Macroalgae in main tank good or bad idea?

[Brittlan92]

Hey everyone. Trying to do some more research on filtration possibilities for my 30gallon tank. I just have a hang on back filter. I'm not sure I want to go the sump route... Is there any luck with having 1 or 2 species of macroalgae in the actual tank or is it best to have a refugium? I guess for example i've been looking at Mermaid's Tail/Fan and Caulerpa prolifera. It's honestly only my nitrates I am trying to bring down a little lower, they aren't super high just want them a little lower and done more in a natural approach than chemicals. My weekly water changes keep the nutrients at a manageable level but that is weekly water changes. I would like to go to biweekly water changes. Having refugiums or macroalgae in the tank help that? Any advice is appreciated I am still new here and learning everyday.

 

[therootcause]

For sure, I love macro in displays. I would choose a sandbed type like the mermaids fan or bottle brush and a bunching type like dragon's breath, but not something that spreads "roots" throughout the tank like c. prolifera or racemosa. These can be hard to remove in the future.

Check out https://reeftopia.com/ or Reef Cleaners.

 

[therootcause]

Macroalgae absorbs nutrients as it grows, and releases them if it dies. The way to "remove" nutrients is to harvest the macroalgae and toss it or give it to a buddy.

 

[dansyr]

I like in-tank macros, but avoid ones with hard-to remove holdfasts like most caulerpa. I'm a fan of red gracilaria / ogo since it bunches nicely and looks cool, some dictyota look cool. Codium is a slower grower for me but also easy to contain, and if you have good alk/cal support halimeda is great but needs consistency.

I also keep a ball of chaeto clipped to my AIO wall (on "DT" side of wall) since it acts like a pod hotel type thing and once i got it trained it doesnt shed too many strands, but if you're not careful the strands can get all over rockwork and are a pain to remove (tho less than caulerpa) so thats a more dicey suggestion.

 

[paragrouper]

I have chaeto in a HOB refugium. I have some Halimeda and Mexican caulerpa in the DT. The Caulerpa came in on live rock and the jury is still out with it. Thus far, I have been able to control it with weekly trimmings. The Halimeda grows at a much slower pace

 

[WheatToast]

I like in-tank macros, but avoid ones with hard-to remove holdfasts like most caulerpa.

Caulerpa prolifera.

Personally, I would say that Caulerpa prolifera is one of the best options for nutrient export that has been mentioned. It grows fast and subsequently has a very high nutrient uptake. Unlike other species of Caulerpa, it has a wiry, easily-splittable stolon and thin rhizoids, which allows it to be trimmed very easily and cleanly (and remaining rhizoids will not grow into a new plant, from my experience). Honestly, I think that its holdfast makes it far superior to most other fast-growing macroalgae, like Chaetomorpha, because it ensures that the algae will not float away.
If you regularly control its size through trimming, I think Caulerpa prolifera would make for a great addition.

 

[Brittlan92]

For sure, I love macro in displays. I would choose a sandbed type like the mermaids fan or bottle brush and a bunching type like dragon's breath, but not something that spreads "roots" throughout the tank like c. prolifera or racemosa. These can be hard to remove in the future.

Check out https://reeftopia.com/ or Reef Cleaners.

Thank you, thats great to know!

 

[Brittlan92]

Personally, I would say that Caulerpa prolifera is one of the best options for nutrient export that has been mentioned. It grows fast and subsequently has a very high nutrient uptake. Unlike other species of Caulerpa, it has a wiry, easily-splittable stolon and thin rhizoids, which allows it to be trimmed very easily and cleanly (and remaining rhizoids will not grow into a new plant, from my experience). Honestly, I think that its holdfast makes it far superior to most other fast-growing macroalgae, like Chaetomorpha, because it ensures that the algae will not float away.
If you regularly control its size through trimming, I think Caulerpa prolifera would make for a great addition.

Thank you!

