How much lighting for good coraline?

[MustangCaleb]

i have 2 36x12x14 tanks that im going to cure some "dead" rock in. i figured since the rock will be in a tank with no livestock, ill play with some purple up or something of the sort. i have some nice coraline covered rock i bought that i could seed it with. but my question is how much lighting is "adequate" for coraline? again the tank is only 12" deep, but i was thinking about getting just some 2 bulb(i believe they are 39w) 36" t5 fixtures. would they be enough for it to do well? also which spectrum? does it grow better under the 10k solely? the rock wont be in a display tank, so looks and actinic wont matter at all. i can run all 10k's, 50/50s, or whatever works best.

[spleify]

That lighting would be sufficient, coraline does not require a lot of light to grow. Good parameters are what makes coraline grow. Don't waste the money on purple up, save the money and buy some more rock or a frag or some flowers for your significant other, you will get WAY more pleasure out of that then the Purple up.

Keep NSW levels of Alk, Ca and Mg, and you will get plenty of coraline growth.

Good luck

Spleify

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14519079#post14519079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
That lighting would be sufficient, coraline does not require a lot of light to grow.

Keep NSW levels of Alk, Ca and Mg, and you will get plenty of coraline growth.

Very, very true.

Regardless, if you change lighting too much between the vessels and the tank, it will all be for not, since it may bleach out anyways...
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14519079#post14519079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
Don't waste the money on purple up, save the money and buy some more rock or a frag or some flowers for your significant other, you will get WAY more pleasure out of that then the Purple up.

probably even better advice:lol:

[Sisterlimonpot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14519079#post14519079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
or some flowers for your significant other, you will get WAY more pleasure out of that
ahh! was your significant other over your shoulder when you were typing that?

[runningstix]

haha I bleached all my snails with my upgrade. They were covered in coraline. 2x250 14ks on a 58 made them go albino

anything you choose should do fine as long as your levels are good. I recommend randys 2 part!

[MustangCaleb]

its actually caribsea aragamilk that i was going to use. my buddy uses it and has some of the best looking rock ive seen. but for now, im going to let the rock chill for a good month or so first.

[spleify]

It is still just crushed araginite. Nothing more. Time and good params are what grows coraline.

Good luck and happy reefing.

[Willi]

I have been stock pilling live rock in a 100 gal rubbermaid for 4 months in prep for my new tank. I run (2) 48" VHO super actinics 12 hours a day and keep my water parameters at ALK = 11,
Cal = 450, Salinity at 1.026, Mag =1350+. Mag is very important to coraline. My coral line growth has been very nice. The side walls of the rubbermaid tank, powerheads, plumbing, skimmer all have coraline growing on them. Hope this helps some.
'

[RokleM]

A couple of easy ways to get it going:

1) Add a live rock with coralline
2) Actually scrape and break up some of the coralline (not all of it, scraping seems to spread it faster)
3) As mentioned, keep your alk/calc/mag at decent levels
4) Give it time. You'll get a spot or two here and there, then all the sudden your back wall will be covered.

[rendogg]

I think these opinions are coming from people that have never tried Purple Up. I agree good water parameters, not high lighting, grow coraline. I disagree that you should buy more rock, a frag, or flowers....this advice does not help at all. I have used Purple Up in my customers aquariums with great results, it actually is a great product for beginners. I have even experimented on my SPS dominated system(during reactor failure) and had continued growth and colour.

[Jandree22]

I have used Purple Up and it did nothing. It's snake oil. At best, Purple Up is a band-aid to subpar water params. I started dosing Kalk, however, and that meant business :cool: A good balance of Ca, Alk and Mag is ultimately the winner, though, as noted above.

As RokleM was saying, you can also take a new toothbrush over the coralline encrusted rock and give it a good scrubbing now and then... that'll help release spores and settle other places in your tank. Good circulation helps here, too.

[RokleM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14524823#post14524823 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rendogg
I have used Purple Up in my customers aquariums with great results
:rolleyes: 'nuff said in my opinion :hammer:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=12919717

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14525161#post14525161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RokleM
:rolleyes: 'nuff said in my opinion :hammer:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=12919717 You're awesome, reply when you have some experience.

[RokleM]

Did you read the thread? I'm by no means a master, but I know when a chemist that forgot more about chemistry in the last 15 minutes than most of us can compehend in our lifetime speaks... I typically listen.

[Jandree22]

Rokle posted a good link IMO. Randy is the master with reef chemistry, no better person to cite than him.

[spleify]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14524823#post14524823 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rendogg
I think these opinions are coming from people that have never tried Purple Up. I agree good water parameters, not high lighting, grow coraline. I disagree that you should buy more rock, a frag, or flowers....this advice does not help at all. I have used Purple Up in my customers aquariums with great results, it actually is a great product for beginners. I have even experimented on my SPS dominated system(during reactor failure) and had continued growth and colour.

I have used it in the past, many many years ago. It did nothing, this is not one person's opinion I am afraid, but fact. The six weeks(or how ever long it takes to go through a bottle) you spend dumping this into your tank is nothing more than a waste of time IMO. If you were to study and watch the tank on a daily basis(like most of us do anyway) and watch for coraline growth, I GUARANTEE you would see just as much coraline growth.

