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LS90gal
02/13/2012, 02:44 PM
HOw can I enhance my coralline growth, is there anything I can add to my tank to enhance growth?

reef kid96
02/13/2012, 02:47 PM
2 stage B-Ionic will help

uncleof6
02/13/2012, 04:05 PM
A coralline "seeding" (shavings) will help a great deal, consider more than one color as well. Calcium, strontium, and magnesium. However, I don't think you need dose for it, it will come with good water conditions, provided there is a culture in the tank already. Some consider it a nuisance, I see it a bit different, but controlling its spread to areas you don't want it, can be a chore.

BassMekanik
02/13/2012, 04:09 PM
Do you have any coralline growth in the tank now? What are your calcium/magnesium/alkalinity parameters?

mmmm4life
02/13/2012, 04:18 PM
2 stage B-Ionic is the best on the market for sure for a tank period. I would invest in gallon jugs though if you can its a much better price.

uncleof6
02/13/2012, 04:44 PM
2 stage B-Ionic is the best on the market for sure for a tank period. I would invest in gallon jugs though if you can its a much better price.

I could say the same of SeaChem's Reef Builder and Reef Advantage. Many years and many gallons of it. I could, but I won't. Anecdote is what it is. :)

robs.mark
02/13/2012, 05:36 PM
Snake oil! all you need is to have some coralline in your tank to begin with and to keep your cal, alk, and mag in check and stable. You'll be getting annoyed with consistently cleaning the glass in no time!

Sport507
02/13/2012, 05:46 PM
Snake oil! all you need is to have some coralline in your tank to begin with and to keep your cal, alk, and mag in check and stable. You'll be getting annoyed with consistently cleaning the glass in to time!

+1

Keep the top three chems. balanced Mag., Cal., Alk., and at proper levels. That's your best coralline builder. Down the road you will be asking if anyone makes a purple down.

uncleof6
02/13/2012, 08:25 PM
Snake oil! all you need is to have some coralline in your tank to begin with and to keep your cal, alk, and mag in check and stable. You'll be getting annoyed with consistently cleaning the glass in no time!

+1

Keep the top three chems. balanced Mag., Cal., Alk., and at proper levels. That's your best coralline builder. Down the road you will be asking if anyone makes a purple down.


And what would be the purpose of hand dosing then, if not to manage these things? Or the use of calcium reactors, kalkwasser, and any number of products used for a similar purpose--including home made concoctions.... you may not agree with the method, or product, but that does not necessarily make it snake oil. That is a reserved word, best applied to "miracle" solutions......

sprinklerman500
02/13/2012, 09:00 PM
Purple Up is a grate way to get your rock covered fast!I used it and all most all my rock is purple in just over a year!

lokii_37
02/13/2012, 09:33 PM
I have only dosed to keep cal,mag and alk in balance and in 6 months half my rock is covered. I have to clean it off the under side of my center brace and the side panels of the tank every couple of weeks

ReLPSef
02/13/2012, 10:27 PM
If you have any coraline on your rocks now, scrape a little off with a toothbrush and allow the spores to flow freely in your tank. This is the kick start you need. Also, coraline loves actinic lighting and doesn't really thrive in tanks without it. Just my experience.

robs.mark
02/13/2012, 11:38 PM
And what would be the purpose of hand dosing then, if not to manage these things? Or the use of calcium reactors, kalkwasser, and any number of products used for a similar purpose--including home made concoctions.... you may not agree with the method, or product, but that does not necessarily make it snake oil. That is a reserved word, best applied to "miracle" solutions......

Well if you would have read my post correctly you would see it says that cal alk and mag would have to be stable. Obviously to achieve this you would have to dose, use a calcium or Kalk reactor. My my reference was to additives such as purple up etc. If your parameters are in check then nothing else should be required.

shaginwagon13
02/14/2012, 07:40 AM
Purple Up is a grate way to get your rock covered fast!I used it and all most all my rock is purple in just over a year!

