinion.

 

[Gary.jd]

Coralline started growing after 4weeks on my dry rocks.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I’m always amazed at how quickly coralline grows everywhere. I remember waiting like a patient school boy for my first little dot. Now, I wish it wasn’t something I had to deal with, lol.

Live wet gulf rock from TBS and weeks later it’s everywhere. I’ll be doing my 4th system that way in 10 days.

 

[mmorrison55]

If you get some real ocean live rock that has been on the top of the pile, it will absolutely have coralline on it, and it will seed your tank effectively. I got the pico package from TBS which was like 3lbs "premium" that has the coralline, 3 lbs base (which may or may not have any, some of it was obviously in a cryptic environment), and 3lbs of sand. I probably used about 50% fake rock and 50% live rock and I have coralline growing everywhere.

Worth the cost for all the critters it adds to your system, in my opinion.

I just added 15 pounds of TBS premium nano to my 150 g display. Im hoping it jump starts my aquascape to start growing coralline.

 

[backinthereef]

I use live rock so my coralline is fast to grow. I just removed a large stag from the middle of this pic I just took. Tanks 1 year. Minimal green and straight to coralline.

What have you done to get it???

 

[X-37B]

What have you done to get it???

It comes from the 150lbs of live rock.
I run a geo 818 ca reactor & add trace elements to my ato reservoir.
3 other systems run esv 2 part on Kamoer dosers. Same trace in ato's.
Stability of alk whatever # you run.
Pretty standard parameters.
SG 1.026-1.027
Temp 77-79
Alk 7-8
Ca 420-450
Mag 1300-1400
Po4 .05-.015
No3 5-10
My 4 month old 15g nano cube.
Back wall is spotting nicely.
By 1 year the whole back wall will be coralline and coral, lol.
Started with 20lbs of live rock.
Mixed reef with 34 corals to date.
You can DM me if you want to discuss systems.

 

[edsbeaker]

A couple of pieces of live rock that is heavily coated with coralline would make the growth on your rock much faster.
This tank has been up for 5 months. The rocks on the right side of this tank were dry white rock 5 months ago. The rock on the left was brought in from my smaller tank when I upgraded. In no time the glass on the back, and rocks on the right got covered. I also keep my alkalinity and calcium in rang for my corals and coralline.

The smaller rocks in the front were just put in, so not much coralline on those yet.

Any snails or frag plugs that have coralline on them will also get the ball rolling.

This was the same tank in Feb ‘25

 

[mpatterson42]

7 months in and I have the tiniest amount. I started with all dead rock. This is also a FOWLR tank so it has a basic freshwater light and the Alkalinity is in the low 7s.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How did your coralline growth start?

Im at the end of a tank reset due to an ick outbreak and about to add my rock structure back in after it was pulled, bleached, de chlorinated, cleaned and soaked in beneficial infused saltwater for 4 weeks. Once it’s added back in to the display and I turn my lights back on, im guessing I will end up going through another ugly stage.

My 1st go around, I got green algae. It was not hair nor did it appear to be cyano or Dino’s. I was told it was green coralline, but idk how accurate that was. Regardless if it was actual coralline just green in color,but with this reset, I’d really prefer to develope the purple or pink coralline and not green if I can avoid it.

So my question for those of you who have grown a full tank of the purple/pink coralline, did you start out green? And how long before you started to see significant purple/pink coralline? I assume it will eventually replace the green algae?

FWIW, green coralline is fairly unusual. I don't recall seeing much in my previous tank, and the tank I just set up does not have any that I have seen except a small bit on a rock I got from someone else (had a coral attached).

But the pink/purple coralline is starting to show in a number of places.

plastic overflow:

back glass: