Galaxaura sp. care

[ll_maynard_ll]

I finally found some pink galaxaura and have an order coming next week from GCE. Does anyone have any pointers, success stories or special needs that they know of so this macro grows and thrives in my tank. I've been on the lookout for this one for a while and I don't wanna mess it up.

 

Thanks.

[ll_maynard_ll]

Well here is the Galaxaura I got yesterday from GCE, its even better looking than I hoped. Again, anyone with any tips or pointers, lighting, flow....

I placed the macro a little off center of 4x24w t5ho in a 12" deep tank with a little over 1300gph for 36 gallons.

[Moolelo]

Looks like it might go sexual? Not sure though. When I collect I find the clumps usually out of direct intense sunlight, but in bright shallows. This means in 3-4 Ft water, so they get hit by all types of light. I put mine behind a rock in corner so it isn't direct hit by leds. They need alot of flow through the branching, so indirect flow the penetrates the whole algae is best (similar to sps). Its easy to get carried away with blue spectrum and white lights, but remember algae are plants and need light for all their growth. They hit all the peaks of chlorophyll and accessory pigments, meaning red+deep red. Also rhodophyta are special in that they appear red, seriously this is more important than most people think. Shallow water reds use chlorophyll D and accessory pigments, meaning 500nm green light plays an important role (thus they appear red and don't reflect all green light like green algae).

 

Sorry the marine biologist in me taking over, yes your flow is excellent, off center is best, and basically if you have star grass doing okay then this algae should do fine. Only thing I might change is make sure it doesn't get sediment covered and watch your calcium levels if you are using mix that doesn't have high starting calcium (otherwise don't dose!)

[ll_maynard_ll]

Looks like it might go sexual? Not sure though. When I collect I find the clumps usually out of direct intense sunlight, but in bright shallows. This means in 3-4 Ft water, so they get hit by all types of light. I put mine behind a rock in corner so it isn't direct hit by leds. They need alot of flow through the branching, so indirect flow the penetrates the whole algae is best (similar to sps). Its easy to get carried away with blue spectrum and white lights, but remember algae are plants and need light for all their growth. They hit all the peaks of chlorophyll and accessory pigments, meaning red+deep red. Also rhodophyta are special in that they appear red, seriously this is more important than most people think. Shallow water reds use chlorophyll D and accessory pigments, meaning 500nm green light plays an important role (thus they appear red and don't reflect all green light like green algae).

 

Sorry the marine biologist in me taking over, yes your flow is excellent, off center is best, and basically if you have star grass doing okay then this algae should do fine. Only thing I might change is make sure it doesn't get sediment covered and watch your calcium levels if you are using mix that doesn't have high starting calcium (otherwise don't dose!)

Thanks for advice. In the three days its been in the tank the color has shifted to a little more red so not sure if that's good or bad.

T5 bulbs are all Giesemann

Midday - 6k

Aquablue+ - 11k

Actinic+

Pure Actinic

 

Figured I'd just use four different bulbs that way the different macros will hopefully get all of the different spectrum colors they need, or hopefully what you said. And yes the star grass is now growing well, a new shoot is popping up about once a week and are taller than the original ones that I got.