Jbrock183 Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I have a 10 gallon nano reef tank. I'm looking for a few minor additions (preferably red, blue, or purple) and have been thinking macroalgae would be a great way to improve the ecosystem in general. I bought a piece of dragons breath a few weeks ago, but it is now completely gone. I'm guessing it was eaten, but I'm not sure by what. I have a clownfish, a damsel, red leg hermit, emerald crab, cleaner shrimp, several astrea snails, and a turbo. I also have a few bristle worms, asterina starfish, and tiny brittle starfish, that found their way in on my live rock. I would like a couple different types of macroalgae, but I know next to nothing about it. I'm looking for something that is hardy but won't be invasive, and it appears that I need something my fish and CUC won't eat. Any recommendations for a specific type? Also, does anyone know where I could buy macroalgae online without the terribly expensive shipping fees? Link to comment
The Aquarist Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I would get rid of the turbo. They will mow down your macros. The astrea snails might nibble on macro too, just keep an eye on them. I would look into ceriths and dwarf ceriths for a macroalgae-tank clean up crew. Have you visited http://www.live-plants.com/?They have an awesome selection and I have heard good reviews. Link to comment
Jbrock183 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Do Turbos eat all types of macros? Link to comment
The Aquarist Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I don't think they would touch chaeto, halimeda, maidens hair, or something along those lines. Mine managed to decimate my ulva and my red gracilaria. Link to comment
Jbrock183 Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Do these (chaeto, halimeda, or maidens hair) tend to be invasive and overcome the tank? I'm looking for something that would be a good addition to my display tank. Link to comment
The Aquarist Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Chaeto looks like steel wool. You usually find them in refugiums rather than displays. Halimeda is a type of calcareous macroalgae (requires calcium). They have a rigid structure made of calcium carbonate, making the inedible. Since they require calcium, if the levels are insufficient in your system, you'd probably have to dose calcium, or do more water change.Treat it like a stony coral. Otherwise, they come in a huge array of shapes. See here: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-04/nftt/index.php Maidens hair looks like hair algae, except it's more rigid. It tastes bad, so most things leave it alone. Another choice if you aren't located in California, is caulerpa. The reason why its banned in California is because it is highly invasive. They come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, but it is invasive. A lot of things don't eat it because it tastes awful. However, if you can keep them well pruned, the display can be highly attractive. There are some risks with caulerpa though, as they can undergo a massive die off, and release their gametes into the water if they become stressed. See here: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/nftt/index.php I would also email http://www.live-plants.com/ and ask them for recommendations. Link to comment
Jbrock183 Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 I saw this at my LFS and think it's some type of macroalgae. But no one working that day was able to identify it. Any ideas what it is? Link to comment
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