Macroalgae id from ocean in reef tank?

thoeffe · Jun 3, 2019

I just got back from Myrtle beach and brought back some macroalgae I found before I left. Can I get some help with identification? Will any of these do well in my reef tank or refugium?

AlgaeBarn · Jun 3, 2019

I will be able to ID some of these later today. We actually sell a couple of these species. What was the ocean temp were you collected these from?

thoeffe · Jun 3, 2019

Awesome thanks. I went down there on may 26th and it was around 77 or 78. The water temperature than jumped up to 80 for a few days and now is back at 79. What is the reason your asking?

AlgaeBarn said:
I will be able to ID some of these later today. We actually sell a couple of these species. What was the ocean temp were you collected these from?

AlgaeBarn · Jun 3, 2019

thoeffe said:
Awesome thanks. I went down there on may 26th and it was around 77 or 78. The water temperature than jumped up to 80 for a few days and now is back at 79. What is the reason your asking?

There are lots of macroalgaes that get acclimated/hybridized to low temperature. You can find sea lettuce in California that will die at reef tank temperatures, even though it is the same species as the one you will find in Florida.

AlgaeBarn · Jun 3, 2019

Looks like a gracilaria

Looks like Gracilaria salicornia

This one also looks like Gracilaria salicorna

Looks like a Gracilaria. If I was to guess, Gracilaria parvispora.

You may try to rinse these very well and see what your tangs/other algae eaters like, and then try to grow it out.

acbaldwin · Jun 3, 2019

The green bean looking ones are Codium sp.

Plenty of macros are collected in Florida, so I'd assume most of those might do fine.
If you have any luck with them I'd love to buy clippings if/when you get to prune them!

thoeffe · Jun 4, 2019

acbaldwin said:
The green bean looking ones are Codium sp.

Plenty of macros are collected in Florida, so I'd assume most of those might do fine.
If you have any luck with them I'd love to buy clippings if/when you get to prune them!

That would be awesome if it gets to that point. I want to start growing large amounts of macro algae.