Corals Without Coralline Algae??

[45ZoaGarden]

This is what I was trying to explain. You should have normal coralline growth from snails hermits etc. there is probably a bigger problem if you don’t have it growing after a year. He should go to the lfs and ask for a couple of shells with coralline and throw it in the tank. Yes you can grow stuff without coralline but if coralline isnt growing, there’s a bigger problem.

My answer, yes you can have corals without coralline, BUT, if your tank had been running for almost a year, there almost HAS to be an underlying problem, what are you params, how stable are they, what clean up crew (for coralline seeding). I would seriously recommend an ICP test to be sure there isn’t anything wrong.

 

[Malifry97]

This is what I was trying to explain. You should have normal coralline growth from snails hermits etc. there is probably a bigger problem if you don’t have it growing after a year. He should go to the lfs and ask for a couple of shells with coralline and throw it in the tank. Yes you can grow stuff without coralline but if coralline isnt growing, there’s a bigger problem.

I agree

 

[Scrubber_steve]

This is what I was trying to explain. You should have normal coralline growth from snails hermits etc. there is probably a bigger problem if you don’t have it growing after a year. He should go to the lfs and ask for a couple of shells with coralline and throw it in the tank. Yes you can grow stuff without coralline but if coralline isnt growing, there’s a bigger problem.

I'd imagine it would be difficult to not have coralline introduced into the system somehow in the time period mentioned

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I'd imagine it would be difficult to not have coralline introduced into the system somehow in the time period mentioned

Exactly. Something is wrong here.

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

Coralline spores enter the tank through frags, snails etc you may have gotten from the lfs :)

Thanks for the reply. Good to know.

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

Sure! There’s no requirement there. I don’t have any Coralline algae in my newest tank, but do have a number of corals that are doing well.

Excellent, thanks!

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

Unless you've never gotten any coralline algae or spores in your tank, then it will never grow as it's just not there.

Thanks for the info

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

Coralline spores enter the tank through frags, snails etc you may have gotten from the lfs :)

If I wanted to can I scrap it off of a snails shell if its present and drop in in the tank so its not just on the snails shell but also in the water column?

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

And if he doesn't have any of those he doesn't have spores or if the ones he got didn't have any spores or coralline on them-----at this point we don't know much about his tank because he hasn't said much about it.

So I do have hermits, multiple types of snails, conch. Its been running for almost 1 year.

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

as stated before, coralline needs to be introduced via shells, rocks, spores on frags etc. if your tank has been up that long and you've been doing water changes to maintain water chemistry, chances are you're ready to try some zoas or whatever. grab a test kit and make sure things are within the right range. really the coralline can be kind of a pain, as its rapid growth consumes calcium in the process.

Thanks

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

Personally I have a tank that ran for 2 years with little coralline algae growth. I added 2 bottles of ARC Coralline Algae in a bottle and within 2 weeks my rockwork was covered in small spots of coralline algae. Now it is covering nearly all the rockwork now, I found my issue was that I had very little corralline spores introduced in the first place.

Thanks for that Nick. So that stuff really works? I will have to give it a shot. I have had plenty of snails, and hermits in there. Looks like it time to give the ARC stuff a chance. Did you does both purple and pink? Or just one?

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

I have zero coralline algae but I have corals that grow left and right...

I have seeded it with just about everything and it still wont go

Appreciate the feedback

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

Since March? Have you not added any hermits or snails with coraline on them or something. It should be fine though

Yeah I have had plenty of hermits and snails in the tank and I do currently.

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

My answer, yes you can have corals without coralline, BUT, if your tank had been running for almost a year, there almost HAS to be an underlying problem, what are you params, how stable are they, what clean up crew (for coralline seeding). I would seriously recommend an ICP test to be sure there isn’t anything wrong.

I will look at this. The thing is I have inverts in there. Parameters are pretty good. Nitrates are a little high, but phosphate was 0.03. The rest seems good

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

What type of lighting?

I agree a tank that age should be capable of growing sps without coralline growth.

Running 2 radion xr15s. 4ft tank

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

Exactly. Something is wrong here.

Like? I have had tons of inverts in the tank for algae and clean up purposes. I havent had any corals yet or course. water parameters are pretty solid the only thing I need to work on is the nitrates are 15 or so. That I know I need to work on.

 

[tankstudy]

Did you does both purple and pink? Or just one?

I personally did both for more coralline algae colors.

 

[Malifry97]

I will look at this. The thing is I have inverts in there. Parameters are pretty good. Nitrates are a little high, but phosphate was 0.03. The rest seems good

An ICP test may be in order to be sure.

 

[Paul Kachirsky]

An ICP test may be in order to be sure.

So I took some photos of my snails today. Coralline on there for sure. They have been in the tank for almost 2 month. The issue I am having with identifying more on the rocks is I used Caribsea Life Rock and it has the purple and pink colors on it. confusing me. LOL.

 

[Malifry97]

So I took some photos of my snails today. Coralline on there for sure. They have been in the tank for almost 2 month. The issue I am having with identifying more on the rocks is I used Caribsea Life Rock and it has the purple and pink colors on it. confusing me. LOL.

LOL try taking a firm brush and brush the rocks. If purple flakes come off you have corraline!