Mature Tank's Coraline algae for newbies

[KingFish]

It just occured to me that excess unsightly coraline algae growing all over a mature tank can be scraped and used to seed new tanks, particularly those with base quality Live Rocks.

It could be a win-win situation as mature tank owners gets a free cleanup when newbies are invited to 'collect' them.

Whaddaya fink?

[Achilles Tang]

Good idea I guess....

Culturing coralline algae... heh!

[KingFish]

Thanks... so it is feasible.

Mature tanks get a good scrap, new tank gets a new lease of life, everyone's happy.

Culture LR !!! ......BIG BUSINESS .... MH, Chiller, Becketts, Tunze for everyone

[Achilles Tang]

Some people will have difficulty growing coralline... need clean surfaces on LR (free of cyano, macroalgae, hair algae etc).... good water quality eg. low phosphates, high calcium, high alk etc. Even lights will be a factor...

[KingFish]

Ok, that is the precondition for new tanks to achieve before it can be seeded, as close as possible la.

Just to clarify, coraline algae may not carry any contaminants which can affect new tanks right?

[Tanzy]

The queue starts here for anyone to clean my tank in July. Guarantee 6 months worth of rampant coralline growth for you to siphon out as you scrape.

[KingFish]

Bring your own tools, credit card works best.

Classic card works fine, Gold is great, platinum is the best....

[alexlean]

Koool ... mine is a 2 month old 4ft thank . .trying to get the algea to grow but not successful so far ..

Hopefully could get some help from u guys

[ZeRoC00l]

The queue starts here for anyone to clean my tank in July. Guarantee 6 months worth of rampant coralline growth for you to siphon out as you scrape.

Put me first on yr queue list man.

will bring plastic card, and buckets!

[SunkistC]

Koool ... mine is a 2 month old 4ft thank . .trying to get the algea to grow but not successful so far ..

Hopefully could get some help from u guys

2 months is abit too soon to expect algae growth! My 4ft took 4 months to see growth of pink n red coraline algae on the live rocks... wait a little longer, but have be sure to maintain a high level of calcium in ur tank

[hongqixian]

My 2ft tank is 2 months and my coralline has grown about 1.5mm. I know because there's this white shell embedded a bit in the rock and I can see that the edges are more purple.

[alexlean]

wow hongqixian. How did you do it ? My nitrate level is very low and ph about 9. I add calcium twice a week into tank. Is that enough ?

[alexlean]

thanks SunkistC. But if i seed it with algea . .will that help ?

[KingFish]

Some people will have difficulty growing coralline... need clean surfaces on LR (free of cyano, macroalgae, hair algae etc).... good water quality eg. low phosphates, high calcium, high alk etc. Even lights will be a factor...

Let me try to lay out the preconditions/steps:

1) Proper curing of 'Dead' Rocks (FW dips and scrubbing)

2) Keep Phospates low (PhosGuard)

3) Dose calcium & alk (any recommended dosage? ref: tank size)

4) What kinda light? (PL/MH?)

There is one more issue though, seeding may be easy but keeping it on the rocks may be tough as the water current will be blowing the 'seeds' all over.

[hongqixian]

wow hongqixian. How did you do it ? My nitrate level is very low and ph about 9. I add calcium twice a week into tank. Is that enough ?

I haven't fiddled around with the calcium/alk/magnesium or checked my pH/nitrate yet, because I have no money to buy good test kits (yet )

It is normal for a properly set up new tank to have a boost in coralline growth after a few weeks. I gave my tank a 6 litre water change once a few weeks ago (with overnight mixed water) and that's about it. It may help that of the miserable 51 watts on my 2ft, 15watts of them are pure actinic 420. And coralline likes lower lighting.

[hongqixian]

Let me try to lay out the preconditions/steps:

1) Proper curing of 'Dead' Rocks (FW dips and scrubbing)

2) Keep Phospates low (PhosGuard)

3) Dose calcium & alk (any recommended dosage? ref: tank size)

4) What kinda light? (PL/MH?)

There is one more issue though, seeding may be easy but keeping it on the rocks may be tough as the water current will be blowing the 'seeds' all over.

Do we have to quarantine it somewhere? Can a refugium serve as one?

Ps. you don't need to make sure the coralline stays in one place! Just sprinkle it into the water and nature will take its course. The spores will settle here and there. You may want to reduce the skimmer's efficiency as skimming gets rid of the spores.

Oh, I forgot something in my previous message. Alexlean, when I set up my tank I powdered with a hammer :

bleached and well washed/sundried hammer coral skeleton,

2 clean bleached and sun dried seashells.

I sprinkled the calcium dust into the tank. There is a product which is basically this stuff, called aragamilk and one called aragamight.

[KingFish]

[hongqixian]

Good luck then

[KingFish]

Florida Aqua Farm has CORALLINE STIMULATOR™

Coralline Stimulator™ is a complete, soluble, stable source of supplemental trace metals and essential vitamins. Principally formulated for enhancing growth and all colors of corals and other invertebrates. Stimulates zooxanthellae growth (microalgae) found in invertebrate tissues such as corals, anemones and clams.

- Retards hair algae

- Does not alter pH

- Use in either salt or freshwater(???)

- Use in conjunction with reef formers solutions of calcium hydroxide.

- enriched with chelated iron, iodide, strontium chloride and other essential trace metals and vitamins including B12, biotin, thiamin and others

May be worth a look too for those who wish to quicken the fast of coraline growth

[bawater]

i'm using it, but too soon to see results + i can't tell if its the solution or just natural. the ingredients are just a mixture of trace elements.

i'll post here the what's on the label once i get home.

[KingFish]

Thanks bawater, I was almost certain you'd get your hands on anything that looks interesting

Realised its only trace elements, and they recommend only a few drops a week or something, I reckoned its powerful concoction its got in there, so may be no harm trying.

How much do they cost? I assumed you got them together with your culture kits.