Sea kelp as macroalgae?

[PJ2]

Has anyone tried to use sea kelp straight from the ocean as macro in their fuge? Would this necessarily be a bad idea?

 

[Reeferdood]

Kelp as in the kelp that grows in California, Just kidding..
If you keep herbivores in your refugium I believe they would eat it..

 

[Gareth elliott]

Where is the kelp being harvested from?

Might be difficult to get a temperate species to grow in a tropical environment.

 

[PJ2]

Where is the kelp being harvested from?

Might be difficult to get a temperate species to grow in a tropical environment.

Straight from the a Cali beach... if you placed a fresh piece of sea kelp in a “tropical” water we keep in our reef tanks...would it work or be detrimental?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Straight from the a Cali beach... if you placed a fresh piece of sea kelp in a “tropical” water we keep in our reef tanks...would it work or be detrimental?

The ideal temperatures for kelp in california is 42-72f. They also need a lot of nutrients. Not sure either environment matches where most reef parameters are normally.

 

[Reeferdood]

Straight from the a Cali beach... if you placed a fresh piece of sea kelp in a “tropical” water we keep in our reef tanks...would it work or be detrimental?

Wow, I was joking..
Likely it would not live in warmer waters...

 

[cristata.reef]

Straight from the a Cali beach... if you placed a fresh piece of sea kelp in a “tropical” water we keep in our reef tanks...would it work or be detrimental?

Believe me dude I've tried several times and it's just not meant to be. Kelp in proper flow and lighting is one of the fastest growing organisms, growing 2-4 feet in a 24 hour period. Also if you do collect you have to get the holdfast or else it will wither away and your tank will literally be more nitrates that water lol (and it smells terrible). Also make sure you are legally collecting. CA has some pretty strict rules so no taking wild fish/inverts without a special permit (SCP is the only thing that allows you to collect but you must be with a government/private institution to get one). Algae should be fine as long as it's not from MPAs and tidepools so if you can dive that's your best bet

 

[PJ2]

Thanks for the feedback! Appreciate it.