No offense rendogg, but in my opinion you are wasting your "customers" money. Try buying them a bouquet of flowers, I bet you get more praise and bigger smiles out of that then the snake oil you "claim" grows coraline algae.

Go ask this question in the Reef Chemistry forum and see what kinds of responses you get.

JMO/E

HTH

Spleify

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14525135#post14525135 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jandree22
I have used Purple Up and it did nothing. It's snake oil. At best, Purple Up is a band-aid to subpar water params. I started dosing Kalk, however, and that meant business :cool: A good balance of Ca, Alk and Mag is ultimately the winner, though, as noted above.

As RokleM was saying, you can also take a new toothbrush over the coralline encrusted rock and give it a good scrubbing now and then... that'll help release spores and settle other places in your tank. Good circulation helps here, too. Purple Up will do nothing only if your water is sub par, definitely not a band-aid. It's basically aragonite powder with Iodine, simple but proven effective time and time again. I have been in the hobby for long enough to say that this actually works. I knew writing about it was going to be met with criticism because it is so simple and people generally like to discredit anything of that sort. I run a maintenance business and my customers are not hobbyists. I can not be there every day or two to mix kalk. two part solutions are too much extra work, and reactors require monitoring. It has worked great(coraline,clam,coral,etc. growth)on these tanks. If you did not have results I suspect your phosphates and or nitrates were too high.

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14525340#post14525340 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
I have used it in the past, many many years ago. It did nothing, this is not one person's opinion I am afraid, but fact. The six weeks(or how ever long it takes to go through a bottle) you spend dumping this into your tank is nothing more than a waste of time IMO. If you were to study and watch the tank on a daily basis(like most of us do anyway) and watch for coraline growth, I GUARANTEE you would see just as much coraline growth.

No offense rendogg, but in my opinion you are wasting your "customers" money. Try buying them a bouquet of flowers, I bet you get more praise and bigger smiles out of that then the snake oil you "claim" grows coraline algae.

Go ask this question in the Reef Chemistry forum and see what kinds of responses you get.

JMO/E

HTH

Spleify I don't need to ask anyone because i've seen it work. If they have a beautiful aquarium that is thriving, it's not a waste. I have based my opinion on several tanks with different dynamics. You are obviously speaking from your limited experience and strong opinion. What kind of a "GUARANTEE" do you offer anyways....?

[spleify]

The guarantee that if one maintains good parameters and at least some lighting you are GUARANTEED to have coraline growth.

I am glad you had luck with the product and see you like using it, more power to you and I recommend you continue to do so.

Oh, and BTW, yes I do have strong opinions, but I see that you don't.....right......??????

Good luck and happy reefing, I wish you continued and long tern success.

Spleify

[rendogg]

Your "guarantee" sounds a little vague, you could also "guarantee" success with ALL marine life if your water parameters were "good", but we all know there's more to it than that.

I do like, and will continue to use, Purple Up on my customers aquariums.

I hear you. I do have strong opinions but they are based on 13 years of hobby experience(4 reef tanks of my own right now), 6 years of aquarium maintenance exp., and have read several books and forums, to touch on a few resources of my opinions.

I'm not claiming to be a master but, considering the experience, I don't think I should be dismissed! I didn't respond to argue about it, just to say it actually does work.

[wboyden]

I may not be the one to inject here being new and not even having a tank but the issue was on how much light to use, A question I am interested in have an answer to myself as I am about start my setup and this would be good information to have.

SO, to restate; how much lighting is "adequate" for coraline? again the tank is only 12" deep, but i was thinking about getting just some 2 bulb(i believe they are 39w) 36" t5 fixtures?

I am VERY NEW but I am leaning towards that they will work without issue but probably could get away with less.

Keep in mind I am again VERY NEW and may not know anything at all but hopefully this will help but it back on track.

thanks for your time, Hope this post doesnt Offend

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14526247#post14526247 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wboyden
I may not be the one to inject here being new and not even having a tank but the issue was on how much light to use, A question I am interested in have an answer to myself as I am about start my setup and this would be good information to have.

SO, to restate; how much lighting is "adequate" for coraline? again the tank is only 12" deep, but i was thinking about getting just some 2 bulb(i believe they are 39w) 36" t5 fixtures?

I am VERY NEW but I am leaning towards that they will work without issue but probably could get away with less.

Keep in mind I am again VERY NEW and may not know anything at all but hopefully this will help but it back on track.

thanks for your time, Hope this post doesnt Offend Don't want to scare away people who want help:) Coralline does not need much light at all, I have some in my sump that only gets spill from my main tank(400w halide and at least 6 feet of distance to the sump)and it is encrusted in dark purple coralline. Different species of coralline grow under different lighting intensities eg: light pink in high light and dark purple in lower light, typically. It really is about water quality, current, and abundance of Ca,Mg,dkh,Iodine, and other trace elements.

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14526150#post14526150 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rendogg
Your "guarantee" sounds a little vague, you could also "guarantee" success with ALL marine life if your water parameters were "good", but we all know there's more to it than that.

