Purple Algae (coraline)

[summat fishy]

hi guys, my nana has been set up for months now and still no coraline algae has grown. any ideas why?

 

[Sea Turtle]

I believe this takes a long time. Once you do see some you can make it reproduce quicker by scatching it and releasing small amounts into the water. Turn off you filter and skimmmer for an hour but leave your powerheads on. This will help it to spread better.

 

[fiskkeeperpro]

wierd, my first coraline was 1 month after tank was setup, now 6 months in my rocks are only purple and its all over the back

 

[Sea Turtle]

I also have noticed that there is a product made by caribsea that is called "purple up". I understand that it works quite well with c-balance and calcium levels close to 420.

I understand that you can get green coraline algea as well. Does anyone know how to produce different colors?

 

[steelhealr]

NO PURPLE UP. Don't dose your tank without knowing what you are testing for. For some, it takes time. What's your lighting, calcium levels, etc? Don't be in such a rush....one's it gets going, it gets on everything. SH

 

[n3ont3tra]

I only had a little bit of purple when I first set my tank up, about 7 months ago. Now it's starting to get to where I notice it. It takes a while sometimes.

 

[summat fishy]

my water parameters are perfect, however still nothing enhabbiting the tank as yet. my lighting isnt anything special its the one from the Wave nano cubo i hope to upgrade soon to a small halide unit though.

 

[jeasko]

what are you actual water parameters?

 

[QuotheRaven]

While still a marine novice, i'd say be patient, setting up a nano takes alot of time and my coraline took time now I have been getting a nice pastel green type and purple... it just takes time...

and don't dose with purple up...

 

[SkiFletch]

my water parameters are perfect, however still nothing enhabbiting the tank as yet. my lighting isnt anything special its the one from the Wave nano cubo i hope to upgrade soon to a small halide unit though.

Don't be so sure . Coraline requires all of the following to be correct before it can even think about gowing:

Temp
pH
Salinity
Calcium
Alkalinity(Carbonate)
Matnesium
Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate
PHOSPHATE (rarely tested for)
Dissolved Organics

Then you have to have good lighting and flowrate too. It's not as easy as one might think to get it to grow . That being said, just relax, learn your chemistry and be patient, it'll come eventually.

 

[Colin_T]

keep your calcium levels above 450ppm and it should turn up pretty soon.

 

[SkiFletch]

And if he forgets to raise his carbonate as well if it dips? It's a little more complicated than just calcium Coral skeleton is calcium, carbonate, and magnesium, not just calcium. And if organics (especially phosphate) are high in the water column, the reaction that turns those free-floating salts into solids is not energetically favorable.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

My nano has been setup since September and while I have had a few spots of coraline since the start its only over the last couple of months that there have been some really big pacths on the back of my tank. You have probably had quite a lot growing but its very easy not to notice it as it grows in quiet slowly and its only when you think/look back to how it was that you notice it.

I haven't done anything special with my nano tank at all. It has good flow and I do weekly 10% water changes but it runs skimmerless and I dont dose with anything, the lighting also isnt overly great (Small Power compacts). Still going great so far and the coraline is coming in ok.