 

[vlangel]

I have ulva, cheato, codium, caulerpa cupressoides, red gracilaria, gracilaria hayi and red grape caulerpa in my 56 gallon display. I have a fuge but my macroalgae is mostly in my display. There are pods galore in the macros so that I have a flame scallop that has been flourishing for several years. My 8 fish have territories to hide when they want. I feed heavily but only do a 10% water change every other week. Other than pruning the macros the tank is very low maintenance. So yes, macros can be in a display tank and add to its beauty.

 

[WheatToast]

I have ulva, cheato, codium, caulerpa cupressoides, red gracilaria, gracilaria hayi and red grape caulerpa in my 56 gallon display. I have a fuge but my macroalgae is mostly in my display. There are pods galore in the macros so that I have a flame scallop that has been flourishing for several years. My 8 fish have territories to hide when they want. I feed heavily but only do a 10% water change every other week. Other than pruning the macros the tank is very low maintenance. So yes, macros can be in a display tank and add to its beauty.

Red grape "Caulerpa" = Botryocladia which does not go sexual like Caulerpa
Otherwise, you have an absolutely spectacular reef tank and some very happy looking livestock!
Is the flame scallop receiving any phytoplankton dosing/prepared phytoplankton? Most bivalves do not filter-feed on prey as large as pods.

 

[vlangel]

Red grape "Caulerpa" = Botryocladia which does not go sexual like Caulerpa
Otherwise, you have an absolutely spectacular reef tank and some very happy looking livestock!
Is the flame scallop receiving any phytoplankton dosing/prepared phytoplankton? Most bivalves do not filter-feed on prey as large as pods.

Thank you for the kind words. No, I don't supplement the tank with anything. The copepods are really really small so I only surmised that that is what the scallop has been living on. I didn't actually know that is what it fed on. The tank is very mature, has been up since 2016 but the rock in it is from the 1990s. Maybe there are food webs that I don't know about that is feeding my scallop. Whatever it is I am thankful to have had my flame scallop so long. It's a cool creature.

 

[Subsea]

Thank you for the kind words. No, I don't supplement the tank with anything. The copepods are really really small so I only surmised that that is what the scallop has been living on. I didn't actually know that is what it fed on. The tank is very mature, has been up since 2016 but the rock in it is from the 1990s. Maybe there are food webs that I don't know about that is feeding my scallop. Whatever it is I am thankful to have had my flame scallop so long. It's a cool creature.

Dawn,
Glad to see you here. It has been a bit. Consider some sponges with your scallop.
Shalom,
Patrick

 

[Kmst80]

Hey everyone. Trying to do some more research on filtration possibilities for my 30gallon tank. I just have a hang on back filter. I'm not sure I want to go the sump route... Is there any luck with having 1 or 2 species of macroalgae in the actual tank or is it best to have a refugium? I guess for example i've been looking at Mermaid's Tail/Fan and Caulerpa prolifera. It's honestly only my nitrates I am trying to bring down a little lower, they aren't super high just want them a little lower and done more in a natural approach than chemicals. My weekly water changes keep the nutrients at a manageable level but that is weekly water changes. I would like to go to biweekly water changes. Having refugiums or macroalgae in the tank help that? Any advice is appreciated I am still new here and learning everyday.

I agree with previous comments, Caulerpa is fast growing and takes out a good chunk of nutrients but it will overgrow everything and when you try to eliminate it it will leave fragments everywhere, i have it in my sump but not a problem for me coz i feed it to my Tang and Foxface and any trace of it in the Main Tank is getting taken care of by them.
I just got my hands on some dragonbreath, looks stunning but seems much slower growing hence probably takes out less nutrients. I heard Sea lettuce can attach to rock too and get out of control.
I am trying to get my hands on some Seaweed to see how that grows.
In your case i would stay away from the Caulerpas for sure.

