ok whats the deal with this coraline algae!

[twilliard]

You know its great to see all the things grow in my tank. Great color, looking healthy, everything is just happy, my prize possesion of acan lords are awesome----
But it sucks when you cant see them in the tank if the glass is covered in coraline algae!
I am having to constantly scrape every inch of my glass to see whats inside. Every thread I have read is about people not being able to grow it. Well what about us people who cant stop it? Sure its all over the rock and even cool flat mushroom looking coraline growing every where. Its great in colors but this is geting crazy. Every 3 weeks I have to deal with it. I dont like getting my arms in the tank that much. My GSP's do NOT like that.
What can I do to slow this growth down? This stuff thrives on EVERYTHING!
HELP Im drowning!

 

[wrightme43]

Do you have urchins that are eating it and making it spawn?
I have problems with it too. I have to scrap it off the glass alot. Its weird. It seems like it would rather grow on the glass than the rocks.

 

[twilliard]

Nope no urchins in this tank. So there is no way to control this?

 

[mojoreef]

LOL I hear ya, I have the same prob. Unfortunatly anything you do will also result in your hard corals being affected the same way. I have a few urchins in the tank and they eat the corraline off the rocks, which seems to be keeping the corraline growing thier and not as much on the glass.


Mike

 

[aquarookie]

Have you tried the Mag-Float (magnetic algae scraper)? You can use it daily without getting your hands wet. They make them for glass tanks or for acrylic. Mine works great. I have a medium size one, but if I bought one again I would get a large. They cost $15-$30, depending on size. The Seattle Fish Store has them, so does the Fish Gallery and other stores carry them too. Might be worth a try and algae woud not cover your glass any more.

 

[twilliard]

my mag float barly touches this stuff. I thank you for the input!

Also I would like to add- why do a lot of people have a hard time growing coraline? I am asuming that my water #'s are good.

 

[KimPossible]

Have you tried the Mag-Float (magnetic algae scraper)?

I know it's expensive, but my Algae Free (Piranha Float- $49.95) works like a charm. I periodically get coralline on the front of my tank or on the sides and this "magfloat" does the job

 

[Elmo18]

I would go the route Mike chose...and get urchins. I prefer the long-spine urchins

Best,
Ilham

 

[MikeS]

keyhole limpets will often do the trick as well...check LFS live rock tanks for them and see if they will give or sell them to you...

MikeS

 

[Krish]

Yeah, your waters parameters must be really good as well as great flow...I think you should pat yourself on the back, and then scrape some of that coraline off and sell it to those who can't get it to grow(LOL) Mine has just recently started to take off, but it is only spreading across my rocks. I tend to use my glass magnet almost everytime I get infront of the tank so chances are it won't grow there. Urchins are great so I hear, other than that, scrape, scrape, scrape! Is your tank glass? If so, maybe you can DIY something to use a razor and some form of suction. As you scrape it off, have it sucked out the same time, thus preventing it from just being spread all over the tank as it comes off the glass. Just a though...Best of luck to ya!

 

[spongebob lover]

Yeah, your waters parameters must be really good as well as great flow...I think you should pat yourself on the back, and then scrape some of that coraline off and sell it to those who can't get it to grow(LOL) Mine has just recently started to take off, but it is only spreading across my rocks. I tend to use my glass magnet almost everytime I get infront of the tank so chances are it won't grow there. Urchins are great so I hear, other than that, scrape, scrape, scrape! Is your tank glass? If so, maybe you can DIY something to use a razor and some form of suction. As you scrape it off, have it sucked out the same time, thus preventing it from just being spread all over the tank as it comes off the glass. Just a though...Best of luck to ya!

ohh dood all i have to say is... lucky .
My buddy is even using purple up just to get some of that and me hmm... well let's just say that instead of going purple i'm going green .

 

[twilliard]

I never thought of that. The stuff I scrape off can help others out? When I scrape it off it literaly covers the substrate. The tank is glass and I have thought of making a razor scraper for this task.
What do urchins eat as in coral? I heard that they will eat some corals.
Thanks!

 

[Krish]

I never thought of that. The stuff I scrape off can help others out? When I scrape it off it literaly covers the substrate. The tank is glass and I have thought of making a razor scraper for this task.
What do urchins eat as in coral? I heard that they will eat some corals.
Thanks!

Yeah, I remember a while back that there was a thread Jiddy had started (I think it was him) looking for coraline sheets or something to seed his tank!

About the urchins, there are many types that do different things. I'm not sure which is which though, but we have tons of species here where I live...

 

[spongebob lover]

I never thought of that. The stuff I scrape off can help others out? When I scrape it off it literaly covers the substrate. The tank is glass and I have thought of making a razor scraper for this task.
What do urchins eat as in coral? I heard that they will eat some corals.

you know, you could even sell that as a purple up i'm sure someone will buy it