Macroalgae for my tank

[jabberwock]

Thanks . I appreciate that pic . Helps solidify my desire for this in my tank . Looks like a real ocean environment

Thank you. The macro came in on real ocean live rock which is what I attribute my success to. Can't beat the ocean mix...

 

[jabberwock]

Do you put it in the sand or does it do well anywhere ?

I have found that you will put it where you want it, and then it will take hold where it wants to. Ok to place it somewhere, but if it decides to go somewhere else, let it.

 

[vlangel]

Do you put it in the sand or does it do well anywhere ?

The gracilaria hayi will grow on rock, coral skeletons but not sand. The red grape caulerpa usually grows in the cheato. The cheato just grows in a ball in a low flow area. The codium grows in a branching bunch anywhere but doesn't adhere to anything. The ulva sometimes adheres to rock or coral skeleton. So really the only macro that grows in the sand is the caulerpa cupressoides.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Asters snails, nasarius snails , racer snails, peppermint shrimp cleaner shrimp , emerald crabs and on fish , a pajama cardinal

Emerald crabs might pick at macroalgae, everything else should be fine.

 

[BristleWormHater]

I would add more fish, you're going to need a larger bioload (amount of waste being produced) to supply your macroalgae with nutrients.

 

[dansyr]

Definitely adding some macros in would be great. None to add besides what others did, except I would shy away from Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha in the display because its a pain. In a young tank having a ball of chaeto clipped into tank is fine (great pod paradise) but strands falling off and growing random places becomes a pain.

"Bush" type ones like the gracillaria, codium, halimeda, botryocladia, dragon's breath, etc are all great choices because you can prune and remove. Grazers (snails and urchins, no crabs for me) have never eaten these for me to extinction.

Also if your location is current, there's a decent community of macro keepers around on the local forum who can get you a good sampler to start when you're ready. I'm in pasadena but there are waaaaay more folks in OC.