Basics to setting up a macro tank

[lazaah]

Hey guys n gals,

 

Im starting to study marine botany at uni this year and wouldnt mind setting up a small macro tank for collection/fragging purposes.

 

Whats involved with keeping a macro tank? The tank i would look at using is about 5gals, and would use and ac70 for circulation.

 

Is biological filtration nesissary? Or can it just be bare bottomed with a bit of floss in the ac?

 

Any start up tips welcome

[mastahluong]

You will definitely need some sand and rock not just for it's filtering capability but for their buffering capability. During your daylight cycle the macro's will use up CO₂ and release O₂ and the reverse during night cycle. If there is nothing to buffer this you will see swings in pH. Having a sump/refugium on reverse cycle will help. How deep of a sand bed will depend on if any of the macro's you plan to keep require something deep for rooting/rhizomes. You will probably want to use 10K lighting, with only 5 gallons you will be fine with using some 10K PC's. Run the AC70 with floss for now. Extracting too much phosphates and nitrates from the water; you can have slowed growth from your macro's. Do you plan to keep any other livestock in there?

[carbon-mantis]

Sand and rock is definitely needed if you want the macros to grow naturally. You might be able to grow Chaetomorpha and Ulva in a bare tank, but a lot of other macros form holdfasts, so I'm not sure how they'd hold up in a bare thank. For just a 5g rock and sand should be dirt cheap anyway. ::edit:: Though I'd certainly trust what johnmaloney says, he's probably kept more things than what all of us collectively have kept

 

 

 

On lighting, I'd go with t5 over compact fluorescent. It's not much more expensive, and it's much brighter.

 

Chemical filtration is probably unnecessary if you're keeping just algae. The algae should thrive on any dissolved nutrients you have. The aquaclear should provide plenty of flow, but if you need any extra, there are several small pumps on the market that are less than $20 that should work well.

 

Might get some "pests" but if this is for a research project, many of what we consider pests in an ornamental tank can come in handy. Bubble algae for example is a really great/easy source of chloroplasts for examination; just pierce the cellulose wall with a fine gauge hypodermic needle and drain the clear fluid, and you can then harvest the chloroplasts by simply squeezing the remains of the cell out onto a slide or whatever medium you're using.

[johnmaloney]

i keep them bare bottom.... to each their own i guess. i can see the benefit of having some substrate though in a small tank like that. they have hoods at wal-mart with flourescent lights built for the AGA 5 gallon/ They work for most species if you dont need a lot of growth.

[lazaah]

I'll probably run side by side a half fine sand bed and half chiseled up rock, idea being that will cover both types of basic anchorage. Filter floss in the ac. How do I go about the cycle then? Should I just set up a tank and leave it be till the cycle is done and then add macros or dose it with something to get phos and nitrate up then start. Lighting wont be a problem, I'll have it in my indoor garden under 250w 6500k and a 1ft 36w t8 on it with a more appropriate colour spectrum. I can't really afford to spend much here. Going back to nutrients, how the heck do I know what needs feeding what when it comes to dosing for nutrients? Do I add some high quality hydroponic solution, something specific like that Flourish product, or just give 'em fish food?

 

Obviously this is all new to me, its definately something I am pursuing long term however. Just gotta figure where to start! Can anyone suggest good readings for tropical macro alga aquaria? or is it still a reasonably uncharted area?

 

Thank you for your comments everyone. While your here John, would your company consider shipping macros' internationally provided all the legalities were fine etc? Initially it would just be a one off, I live in NZ and we don't have ANYTHING or anyone for that fact, that provides your excellent service like yours (maybe I could be the first )

[Chelle's Ocean]

Any photos to share of the tank?