Gracilaria questions

[shollis2814]

OK, on the recommendation of my LFS I added a clump of Gracilaria to the middle portion of my sump. WOW! It's been in there less than a week and I can already see my GHA dying off. My nitrates are <5 the day after a heavy feeding. They told me to try to keep it tumbling, so I positioned it where my skimmer section overflows into middle portion of my sump and put an LED light on it 24/7.

1) Do I need to do anything else?
2) How do you know when to thin it out?
3) I know pods can live in Chaeto. Is this stuff worth seeding?

Thanks!

 

[Ron Reefman]

Lighting it 24/7 isn't helpful. Plants can only perform photosynthesis for 'x' hours a day. The x is usually in the 6-10 hour range. For algae it's probably in the 6-8 hour range. Most reefers run the fuge light the opposite of the tank lights. The photosynthesis in the fuge helps keep the pH more stable, not that the system is ever really out of balance with day/night fluctuations. You thin it when it gets close to being too big or when it stops spinning. Almost any algae that will grow fast will work. And yes, pods should do OK in there. And if you find any of it getting into the DT, figure out how it got there. Some aglaes can be way worse than the basic green hairy algae we all know.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

OK, on the recommendation of my LFS I added a clump of Gracilaria to the middle portion of my sump. WOW! It's been in there less than a week and I can already see my GHA dying off. My nitrates are <5 the day after a heavy feeding. They told me to try to keep it tumbling, so I positioned it where my skimmer section overflows into middle portion of my sump and put an LED light on it 24/7.

1) Do I need to do anything else?
2) How do you know when to thin it out?
3) I know pods can live in Chaeto. Is this stuff worth seeding?

Thanks!

1. Tumbling definitely helps, but is not required. It does like good flow.
2. When it stops tumbling or the flow is significantly reduced. Or when you stop noticing new growth.
   
3. Totally worth seeding. Pods like surface area and anywhere bacteria, detritus, microalgae can settle.

Most types of gracilaria are great for feeding to your tank (tangs, foxfaces, angels)

 

[shollis2814]

1. Tumbling definitely helps, but is not required. It does like good flow.
2. When it stops tumbling or the flow is significantly reduced. Or when you stop noticing new growth.
   
3. Totally worth seeding. Pods like surface area and anywhere bacteria, detritus, microalgae can settle.

Most types of gracilaria are great for feeding to your tank (tangs, foxfaces, angels)

Unfortunately, it's only a 20 long, so none of those fish (Foxface is my someday must own fish).
Thanks for the tips!