Macro algae

Discussion in 'Algae' started by BenL, Feb 24, 2014.

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  1. BenL

    BenL Astrea Snail

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    What is macro algae and is it a good thing to try?
     
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  3. dienerman

    dienerman Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

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    Yes. Cheato and caulerpa are the most common and are a good way to remove nitrates from your system. As with anything you do to your system, research first and determine what the needs of your particular system are. Do you have a sump? How big is your system? Are there any specific parameters that you are having difficulty keeping under control and what else have you done to control them? Just some things to think about ….it s hard to give a general answer to such a general question. TONS of great information on this site and lots of people who know way more than I ever will!
     
  4. Swim

    Swim Astrea Snail

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    I added Cheato to my tanks after having trouble with algae because of high levels of nutrients in the system. I started with a piece the size of a baseball and a month later it was the size of a basketball. The algae in the DT cleared up almost entirely. It can be a good thing to use but like dienerman said, its a general question. It could help to know what is going on to give a better answer
     
  5. hdog

    hdog Astrea Snail

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  6. Greg@LionfishLair

    Greg@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

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    FWIW, we run live macro algae in most of our systems, right in the DT. We run FOWLR setups, and it looks nice, adds movement, aids water quality, and provides habitat for fishes.

    Be careful with the super fast-growers (e.g. Caulerpa taxifolia or C. racemosa, and their variants), as they can get away from you without regular prunings. We recommend freezing the prunings for 24 hrs prior to disposing of them to ensure the cells are dead.
     
  7. BenL

    BenL Astrea Snail

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    A 55gal with no sump
     
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  9. Greg@LionfishLair

    Greg@LionfishLair 3reef Sponsor

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    Here's a couple of pics of a std 60 gal that was one of the growout tanks for our volitans:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  10. BenL

    BenL Astrea Snail

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    Does any kind of fish or invert eat macroalgae?
     
  11. Av8Bluewater

    Av8Bluewater Giant Squid

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    Yes, It just depends on the fish and the macro. Macro is basically an underwater plant.
    If you're in California it's illegal to import certain caulerpa. Spore can go down the drain to the ocean and become very invasive.

    Chaeto is the most common safe and easy to deal with. My Naso Tang will eat about anything I put in the tank.

    From Wiki:
    In 2000, the strain was found on the coast of California (U.S.A.), near San Diego, and also on the coast of New South Wales, Australia. The California colonization was small enough to be considered controllable: it was covered with tarpaulin which was held down with sandbags at the edges of the infestation. Then chlorine was poured in through tubes which fed into certain openings in the tarpaulin: the interior of the tarpaulin filled up with chlorine and killed living organisms inside it, not only the unwanted alga but also fish, invertebrates and other seaweeds. The killing of such other organisms was not desirable but was deemed preferable to letting the plant grow unchecked.
    The appearance off the California coast was most probably caused by an aquarium owner improperly dumping the contents, allowing C. taxifolia to flow through a storm sewer into the lagoon where the invasion was discovered. California has since passed a law forbidding the possession, sale or transport of Caulerpa taxifolia within the state. There is also a federal law under the Noxious Weed Act forbidding interstate sale and transport of the aquarium strain Caulerpa.
    In July 2006, the alga had been declared eradicated from the two Southern California locations (Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad and Seagate Lagoon in Huntington).
     
  12. Gexx

    Gexx Giant Squid

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    Ulva and Gracilaria are favorites of tangs and other herbivorous fish. I'm not sure about inverts though.