 

[Brittlan92]

I have ulva, cheato, codium, caulerpa cupressoides, red gracilaria, gracilaria hayi and red grape caulerpa in my 56 gallon display. I have a fuge but my macroalgae is mostly in my display. There are pods galore in the macros so that I have a flame scallop that has been flourishing for several years. My 8 fish have territories to hide when they want. I feed heavily but only do a 10% water change every other week. Other than pruning the macros the tank is very low maintenance. So yes, macros can be in a display tank and add to its beauty.

Awesome that’s what I wanted to hear. Any favorite Macroalgae for beginners? Yeah I’m having to do more of a 20-30% water change right at every 7 days to keep 1 of the 2 zoas happy. 1 zoa doesn’t care the nitrates get a little higher but the other one is more sensitive to it. Which that isn’t hard to do just would be nice to do it more every other week. Thank you for the info your tank looks awesome!

 

[Brittlan92]

I agree with previous comments, Caulerpa is fast growing and takes out a good chunk of nutrients but it will overgrow everything and when you try to eliminate it it will leave fragments everywhere, i have it in my sump but not a problem for me coz i feed it to my Tang and Foxface and any trace of it in the Main Tank is getting taken care of by them.
I just got my hands on some dragonbreath, looks stunning but seems much slower growing hence probably takes out less nutrients. I heard Sea lettuce can attach to rock too and get out of control.
I am trying to get my hands on some Seaweed to see how that grows.
In your case i would stay away from the Caulerpas for sure.

The dragon breath does look awesome! I thought about that one, might still try it and just see. Thank you!

I see some people have luck keeping their Caulerpas in control like a forest in the corners of their tank. I need to ask them when I see it again if they are maybe clipping it all together somehow and just keep trimming… I do love that look and I think my 2 chalk bass would love the added hiding spot.

 

[MoshJosh]

I have 4 types of macros in my 10 gallon tank. . . Seems to be going ok so far!

 

[JoJosReef]

Caulerpa grows fast and would accomplish your goals of nutrient export. However, both times I've tried Caulerpa it has gone sexual and been a mess.

I've had better luck with Botrycladia and Codium in the display. Both beautiful and easy to manage. Sequesters nutrients well when they really get going. Botrycladia is as easy as snipping off a stem and giving it to someone else. Slower, but easier, in my opinion.

 

[WheatToast]

Personally, I would say that Caulerpa prolifera is one of the best options for nutrient export that has been mentioned. It grows fast and subsequently has a very high nutrient uptake. Unlike other species of Caulerpa, it has a wiry, easily-splittable stolon and thin rhizoids, which allows it to be trimmed very easily and cleanly (and remaining rhizoids will not grow into a new plant, from my experience). Honestly, I think that its holdfast makes it far superior to most other fast-growing macroalgae, like Chaetomorpha, because it ensures that the algae will not float away.
If you regularly control its size through trimming, I think Caulerpa prolifera would make for a great addition.

Forgot to add that I have never had Caulerpa prolifera go sexual, even when it became severely overcrowded.

 

[Subsea]

Forgot to add that I have never had Caulerpa prolifera go sexual, even when it became severely overcrowded.

I concur that a meadow of Caulerpa Prolifera undulating in the currents is a thing of beauty.

However, all seaweeds can go sexual.

I started a 150G mixed garden with both Caulerpa Paspoidies & Prolifera. With 1000W of 6500 color spectrum of MH, I was able to grow robust macros. When I went to bed, the water clarity was stellar and in the morning, I couldn’t see the back glass. Both seaweeds had 100% meltdown. No worries: extra circulation, air stones and granulated activated carbon.

Since that day, I have varied partial selective survival events with numerous seaweeds. From my experiences Caulerpa Paspoidies has shown to be the first to go sexual.

 

[Subsea]

The dragon breath does look awesome! I thought about that one, might still try it and just see. Thank you!

I see some people have luck keeping their Caulerpas in control like a forest in the corners of their tank. I need to ask them when I see it again if they are maybe clipping it all together somehow and just keep trimming… I do love that look and I think my 2 chalk bass would love the added hiding spot.

Trim Caulerpa regularly as nutrient export.