Macroalgae for display tank

[Cthulukelele]

Hi all! As I learn more about reefing, I am becoming more and more interested in incorporating more aspects of the actual ocean to my tank.

Because of this, I was really hoping to add a few non-ultraplague growth macroalgae to my display tank. I was hoping you all may have some suggestions as well as a few ideas for care/getting started. A variety of textures and growth rates would be most preferred! The tank is a 120 mixed reef, and it's relatively low nutrient currently.

Thanks!

 

[Fudsey]

Do you have any Tangs in the tank? If you do, the macro might not survive long

#reefsquad any ideas?

 

[Cthulukelele]

I was hoping to eventually get a yellow eye kole tang if that would be fine.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

dragons breath and blue hynea are my favorites but as mentioned above tangs will demolish most macro algaes.

Also if you have decent flow in your tank it can be hard to keep it secure.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Calling @Subsea

 

[EmdeReef]

Some suggestions that won’t be eaten by most fish: Halimeda, codium, udotea, sargassum, padina, neomeris. None will spread too fast and only require occasional pruning.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Would a yellow eye kole tang destroy a dragons breath and blue hynea colony if I establish a large amount of it before addition? Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[rkpetersen]

Some suggestions that won’t be eaten by most fish: Halimeda, codium, udotea, sargassum, padina, neomeris. None will spread too fast and only require occasional pruning.

Halimeda was my first thought. Calcareous so fish avoid it, doesn't grow too fast, and when it does die, adds to the sand.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Halimeda was my first thought. Calcareous so fish avoid it, doesn't grow too fast, and when it does die, adds to the sand.

The only thing I have heard about halimeda that gives me pause is that it leaches A LOT of calcium from the water. Is this a concern?

 

[rkpetersen]

The only thing I have heard about halimeda that gives me pause is that it leaches A LOT of calcium from the water. Is this a concern?

If you had a lot of it and it was outgrowing SPS corals, I suppose so. I've only kept macroalgae in the DT years ago before SPS corals were a thing.

 

[Subsea]

Hi all! As I learn more about reefing, I am becoming more and more interested in incorporating more aspects of the actual ocean to my tank.

Because of this, I was really hoping to add a few non-ultraplague growth macroalgae to my display tank. I was hoping you all may have some suggestions as well as a few ideas for care/getting started. A variety of textures and growth rates would be most preferred! The tank is a 120 mixed reef, and it's relatively low nutrient currently.

Thanks!

I went to your tank thread to get more details of your system. I suggest that you grow macro in your 30G sump. A tumble culture of Ulva could be a powerful macro refugium that would feed Tangs in 120G display tank.

Even fast growing macro will not become invasive overnight or over a few weeks. There are a lot of exaggerated claims floating around. I suggest you grow in your substrate Caulerpa Prolifera.. I have some covering up some in tank plumbing. I like Prolifera slender green fronds undulating in the current, it reminds me of Oar Grass. Contrast the green with Red Grapes for gaudy color contrast. I use Ulva on a clip up high to feed tangs. It gets heavy pressure but it grows as fast as tangs eat it taking pressure of off Red Grapes.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/wet-salty-for-christmas-2017.428100/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/2...m-on-top-with-30g-ecosystem-mud-macro.421526/

 

[Cthulukelele]

I went to your tank thread to get more details of your system. I suggest that you grow macro in your 30G sump. A tumble culture of Ulva could be a powerful macro refugium that would feed Tangs in 120G display tank.

Even fast growing macro will not become invasive overnight or over a few weeks. There are a lot of exaggerated claims floating around. I suggest you grow in your substrate Caulerpa Prolifera.. I have some covering up some in tank plumbing. I like Prolifera slender green fronds undulating in the current, it reminds me of Oar Grass. Contrast the green with Red Grapes for gaudy color contrast. I use Ulva on a clip up high to feed tangs. It gets heavy pressure but it grows as fast as tangs eat it taking pressure of off Red Grapes.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/wet-salty-for-christmas-2017.428100/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/2...m-on-top-with-30g-ecosystem-mud-macro.421526/

I really appreciate the thought you put into this! Growing macro in the sump was my original thought, but my sump is kinda full. The first compartment is socks, the second compartment has my heater and skimmer, and the third compartment has my return pump and pump to my carbon/gfo. Any work around?

I was thinking about wrapping my pumps gfo pump in panty hoes and just leaving the return pump open. It has a little gate so big things can't go through

 

[rkpetersen]

I really appreciate the thought you put into this! Growing macro in the sump was my original thought, but my sump is kinda full. The first compartment is socks, the second compartment has my heater and skimmer, and the third compartment has my return pump and pump to my carbon/gfo. Any work around?

You might be able to put a large perforated acrylic acclimator box in the second compartment. Remove the lid, put some rock and algae in it, and you've got a mini refugium.

 

[Cthulukelele]

You might be able to put a large perforated acrylic acclimator box in the second compartment. Remove the lid, put some rock and algae in it, and you've got a mini refugium.

That is a great idea! Is there an acclimation box you'd reccomend?

 

[rkpetersen]

That is a great idea! Is there an acclimation box you'd reccomend?

The ones I've used are just about perfect but they are a no-name brand and my LFS doesn't stock them any more. I'd find one that's as big as possible for the space you have, lots of perforations, lid that you can take off completely, and removable windows if possible.

 

[falc]

I have Caulerpa paspaloides growing in two of my tanks, it takes a little more maintenance than Calcareous macros but I think it looks great in the display tank. It is very easy to keep trimmed up and I have never had enough to worry about if it dies out. Gulf Coast Ecosystems is a pretty good place to order but they are out of a lot of stuff since the last hurricane.

 

[Cthulukelele]

The ones I've used are just about perfect but they are a no-name brand and my LFS doesn't stock them any more. I'd find one that's as big as possible for the space you have, lots of perforations, lid that you can take off completely, and removable windows if possible.

I will have to shop around!

I have Caulerpa paspaloides growing in two of my tanks, it takes a little more maintenance than Calcareous macros but I think it looks great in the display tank. It is very easy to keep trimmed up and I have never had enough to worry about if it dies out. Gulf Coast Ecosystems is a pretty good place to order but they are out of a lot of stuff since the last hurricane.

Thank you for the recommendation! I will check that website out in a few months once they recover from the hurricane

 

[ReefTeacher]

I had some angelfish that loved to graze on halimeda, so some fish will indeed eat it.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I had some angelfish that loved to graze on halimeda, so some fish will indeed eat it.

Good to know! There are so many choices!

 

[Yvonne Wong]

Here is my reef w red dragon algae in the display. I prune as needed for nutrient export.