Cycling with Macro Algae

[kaylajoy]

For my first saltwater tank I like macro algaes and want to add a few different kinds to the display. Can macro algae just be plopped in while the tank is cycling, and will it have any appreciable effect on the cycle?

I read in the other forum that caulerpa can be a problem for corals. Are there any other common nuisance algaes that I should avoid introducing? I would like to keep soft corals in the same tank so don't want anything that could kill my corals later down the road.

 

[SurgeonFish]

Not an algae expert but I cycled my tank with chaeto and Pom Pom and it worked great. Algae can use ammonia/nitrites/nitrates so it can definitely assist but You still need your bacterial population to develop and mature.

As far as killing corals unless is directly effecting the tissue/blocking light I don’t see how a natural part of the reef eco system would be that devastating to hardy soft corals.

i threw some Zoas in my dump just to see how they would do and they have had no issues.

 

[Spare time]

You can cycle with it, but becareful not to strip all the phosphates out when doing the initial cycle. I would stick to chaeto and gracilaria sp. for the types of macro algaes.