Thanks for the reply! It is weird to me based off other photos online so I thought I’d post it here and see if anyone had any ideasKind of looks like it, but the location is puzzling? Almost looks like the plant is flowering. Not sure why that might happen but perhaps the sunlight triggered whatever we are looking at?
Lets see what people know about this macro algae?
I think this could be it- does this mean it is happy with its environment or reproducing because it’s unhappy? Not sure if you could say..I’m not very familiar with macros just yet and like I said this tank is an experiment with sunlightI could be mistaken, but those appear to be cystocarps sprouting from the algae. Gracilaria is a member of the Rhodophyta. They reproduce by creating cystocarp structures after fertilization. If those are the aforementioned structures, they are full of spores or already released those spores. It's a manner of reproduction; except flowering plants are considered true plants with a flower structure containing reproductive organs whereas Gracilaria is considered a red algae and so does not reproduce in the same manner as a flowering plant.
I could be incorrect, but that's the first thing that comes to mind. Maybe someone more knowledgeable can chime in?
There is quite a bit of literature on gracilaria cultivation - they do well with sufficient nitrates. The algae in your picture doesn't appear to be unhealthy. Some advise periodically thinning macroalgae because in some species (Caulerpa sp.) the sporulation is precipitated by dieoff. As long as you have sufficient nutrients, the correct salinity and temperature, it should do well. Looks like Gracilaria hayi.
Thank you! I think I may have to supplement some nutrients into the tank. I did some micro nutrient dosing when I set it up but I think I am going to order a fertilizer for this tank. I’m thinking chaeto gro, would you recommend this? Because it’s a macro only tank with no other creatures I think nitrate may be getting depleted, I’ll run a test later but that’s been my concern since the beginning of starting this tank.
Chaetogrow would be fine. Iron concentrate from Two Little Fishies is also a solid choice. If I recall correctly, manganese, iron and potassium are the main ones. Just be careful with dosing ferts - go slowly as pest algae also love these nutrients. Iron in particular can contribute to green hair algae growth. You may find you don't need to supplement if growth is good. Lighting is also a big factor. Just be cautious dosing anything you aren't measuring for and follow directions and you should be good. There are also some cheaper diy solutions you can make; some don't like the lack of concentration on the bottle because they don't know exactly how much they're adding, which is one of the benefits of making your own.
Great! Thanks for all your info!