I disagree. That stuff IMO does absolutely nothing and is a waste of money. Good water conditions and stable parameters and you'll have more growth then you want. I also use B-Ionic 2 part as well and I love it.

Jeremy Blaze
02/14/2012, 07:43 AM
Purple up is just overpriced calcium.

As said, maintain the water quality and it will grow.

I just spent 20 miunuts scraping it off the back of my tank!

njudson
02/14/2012, 07:46 AM
Snake oil! all you need is to have some coralline in your tank to begin with and to keep your cal, alk, and mag in check and stable. You'll be getting annoyed with consistently cleaning the glass in no time!

um they are recommending Alk and Cal supplements (which I believe have some mag too) ... not exactly snake oil. But I agree with your point stable levels is all you need

Putty
02/14/2012, 07:56 AM
My calcium at 500 has me cleaning the glass twice a week. Looking at my tank everyday I don't realize how much it's growing on my rock...the other day I put a new lace rock in for a frag. It stuck out like a sore thumb.

dunc101
02/14/2012, 08:38 AM
Just as a timeline for you, I started out with 100% dry rock with no coralline. At about a month (right after they cycle) I added some GSP with some purple coralline on it. Since then, I have added some SPS frags with coralline on it. My params have always been in the correct "range" (8.5 KH, 460 Ca, 1360 Mg). The tank is now 6 months old and about 2 weeks ago, I started seeing purple coralline growing on my overflow which is getting larger every day. The largest spot is about the diameter of the end of an adults pointer finger. The rocks also have coralline on them, but the purple has not taken over on them yet as they just look "dingy" with various types of coralline on them at the moment. I am hoping by the 1 year mark that they will all be a pretty purple.

uncleof6
02/14/2012, 04:20 PM
um they are recommending Alk and Cal supplements (which I believe have some mag too) ... not exactly snake oil. But I agree with your point stable levels is all you need

EXACTLY, why I posted a rebuttal to the "snake oil" post.

Palting
02/14/2012, 04:48 PM
C'mon guys. We should know better than this. How can anyone here seriously recommend any supplementation without first asking what his parameters are?

Sport507
02/14/2012, 05:07 PM
um they are recommending Alk and Cal supplements (which I believe have some mag too) ... not exactly snake oil. But I agree with your point stable levels is all you need

I can tell you the supplements I use.

Calcium, I use, Calcium Chloride
Alkalinity, I use Baking Soda with is (Sodium Bicarbonate)

Neither of the above supplements Magnesium in any way.

For the Magnesium, I use Magnesium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate.

Never use any of these unless you are able to test for them and learn how to make the dosing solutions correctly.

Strontium was also mentioned in this thread but it's only a trace element and any good reef salt should provide all that will be needed.

bnumair
02/14/2012, 05:11 PM
C'mon guys. We should know better than this. How can anyone here seriously recommend any supplementation without first asking what his parameters are?

Thank you Palting. need to know parameters. secondly all such chemicals that are quick fix products usually are dollar signs for companies and good looking to our eyes and NO actual value to them.
Get ur parameters in balance and if u can buy a nice piece of rock with coralline algae on it put is in low lit area and more water movement.
After all that wait and be patient. only bad things happen fast in this hobby.

Sport507
02/14/2012, 05:32 PM
I’m sure anyone here is recommending dosing anything other than a couple of posters. I think we are all saying the same thing in different ways. Just keep the main elements that per mote good coralline growth in par range and time will take care of the rest.

uncleof6
02/14/2012, 07:50 PM
C'mon guys. We should know better than this. How can anyone here seriously recommend any supplementation without first asking what his parameters are?


A coralline "seeding" (shavings) will help a great deal, consider more than one color as well. Calcium, strontium, and magnesium. However, I don't think you need dose for it, it will come with good water conditions, provided there is a culture in the tank already. Some consider it a nuisance, I see it a bit different, but controlling its spread to areas you don't want it, can be a chore.