I do like, and will continue to use, Purple Up on my customers aquariums.

I hear you. I do have strong opinions but they are based on 13 years of hobby experience(4 reef tanks of my own right now), 6 years of aquarium maintenance exp., and have read several books and forums, to touch on a few resources of my opinions.

I'm not claiming to be a master but, considering the experience, I don't think I should be dismissed! I didn't respond to argue about it, just to say it actually does work.

What, are we pulling rank now? :lol: I have strong opinions that are based on nearly 25 years of experience and SCIENCE. I owned a maintenance company and marine fish food company for years and also managed a fish only store that focused on marine and reef tanks. I'd bet my life tht I've read more biology and aquarium related books than you have and have been partcipating in online forums since fishnet.

Purple up is garbage and a waste of money for your clients.

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14526247#post14526247 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wboyden
I may not be the one to inject here being new and not even having a tank but the issue was on how much light to use, A question I am interested in have an answer to myself as I am about start my setup and this would be good information to have.

SO, to restate; how much lighting is "adequate" for coraline? again the tank is only 12" deep, but i was thinking about getting just some 2 bulb(i believe they are 39w) 36" t5 fixtures?

I am VERY NEW but I am leaning towards that they will work without issue but probably could get away with less.

Keep in mind I am again VERY NEW and may not know anything at all but hopefully this will help but it back on track.

thanks for your time, Hope this post doesnt Offend

As ren and others have already stated, coralline doesn't need much light. Calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity are important parameters to maintain near or a little elevated from natural seawater levels. You'll also want to keep phosphate levels low. Do that and you'll be cursing how much coralline you have.

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14525246#post14525246 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rendogg
You're awesome, reply when you have some experience.

Did I forget to mention that I really am awesome!?!? :bum: :lol:

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14526543#post14526543 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
Did I forget to mention that I really am awesome!?!? :bum: :lol: You're also a clown.

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14526453#post14526453 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
What, are we pulling rank now? :lol: I have strong opinions that are based on nearly 25 years of experience and SCIENCE. I owned a maintenance company and marine fish food company for years and also managed a fish only store that focused on marine and reef tanks. I'd bet my life tht I've read more biology and aquarium related books than you have and have been partcipating in online forums since fishnet.

Purple up is garbage and a waste of money for your clients. Have you tried it? I'm not here to get into a ****ing match. So what additive did you use on your customers tanks? At least I backed up my experience with a confirmation of effectiveness.

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14526752#post14526752 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rendogg
Have you tried it? I'm not here to get into a ****ing match. So what additive did you use on your customers tanks? At least I backed up my experience with a confirmation of effectiveness.

I used proper calcium and buffer supplements. No, I haven't tried it because I know what it is and I know better than to waste my money.

You want confirmation of effectiveness... Here's an old shot of one of my tanks when it was still quite new. No purple up, no iodine, no trace elements, no tiny sand partcicles in a bottle, just maintaining alkalinity and calcium and the ocassional water change.

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n59/pseichler/Reefprogression3-8-07012.jpg

[The Reefer91]

Peter, that is a beautiful tank!!! i wish i had growth like that :lol:

I used purple up when i first started in reef keeping(about 4 years ago). I'm can't say exactly why it didn't work...maybe my tank had too many nutrients like phosphate, maybe i didn't have adequate levels of alk/mag/ca, maybe i just have REALLY bad karma :D, but all i know is that it didn't work, not even remotely. IME

Oh, well, it did come in handy for something....i now use the bottle as a container to store thin scrub brushes in :D it's very good at that.

[Alaskan Reefer]

If Purple Up works for you, keep using it. If Purple Up seems like a waste of money based on what you read or actual experience, don't use it. Personally, I've never used it and don't intend to, but in some way or another I would bet that it helps with coraline growth, even if only to a small degree. Different techniques producing positive results are what makes the hobby interesting and dynamic -- there's no reason to be defensive or argumentative.

Lower intensity levels of lighting are good for coraline, I don't think the spectrum really matters. What I think the Purple Up debate was trying to say (or should have said) was that maintaining proper Ca/Alk/Mg parameters are also just as important.

[eric@tampa]

Can't we all get along? Geez, the guy asked about lighting and now it's all about whos got more experience.rendogg if you want to have a go at someone go and ask Randy..jmo Eric

[luther1200]

I tend to notice more coraline growth in a bluer light. I think you will get better growth with 20k rather than 10k. The 10k is more intensity than is needed, and in my opinion may actually get you less growth. I'm not saying it won't grow I have just gotten better results with a bluer light.

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14528870#post14528870 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eric@tampa
Can't we all get along? Geez, the guy asked about lighting and now it's all about whos got more experience.rendogg if you want to have a go at someone go and ask Randy..jmo Eric I don't want to have a go at anybody! Is this what I get for stating purple up has worked for people? I end up having to defend my statement from a pack of insulting goons! Gimme a break.... I was merely stating, in my defence, my credentials. It wasn't to toot my own horn or anything, it was to say "back off, I don't deserve to be treated like an idiot for saying purple up has worked for people!". Anyone else wanna jump on my back?

[luther1200]

Give it a break with the purple up c$@^ already.