Purple coraline algae best way to encourage it?

[plancton]

I've been having only pink coralline algae, I want the purple variety, I bought some rocks that have purple coraline but it hasn't reproduced, what do you suggest?

I use seachem reef builder for alk and seachem advanced calc for calc.

ALK=11-12 DKH
CALC= 450 MG/L

[MMM33732]

Keep an eye on phosphates too. They slow coralines growth drastically. Best method I have found after keeping the proper water levels in check is to scrape that rock with a very stiff bristles brush or even razor blade. Do that right in front of a powerhead to get it circulating all over the tank. Continue to do that on a regular basis as the scratched spots on the rock regrow. Also, if any starts to grow on the glass of the aquarium, be sure to scrape that too so it can also get blown around the tank. It will take some time, but eventually it should be all over. As I mentioned though be sure your phosphates are undetectable and keep you calcium and alk where they are.

[shrimpin]

in time it will come

[McCrary]

Keep your alkalinity and calcium stable and within range of natural seawater and it will start to spread, it just takes a little while.

[downhillbiker]

you can also add coralline from a friend's tank. if they have it on their glass and want to scrape it, collect it with a siphon while scraping with razor blade, and add it to your tank.

another option is to get a rock with TONS of coralline on it and put it in front of a powerhead.

these two things will help speed up the process by seeding the tank.

[Jamesurq]

Start cursing it's name and hating the laborious task of scraping it off, then it will spread like mad...

[skeeter-doc]

ok, now for a real answer; depends on your tank

purple coralline likes lower lighting conditions and actinic lighting

another way to boost its growth is to dose magnesium, as it is usually a limiting factor in coralline growth

[jimwat]

Originally posted by skeeter-doc
ok, now for a real answer; depends on your tank

purple coralline likes lower lighting conditions and actinic lighting

another way to boost its growth is to dose magnesium, as it is usually a limiting factor in coralline growth

+1

In my tank the darker red/purple/maroon colors tend to show up in areas with less light or indirect light (under overhangs etc.). Also, I overdosed my tank (purposefully) with magnesium to take care of a bryopsis last year and have had to do a lot of coraline scraping since.

[plancton]

Why is there so much pink and not much purple, how do you make more purple?

[zacharytrimble]

ONce you get some goings....you can scrape yoru rocks in front of a powerhead or something to spread the coraline all ove rthe tank...and by the way..an interesting thought....I had the best coraline growth when I had several crabs/snails in the tank...I think they help spread it by picking at the rock and releasing small amounts of the coraline into the water column.

[zacharytrimble]

Pink vs. purple seems to depend on all different types of factors...but I'll tell ya, when I upgraded my lights...my new growth was more pink, where in the past it was only purple...another factor is the type of coraline your tank has via the live rock...some has yellow, green, pink, purple...sometimes you luck out and get a few great pieces to seed your tank with.

[plancton]

Most of the coralline on the back wall seems purple, I'm gonna scrap it all up!

[jnewman]

here is what i have noticed in my tank. all colors started with almost none now all over on one side. the reason my gues is flow flow flow. one side of thank has a sieo 2600 and k4 the other tunze 6020 an maxi 600 w/mod. the sieo and k2 is the side with more color and the most caraline. my ca is 400-425ppm

[downhillbiker]

i have very little purple but more green and red coralline. my tank is new and i am getting more and more of all the coralline colors though.