Sport507
02/14/2012, 08:21 PM
Did you have somthing to say unsaid already?

LiveBait58
02/14/2012, 08:31 PM
So obviously B-Ionic is a product that I need to try on my 125g. My question to all of you that have experience using it..... do you use a dosing pump? I have never dosed anything and since I'm an "automated" type of guy I am interested in using a pump. I just don't know anything about pumps and was wondering if one would work well for this purpose. If so, any recommendations on a good pump?

Not trying to hijack the thread, I'm actually interested because my tank is about 9 months old since I transplanted it from it's previous owner and I'm just now starting to see purple on the glass. I want to help it any way I can.

Sport507
02/14/2012, 08:40 PM
What are your Mag., Cal. and Alk. reading?

Korrine
02/14/2012, 08:40 PM
here is a good calculator for dosing

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

fwiw I use Two Part Calcium and Alkalinity Total Package from Bulk reef supply

Sport507
02/14/2012, 08:48 PM
here is a good calculator for dosing

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

fwiw I use Two Part Calcium and Alkalinity Total Package from Bulk reef supply



But what if you don't test for it and maybe don't even need it? Then you take levels out of range on the up side.

uncleof6
02/14/2012, 08:57 PM
But what if you don't test for it and maybe don't even need it? Then you take levels out of range on the up side.

Never dose anything you do not test for. Tanks with actively growing SPS and other calcium requiring organisms, will require dosing or supplemental additions--Because it gets used--This can go on forever.........with no point. :)

Jeremy Blaze
02/15/2012, 06:22 AM
But what if you don't test for it and maybe don't even need it? Then you take levels out of range on the up side.

Then why would you add it to your tank?

Calcium and Alk, are the two most basic components monitered in a Reef tank, if you aren't testing for these at least on occasion, you need to get a different hobby.

Korrine
02/15/2012, 07:54 AM
testing has already been addressed further up

rjmayes34
02/15/2012, 08:05 AM
alls he has to do is regular water changes(20%) with a "good" brand name salt and stay on them weekly.
It will grow on its own without adding anything. I cant remember when the last time i check my water parameters!! Not saying thats the best but once parameters are good just do what you normally do and where are they going to go?
I think their is a bit to much "Scare" tactic's going on with you have to test your water every week or your tank will crash and burn right away!!! Tests are expensive! If you spent that money on extra salt to stay up on your water changes you will be fine!!

Korrine
02/15/2012, 08:12 AM
^wth? I noticed a change in my chemistry even before I had corals. wc weren't enough either.

Palting
02/15/2012, 08:35 AM
:). Enthusiasm with our hobby sometimes gets away from us. Lets get back to the original question, shall we? How can he enhance coraline growth, and is there anything he can add to his tank to enhance it?

Let me see if I can summarize what everyone has been saying.

1. Need to know your parameters.
2. If your parameters are within acceptable range, (alk 7-11, cal 380-450, mag 125-1350, pH 8.0-8.4, SG 1.026), then all you have to do is keep it stable.
3. If your parameters are stable and within that range, there is no need to supplement, it would just be a waste of money.

That about right, guys?

I'll just add my 2 cents. If you keep your alk a little on the high side, say 8-10 dKH, and you pH at 8.2-8.4, this has been shown to enhance biotic calcification, ie, growth of coraline. :).

Jmnazari
02/15/2012, 09:06 AM
Some tips I haven't read on here: is to have a "seed" rock right in front of a powerhead or return line; I also hit up a few LFS and ask for their coraline algae shavings when they clean their tanks :) I don't check alk or cal or mag. I run a little t-8 16" actinic bulb during night time. My pH is fine, so I assume my essential elements are fine. Sure it might not be suitible for premium coraline growth, but it still grows like mad in my 1 year old tank, with those few tips! I hope this helps :)