Macro algae containment

[Amtrack5899]

I am trying to set up a 10 gallon fishless macro algae tank. What do others use to keep macro algae from getting into the pumps, power heads etc.
I have 2 power heads with the foam covers on them and my sea lettuce just collects onto the power heads. Does anybody make a mesh containment for macro algae?

 

[lapin]

You could try making a divider with egg create.

 

[HuduVudu]

@Tigahboy is an expert with macro. Maybe he can help.

 

[Tigahboy]

I haven’t had to cover up my wavemakers at all in my macro tanks. Sure, an occasional piece of macro may stick to it, but it hasn’t really been a problem for me.

 

[ichthyogeek]

I guess my big question is what macroalgae are you trying to work with? Aside from the sea lettuce that is. Most of the kinds I've worked with (aside from Sargassum) are pretty good at getting lodged into rockwork, rhizoiding in sand/substrate, and in general staying in place where it needs to stay. Once Chaeto starts to grow on something (it's really liking my Botryocladia actually...), it tends to stay all curly where it is. And ulva, if you rubber band it, can look kind of nice, although it doesn't really make holdfasts in my experience.

Sargassum is worse than a super fluffy cold weather Akita on a hot summer day. It sheds like crazy.

 

[Amtrack5899]

It’s mostly the sea lettuce that i am having issues with. This morning i did order some egg crate . This is a fishless tank. What do you use to fertilize the plants?
I started the tank with turbo start and i am using several marine blocks from an established sump. I am feeding it algae barn nitro cycle for the plants. Sea lab 28 marine blocks for minerals. I also added some pods and ocean magic. I have a Kessel A360X light set on grow cycle. Will this be enough to keep the macro algae growing . I will purchase some Chaeto from algae barn when it becomes availablele,

 

[ichthyogeek]

For fertilization, I've gotten good results using old tank water from established systems with fish in it. I've also heard of people using skimmate as fertilizer as well, but haven't tried that just yet.

 

[Tigahboy]

I dose ChaetoGro for fertilizer and also ferrous iron, nitrates and phosphates. Check my build thread for some shots and info on my macroalgae tanks!

 

[Amtrack5899]

.Thanks Tigahboy, Ill ck your build thread. The main reason for starting a macro algae tank is because i couldnt grow it in my refugium so i thought if i had a separate tank where i could maintain high nitrates , flow and light i could at least know i could grow it. This would give me a supply to experiment with in my fuse. I also like the looks of it growing in a tank. Eventually it may become a seahorse or mandarine tank.

 

[Amtrack5899]

My macro algae seems to be doing well but I am starting to get some fine algae on the glass.rocks etc. Would it hurt the macro algae if I added vibrant to the tank?

 

[HuduVudu]

My macro algae seems to be doing well but I am starting to get some fine algae on the glass.rocks etc. Would it hurt the macro algae if I added vibrant to the tank?

Serious?

 

[Amtrack5899]

I am sorry Hudda if I am asking what you perceive as a stupid question. I used vibrant with success in my 120 gallon display tank to assist the coraline algae for the purpose of displacing green algae because it did not have any adverse affect on corals. What I don’t know is what effect vibrant will have on macro algae.

 

[Crevalle]

The vibrant could be the reason you couldn’t grow macros in your refugium.

 

[HuduVudu]

I am sorry Hudda if I am asking what you perceive as a stupid question. I used vibrant with success in my 120 gallon display tank to assist the coraline algae for the purpose of displacing green algae because it did not have any adverse affect on corals. What I don’t know is what effect vibrant will have on macro algae.

It is an algacide. That means it kills plants.

Honestly I don't understand the craziness with algae, it is a natural part of the ecosystem and trying to erridicate it is futile.

 

[jt8791]

For a while I had red graciliara growing on both wave pumps on my first tank. Looked pretty good once I got the lighting adjusted but turbo snails devoured it.

 

[Amtrack5899]

Is Vibrant really an algicide? According to the label it does not contain the typical algicide ingredients such as chlorine ,bromine or copper. it is a cultured bacteria blend with some amino acids.