MacroAlgae: Octodes

[shan]

I jumped off the deep end and purchased a pretty macro algae called Octodes. Beautiful purple in my 34g Solana. This stuff is growing like crazy!!!! I placed a small ball of it on one of my live rocks and it grown like crazy. When I try and harvest it, it breaks off into tiny shards that float around the tank and start growing wherever they land!!!

 

Anyone know how to control it?

[johnmaloney]

it can be a menace. emerald crab or urchin to eat it, otherwise just pick at it and pull it. turn the pumps off or use a net. be happy that most people will offer to buy what you want to throw away.

[shan]

it can be a menace. emerald crab or urchin to eat it, otherwise just pick at it and pull it. turn the pumps off or use a net. be happy that most people will offer to buy what you want to throw away.

 

John, ive never tried shipping it, can it survive 2day shipping?

[Dasani]

John, ive never tried shipping it, can it survive 2day shipping?

My Onyx clown survived 2 day shipping. I'm sure some algae can lol

[johnmaloney]

well if it is a menace, it grows fast and it is just a plant I would try it..I can pm my address later if you like and let you know how it went.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lol......

[bitts]

John

how does it compare to cheto for nutrient up take. Is there a spacific area/ocean that it comes from.

[got2envy]

I <3 blue ochtodes...but yep it can be a PITA

when I prune it I use a net to catch the pieces that float around (pumps off)

[bitts]

with it being a pain to prune are there any concerns as to its upkeep. does it require special attention to prevent detrius build up or pieces from just breaking off into the water column due to flow.

[nebthet]

Turkey baster blast it to get rid of detritus buildup. If you don't use gloves when pruning, watch out for fire worms. If you have cyano in the tank it may sheet over this algae, just a gentle toothbrushing will remove that.

And the same for all of the above with what others have said.

[johnmaloney]

John

how does it compare to cheto for nutrient up take. Is there a spacific area/ocean that it comes from.

 

greens always grow faster than reds it seems, and the simpler an algae for the most part the faster a grower it is. I have no idea how well it grows in an established tank, but i would assume chaeto is faster. That said I have never seen an aquarium that has maxed out the growing potential for algae. Growth rate of just about any algae in the wild is considerably faster than anything I have seen in an aquarium so who knows? Maybe chaeto has its position in the hobby not because it is the most efficient algae at binding nutrients, but because it adapts well to captivity.

[micnole]

I have red octodes in my 2.5 gallon reef, it grew from nowere. Now I have some on every surface, which is great because it is out compeating the razor clupera that was out of control for a while. I did not know that people would buy the stuff, thats cool!

[bitts]

John that makes sense. One of the pdf's talks about ulva having a greater rate of up take than others. But from the info posted about it. there seems to be conflicting reports, From what's found in nature compared to our tanks. Thing is that our tanks have to be a pretty good aproxomation of the natural inviroment. Which leads me to wonder how to bring the two in line.

[bitts]

ths is the pdf i was talking about.

http://www.oceandocs.org/bitstream/1834/33/1/WIOJ12117.pdf

[johnmaloney]

oh yeah...growth rates in tanks are dismal at best. sprouts of ulva are full grown adult specimens in a month. In the right flow and nutrient areas they go from non -existent to 100s of pounds in a small area FAST. 2 weeks maybe. Blooms are impressive. So are the hoardes of fish mowing them down.

[got2envy]

My Ulva always gets eaten before it even gets a chance to grow

 

I like it tho so I have it on a algae clip now away from the hermits.

[bitts]

What I'm wondering though goes back to what john was saying about the diffrence between how they do in the wild vs tanks. If blue och & cheto are weeds. While ulva has a diffrent groth paturen. There should be something in this to help improve tank husbandy. Only problem is figuring out what. Of course I could just be smokin crack again.

[Dani3d]

Do you have any pic?

 

I would love to see it.

 

I jumped off the deep end and purchased a pretty macro algae called Octodes. Beautiful purple in my 34g Solana. This stuff is growing like crazy!!!! I placed a small ball of it on one of my live rocks and it grown like crazy. When I try and harvest it, it breaks off into tiny shards that float around the tank and start growing wherever they land!!!

 

Anyone know how to control it?

[bitts]

Pics in the macro thread.

[johnmaloney]

ulva grows fast in peoples tanks too, I know a few people who have been growing it at a decent enough pace to treat some fish now and then. Just nothing in captivity grows anywhere near as fast as in the wild except for maybe fish and I am just guessing. You should see coral growth in the wild....fast! (relatively) Zoa regrowth from areas it was removed is fast too... colonies can double in size in a matter of weeks (and not 2 polyps to 4 polyps I mean 1000 to 2000 polyps. Considering the "landlocked" stuff that can't spread, that is fast!)

 

What you are referring to is Liebig's law stuff, limitations on growth etc.... You have to find what is limited in the particular setup, as much as we talk about the majors there isnt much thought about the minor nutrients except "change your water". I wonder if macros would grow faster in a tank with 50% daily water changes and dosed nutrients of nitrate and phosphate. Sunlight seems to be the major trick though.

 

One thing about ochtodes - it creeps along the rock work so it would take over a tank faster than something that grows up, or thickens etc... but not necessarily be outgrowing it. Something to look at when comparing growth rates I would think. The method I have seen is mass comparison, change in weight etc...

[bitts]

awesome info thanks john.

once again a googling i go!