Multiple Algae's in my Fuge.....

[JKUNZ]

I have a 50 Gallon sump with a roughly 20 gallon fuge running off of my 135g. The fuge is running Mudd, along with Caulerpa and Chaeto. I want to use mesh and divide the fuge into three or four sections; I imagine I would do one section Caulerpa, one Chaeto, and one for a grape kelp or similar food supplement type algae;

 

My questions are as follows...

1) Are there better filtration options over Caulerpa and Chaeto?

2) What's the best type of algae I could grow in the fuge to use a food supplement for Tangs and other herbivores?

 

Also, I've debated for some time adding red mangroves to my system, and the great debate if whether I add them to the sump or to the main over flow chamber. The pros and cons are; in the sump there is ample height clearance for a few years, but the light cycle is longer and bulbs would be closer to the pant; in the main overflow there is tons of height clearance, it's set off to the side of the main HQI/T5VHO lighting, but close enough to receive enough lighting. Any thoughts on mangroves??

 

Thanks!

 

-J

[ashaf22789]

Not sure if there is anything better than caulerpa or chaeto but i do know the sometimes the caulerpa can go sexual and F**** up your tank.

 

As far as algae to feed your fish i know tangs love Halymenia(dragons tongue). Plus it looks cool.

[JKUNZ]

Not sure if there is anything better than caulerpa or chaeto but i do know the sometimes the caulerpa can go sexual and F**** up your tank.

 

As far as algae to feed your fish i know tangs love Halymenia(dragons tongue). Plus it looks cool.

 

Cool, thanks....

[spanko]

From one of the mods on the reefland site.

 

 

"Tang Macro Algae Foods

 

What macro algae do you feed your herbivores (tangs, rabbitfishes, etc.) and omnivores (anemonefishes, angels, Butterflyfishes, etc.?

 

I've kept the fishes that eat vegetables over the last 35+ years now. From my refugium I feed them:

Caulerpa prolifera

Gracilaria and

Halimedia opuntia

 

Some others you may have tried:

 

Varieties of Caulerpa sp. (Especially Caulerpa mexicana). Not all tangs like all plant species of Caulerpa AND not all tangs within the tang species will like the same macro algae to the same degree. They will eat C. prolifera once they get used to it. Fish wholesalers grow large quantities of the red Gracilaria sp. to tempt newly acquired tangs to eat.

 

Halimedia opuntia is often nice to have around. It is a calcareous algae, but some tangs nibble on it. It helps keep tangs 'regular' and digesting properly.

 

Then, there's the sea lettuce! Ulva sp. Many fish like that. It grows slowly (compared to most the Caulerpa sp.) and takes weeks (at least for me!) to settle in and 'get a grip' on rocks/substrate.

 

Dried Ulva sp. is now commercially available as well as many other algae we use from companies that package it for our fishes.

 

I have not known herbivores to eat much in the way of Chaetomorpha. Some aquarists claim their fish will eat it, though. I think I'd like to see any tang eat that, though. Maybe other herbivores?

 

There are those that claim you shouldn't feed herbivores macro algae from the refugium. The concern is that the algae has removed nutrients from the aquarium system, so feeding it would be putting those nutrients back into the system. It is true; that is exactly what is/will happen.

 

But what do those people think is in the packaged algae they feed their herbivores? It's the same nutrients that the macro algae in the refugium took out. So, there is no loss or gain in nutrient content so long as the macro algae is healthy. One BIG gain is to be able to feed your herbivores with greens that are 'fresh' and alive.

 

I put a bowling-ball size clump of mixed algae from my 70g refugium in my 300g aquarium and the fish chew it down in about 3 days.

 

What kind of macro algae does your herbivores eat? Do you feed it often? Do you still throw some or all of it away?"

[JKUNZ]

Thanks Spanko....very informative!

[Amphiprion1]

I have a 50 Gallon sump with a roughly 20 gallon fuge running off of my 135g. The fuge is running Mudd, along with Caulerpa and Chaeto. I want to use mesh and divide the fuge into three or four sections; I imagine I would do one section Caulerpa, one Chaeto, and one for a grape kelp or similar food supplement type algae;

 

My questions are as follows...

1) Are there better filtration options over Caulerpa and Chaeto?

2) What's the best type of algae I could grow in the fuge to use a food supplement for Tangs and other herbivores?

 

Also, I've debated for some time adding red mangroves to my system, and the great debate if whether I add them to the sump or to the main over flow chamber. The pros and cons are; in the sump there is ample height clearance for a few years, but the light cycle is longer and bulbs would be closer to the pant; in the main overflow there is tons of height clearance, it's set off to the side of the main HQI/T5VHO lighting, but close enough to receive enough lighting. Any thoughts on mangroves??

 

Thanks!

 

-J

 

The mangroves are nice, but you either need a good amount of them or a very large one to do much. I see them as more decorative, with a small bit of function.

 

My preference for refugia, as far as nutrient reduction, is Chaetomorpha. It doesn't release the noxious compounds that caulerpaceans tend to release, nor does it sporulate like them. Others can be grown in non-shaded areas for decorative or feeding purposes without issue, as long as there are enough nutrients to support them.

 

As far as your first question, yes there are. Typical "nuisance" algae will be more effective at reducing nutrients, not only because they grow exceptionally quickly, but they thrive even under very, very low nutrients. As such, a turf scrubber will be more productive than a comparably larger sized refugium. They work quite well, but aren't for everyone. Scrubbers require good weekly maintenance, as well as a good amount of initial tweaking to get the configuration right. Also, there are no commercial options available that are lower priced (which for me, at least, is a big deal), so DIY is going to the be most reasonable option for most.

 

Good food algae include Ulva, many of the Gracilaria species, some brown algae, like Dictyota, and others. Be careful with the latter, though. It is extremely invasive and thrives despite very low nutrients.