How to remove coralline on bare bottom??

[Codym808]

So as the title states, I’m trying to figure out how to control the coralline algae growing on the starboard at the bottom of my tank. I’d rather much prefer the white bottom look than purple but I don’t want sand. As you can see from the photos below, my tank is starting to get overrun with coralline. It’s also using up a ton of alk and cal, I’ve tried scraping but it’s a lot of work and grows back fast. I’ve tried a long spine urchin, which worked well but they also started eating at the silicone and munching on acro’s.

I know it’s a good thing to complain about but it just looks like too much purple in my tank. Any suggestions, maybe move around large frag plugs by shading out the coralline below it? Lmk if anyone has been through this, thanks!!

 

[andrewkw]

You can get an urchin, off hand I can't think of what species is best but many eat coraline. I have a ton of astrena starfish and although I'm not 100% certain I believe they do help keep coraline in check too but if you want to eliminate it completely off the bottom you're going to need something bigger.

 

[Codym808]

Hmm those stars sound tempting but I’m scared they’re gonna be the coral eating ones instead.. there ha to be some way! Haha

 

[DarkSky]

Try a different species than a long spine. I have a buddy that uses tuxedo urchins to keep his tank nearly coraline free.

 

[Mical]

Longspine or tuxedo urchin will clean that up. The tuxedo is my choice as longspine will rearrange anything in it's path as it grows.

 

[Codym808]

No problems with tuxedo’s eating the silicone also?

 

[Livinlocal]

I have what I believe is a Tuxedo urchin inside my Refugium, and he literally only eats coralline. If you can find one like mine, he will devour it.

This was a photo of when I put him in my frag tank to clean off my rack. And grow out discs.

 

[Dodgersallday]

Put more sps corals in the tank.

 

[Dodgersallday]

You will need to scrape it off before being able to stop it from coming back. The sps will soak up the all and calcium before the coraline has a chance.

 

[Mical]

No problems with tuxedo’s eating the silicone also?

Never had an issue w/them eating silicone. They pick up everything else and carry it on them as camoflash

 

[theatrus]

Tuxedos and Pincushions both will devour coralline. Worst damage they’ll do is carry frags around and sometimes bulldoze, but they are urchins after all.