Anyone having experience with root tablets when growing makroalgae?

[MoodyManticore]

I'm trying to grow Caulerpa Prolifiera and Taxifolia (sorry if I misspelled it, latin names are hard)

They usually melt, which is saddening. I had 32 wats reef light and I've added another light hoping it could help somewhat; I also dose Cheatogro which has been helpful.

My tank is low tech 126liter ≈ 30 gallon

2 clownfish
1 Bangai Cardinal
1 watchman goby

2 hermit crabs
7 snails

Any help and tips would be greatly appreciated

 

[BloopFish]

I'm trying to grow Caulerpa Prolifiera and Taxifolia (sorry if I misspelled it, latin names are hard)

They usually melt, which is saddening. I had 32 wats reef light and I've added another light hoping it could help somewhat; I also dose Cheatogro which has been helpful.

My tank is low tech 126liter ≈ 30 gallon

2 clownfish
1 Bangai Cardinal
1 watchman goby

2 hermit crabs
7 snails

Any help and tips would be greatly appreciated

Caulerpa's "roots" are basically just for anchoring. These root tabs would not actually do anything to help the caulerpa besides directly dosing the water with nutrients it can feed on. It is not like a regular "plant"

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO 30 watts on a 30 gallon is not enough, I have 100 watts on my 30 gallon. My macro algae tank is 10 gallons with a 60 watt light and it grows macro algae very well. I don't use any supplements on my macro algae tank, I don't feel it should be needed. Also make sure it has a decent amount of flow, IME if not enough flow detritus builds up on the macro algae and it starts to deteriorate.

 

[keagan]

With the salt mixes us saltwater hobbyist use you don't have to worry about trace elements like you would in a normal freshwater aquarium (those tabs are mainly iron and trace elements). Most freshwater aquarium plants are actually true angiosperms (flowering plants) whereas we keep macroalgae in reef aquarium not true plants (other than mangroves and they aren't like most other traditional plants nutrient uptake wise). Your salt mix coupled with dissolved organics will be enough "food" for the macro if you feed the residents of the aquarium.

 

[Subsea]

Actually, Caulerpa Prolifera holdfast in substrate do absorb nutrients thru holdfast.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32175590/

“High Nitrogen and Phosphorous Acquisition by Belowground Parts of Caulerpa prolifera (Chlorophyta) Contribute to the Species' Rapid Spread in Ria Formosa Lagoon, Southern Portugal”​