How to grow gracilaria?

Hey, John! I got some gracilaria from you a long time ago, but it's not really growing under my lights. I've read somewhere that they like the shade, so I changed them to a shaded part of the sump, but still no luck.

Any advice that you, or anybody more experienced than me (won't be hard to find) on how to place the gracilaria for optimal growth?

Thanks in advance!

- Mag.

 

the most amount of light you can safely keep it in will help growth....but flow is probably the issue. How much current do you have on it? Nutrients in the tank?

 

Current isn't very strong. I put it in the return section of the sump. I'm not sure how much flow is there in quantity, but I have a Mag drive 9.5 in there and I'm using 15% of it. That's how much of the ball valve is open.

As far as nutrients, I can say my water has them. I have plenty of chaeto, mangroves and a DSB in there, and amonia and nitrates always come at 0, but in the last week I seem to have been overfeeding the fish since I've gotten some dust algae. A bit more than normal if a had to judge.

What type of current and light intensity does gracilaria like? Should I put it where there's more flow?

Thanks for your help.

- Mag.

 

It can take fairly high light, but it has to be coaxed into it. You can just put it under intense light without a risk of shock. The stronger and more turbulent the flow the better it seems with gracilaria

 

well I guess to a point...at some level you will probably riip it up, but you get what I mean...you can put it right next to a powerhead if you wanted.

 

Thanks!! I´ll find a new spot for it. It has been growing very little, so If it doesn't take off I'll just feed it to my tang and get some more later.

Hope you're doing well, John!

- Mag.