If I want to keep Macroalgae in the display, anything special I need to do with my lights?

[JNalley]

Got some Halimeda from an online shop that arrived in pretty rough shape, some of the branches were stark white and basically disintegrated as I put it in the tank. There's only a little bit of it left, some of it is green, but things only got worse not better. So I am wondering if it's possibly my lighting that is not allowing it to photosynthesize/grow/recover. Do I need to add in reds and greens to my lighting schedule on some AI Primes? I have some Red Ogo Gracilaria, and some Dragon's Breath on the way, and I'd like them in the display as well. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Lyss]

What is your lighting schedule/intensity, etc?

I’ve had ulva sprouting and growing on my rocks for months after having removed it after my cycle and switching to heavier blues for corals. I recently added some dragon’s breath lower on the rocks and halimeda mid to upper part of rocks w/o touching the lights, and it’s doing great on an18 K schedule under 80% blue 5% white. My halimeda came pale, too, and gets pale at night then greens up during the day — vendor I bought it from said that is normal. But disintegrating is not right, of course. Could it have been DOA?

 

[JNalley]

What is your lighting schedule/intensity, etc?

I’ve had ulva sprouting and growing on my rocks for months after having removed it after my cycle and switching to heavier blues for corals. I recently added some dragon’s breath lower on the rocks and halimeda mid to upper part of rocks w/o touching the lights, and it’s doing great on an18 K schedule under 80% blue 5% white. My halimeda came pale, too, and gets pale at night then greens up during the day — vendor I bought it from said that is normal. But disintegrating is not right, of course. Could it have been DOA?

I think it was DOA, two skunk cleaner shrimp also did not survive the journey, when I opened the box and grabbed the bags I'd be surprised if the water temperature was more than 45 degrees F, I don't think whoever packed the box activated the hand-warming pad that was inside of it. But I am not sure if ~16 hours in 40-degree water would kill a plant?? So no clue. The only 2 things to survive the trip were the Yellow Watchman Goby and the Japanese Snapping Shrimp.


Here's my lighting schedule:

 

[Lyss]

Oh, that’s really a shame. Yeah, cold would do it unless it’s a cold water macroalgae. I try not to order plants and aquarium livestock between Nov and March b/c of that risk but I already broke that a couple weeks ago, ha!

I wouldn’t alter the lighting unless you plan for the tank to be macro only. Someone w/more experience w/macros can chime in, but I have my lighting built around the corals, and just placed the halimeda up a bit higher — so far no issues.

 

[HuduVudu]

@JNalley halimida likes really low light, and when I mean low light I mean really low light. I have had it come in on LR on and off through the years. Could never get it to grow. Most of those tanks were reef tanks with full on reef lighting. I just kind of wrote it off and assumed it would never grow. When I owned my store there was a Pho shop and they traded Pho for an aquarium. I set up a cheap acrylic 20 breader and put some live rock in it. The light was a simple flourescent grow bulb I got from Home Depot. I wanted enough light to get the coralline to grow. I had 2 dominos and a blue devil. I got it set up for them and mostly ignored it. Did some water changes occasionally (when I wanted to get some Pho ), but left it alone. The halamide took off and it was a jungle. It was one of the coolest tanks I have made. Long 8" chains that came all the way to the top of the water. The fish just loved it. I wish I had pictures, but that was a long time ago and I didn't think of it.

So very very low light and normal conditions and they should do good.

BTW I have some in my current tank but they don't grow fast and are generally pretty miserable.

 

[JNalley]

Oh, that’s really a shame. Yeah, cold would do it unless it’s a cold water macroalgae. I try not to order plants and aquarium livestock between Nov and March b/c of that risk but I already broke that a couple weeks ago, ha!

I wouldn’t alter the lighting unless you plan for the tank to be macro only. Someone w/more experience w/macros can chime in, but I have my lighting built around the corals, and just placed the halimeda up a bit higher — so far no issues.

Yeh, they refunded me for the cleaner shrimp, I didn't raise an issue with the Halimeda because I assumed it was just the darkness that did it, but when I put it in, one of the leaves/branches kind of broke off in the flow (which wasn't much), and it's been cascade failure ever since.

@JNalley halimida likes really low light, and when I mean low light I mean really low light. I have had it come in on LR on and off through the years. Could never get it to grow. Most of those tanks were reef tanks with full on reef lighting. I just kind of wrote it off and assumed it would never grow. When I owned my store there was a Pho shop and they traded Pho for an aquarium. I set up a cheap acrylic 20 breader and put some live rock in it. The light was a simple flourescent grow bulb I got from Home Depot. I wanted enough light to get the coralline to grow. I had 2 dominos and a blue devil. I got it set up for them and mostly ignored it. Did some water changes occasionally (when I wanted to get some Pho ), but left it alone. The halamide took off and it was a jungle. It was one of the coolest tanks I have made. Long 8" chains that came all the way to the top of the water. The fish just loved it. I wish I had pictures, but that was a long time ago and I didn't think of it.

So very very low light and normal conditions and they should do good.

BTW I have some in my current tank but they don't grow fast and are generally pretty miserable.

I will try to move it to a shaded area then and see if I can nurse it back to health. There's only about 1.5-2" of green at the base so it may not be salvageable at this point, but what have I got to lose? heh.

I'm keen on learning more if anyone else wants to chime in too! I like the idea of Macroalgae in the display instead of the fuge.

 

[Lyss]

Yeh, they refunded me for the cleaner shrimp, I didn't raise an issue with the Halimeda because I assumed it was just the darkness that did it, but when I put it in, one of the leaves/branches kind of broke off in the flow (which wasn't much), and it's been cascade failure ever since.



I will try to move it to a shaded area then and see if I can nurse it back to health. There's only about 1.5-2" of green at the base so it may not be salvageable at this point, but what have I got to lose? heh.

I'm keen on learning more if anyone else wants to chime in too! I like the idea of Macroalgae in the display instead of the fuge.

That’s why I said I have mine up higher tho — b/c the lighting is mainly blue. I have halimeda opuntia and reef cleaners says: “This algae is capable of living under low-moderate light, it will grow strongest in moderate to high lighting.” I started it off on the sand and have since moved it to about mid-tank. It has been doing well for me so far.

 

[Subsea]

Yeh, they refunded me for the cleaner shrimp, I didn't raise an issue with the Halimeda because I assumed it was just the darkness that did it, but when I put it in, one of the leaves/branches kind of broke off in the flow (which wasn't much), and it's been cascade failure ever since.



I will try to move it to a shaded area then and see if I can nurse it back to health. There's only about 1.5-2" of green at the base so it may not be salvageable at this point, but what have I got to lose? heh.

I'm keen on learning more if anyone else wants to chime in too! I like the idea of Macroalgae in the display instead of the fuge.

Because I have much ornamental seaweed in skimmerless sumpless systems, I regularly dose ChaetoGrow as I do zero water changes.

Macro can adjust to a wide range of lighting conditions. While it is true that most macro grows in shallower water which favors the reds & yellows it is not necessary to adjust spectrum.

Bortacladia, Red Grapes, is collected in 30’-120’ of water. No reds or yellows at that depth. When I get it from the divers, it is a dark burgundy. If it is subjected to intense lighting, it loses its flotation balls and goes sexual. When I grow it in reduced lighting, it stays burgundy, as intensity is increased it’s color changes to fire engine red. When adjusted to intense lighting, it displays yellow/orange which is not very attractive.