Coralline Algae

[Krish]

Hello everyone! I don't know if the subject has been touched yet, and if so, to what degree, but I had a few thoughts and question concerning coralline.

Besides that it is a beautiful sight to see, why is it so important and demanding to have coralline growth inside of your tank. Everyone wants it, but do they know why? I knew when I first started with the saltwater hobby, I'd heard about coralline and wanted it, but I didn't know why. I still don't know why other than I think it looks cool and that it is supposed to prevent other forms of algae from growing.

What is the main function for starters, of coralline algae and how is it that it prevents other types of algae from growing? Is one of the types of algae that coralline prohibits from growing, nuicance algae? If so, could this be a means of keeping nuicance algae to a minimum in our aquariums by promoting coralline algae growth? Would this be a similar case then (if using coralline), to create an evironment for nutrient export like a person may use a macro algae like caulerpa for or is it totally different when dealing with coralline?

Sorry for so many questions...It just seems to good to be true (which I probably will find out that it is and I am way off in target) in thinking that we could possibly use coralline algae as means of nutrient export or keeping nuicance algae to a minimum in our systems, by using it rather than bulky refugiums and ugly macros like caulerpa.

 

[Angelscrx]

I beleive Coralline Algae is beneficial because it takes over the rock surface area that could be taken by nuisance algae. it aslo comes in different colors and it covers different rocks to make them all look like one big peice in time. Not sure about the rest of your question but it will be good to know.

 

[fleetbox]

coraline will export your calc, iodine, and trace elements. It likes all the expensive junk we like to put in the tank for our coral. I am getting a little tired of seeing it all over to be honest. Of course my friends think that it is the cats meow so I keep it to impress them. i have heard that it keeps the live rock from being as eficiant due to it covering all the holes. Everything I hear is bad other than it looks better than green algea. Urchins eat it and also I see the emeralds eat it.

I have also read that some coral need to be attatched to it to thrive but seems a little "krishy" I mean fishy to me.

 

[Krish]

seems a little "krishy" I mean fishy to me.

LOL!

I beleive Coralline Algae is beneficial because it takes over the rock surface area that could be taken by nuisance algae

Yeah, that's what I read. So that would probably mean it will grow somewhere else then like on the glass, substrate etc. where ther is no coralline if there is enough nutrients or favorable conditions in the tank for the nuicance algae to grow.

coraline will export your calc, iodine, and trace elements. It likes all the expensive junk we like to put in the tank for our coral. I am getting a little tired of seeing it all over to be honest. Of course my friends think that it is the cats meow so I keep it to impress them. i have heard that it keeps the live rock from being as eficiant due to it covering all the holes.

Sounds like that might be right up my alley then seeing I am going FO with only about 20lbs of LR in my 90 gal. I won't have to worry about any corals suffering from malnutrition (LOL). Anyone else got any good points?

 

[Krish]

Oh, one more thing I thought of...Why can't other types of algae just grow on top of coralline? I mean does it smell bad or something (LOL JK) I just don't understand why it would grow everywhere else except on coralline.

 

[steve-s]

Nothing of a difinitive nature but something that may help...

http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/clines/import.htm
http://www.garf.org/coralline.html

Cheers
Steve

 

[Krish]

Thanks for the links Steve. The first one, I might as well of sit in a discussion @ NASA listening to a bunch of astronauts trying to decide on which method they should use next to get to the moon :?: ...I was a little lost, but I will try and read it again tomorrow when my brain is a little more active. (LOL).

The second one was actually the one that pricked my brain to ask so many questions.(LOL) So funny and ironic you should mention that one. They say, "Great minds think a like" If that's the case...You're in big trouble

 

[steve-s]

They say, "Great minds think a like" If that's the case...You're in big trouble

I'm game if you are... :lol:

Cheers
Steve

 

[clayswim]

Yes, other types of algae will grow on coralline; and often will. It's also not a great nutrient exporter because it grows so slow compared to other types. Besides looks (which some people don't like, although I do) there's really only one advantage; and that's if you're maintaining coralline you're likely to have good conditions for corals. Both enjoy high alkalinity, high calcium, and a decent supply of trace elements. I've always seriously doubted it's usefulness in curbing nuisance algae. One of the worst things that can happen to your beautiful coralline crop is a bad case of algae.

Clayton

 

[Krish]

Very interesting Clayton...Thanks for your input as well. I didn't think that coralline would be a "break through" in controlling nuicance algae because if it were, then more emphasis would be placed on it. I just wondered if by some chance it helped in any way at all. It seemed like a good topic to discuss for future reference and personal knowledge because mostly everyone (whether they know why or not) wants coralline. I love how the stuff looks...Too bad it isn't more of a help to our systems.