What types of Macroalgae do you have in your Reef System? Are they beneficial so far?

[Reef_Imagined]

Love my Halymenia and Gracilaria Hayi thats bring intense red colour to the display.

Used a simple mesh to hold the Halymenia in place, works like a charm!

Also have some Codium and Sargassum at the lower side of the tank.

And latest addition are tiny Blue Hypnea, really hope these could grow up and balance out the warmth tone from red macroalgae.

Downside with macro in display is the limitation of algae grazer you could put, efficient cleaner such as Urchin might end up eating the macro too.. Currently fighting some turf algae, brown wafer algae, and bryopsis, most depends on my manual removal before they start to go crazy.

 

[WheatToast]

Love my Halymenia and Gracilaria Hayi thats bring intense red colour to the display.

Used a simple mesh to hold the Halymenia in place, works like a charm!

Also have some Codium and Sargassum at the lower side of the tank.

And latest addition are tiny Blue Hypnea, really hope these could grow up and balance out the warmth tone from red macroalgae.

Downside with macro in display is the limitation of algae grazer you could put, efficient cleaner such as Urchin might end up eating the macro too.. Currently fighting some turf algae, brown wafer algae, and bryopsis, most depends on my manual removal before they start to go crazy.

Gorgeous system and super-unique algae! Keep up the good work!
Brown wafer algae as in Lobophora? It’s recently had a resurgence as a desirable algae after returning to Gulf Coast Ecosystems and I don’t think many people have encountered it as a pest in years. I wonder if invasiveness depends on species-to-species differences in growth, environmental conditions, owner perception, etc.
@Northwest_Scapes_

 

[Northwest_Scapes_]

Gorgeous system and super-unique algae! Keep up the good work!
Brown wafer algae as in Lobophora? It’s recently had a resurgence as a desirable algae after returning to Gulf Coast Ecosystems and I don’t think many people have encountered it as a pest in years. I wonder if invasiveness depends on species-to-species differences in growth, environmental conditions, owner perception, etc.
@Northwest_Scapes_

I can attest to that, actually mine died back a lot when I first got it. The Snails ended up cleaning up all the dead bits, and for me it's growth rate was pretty slow despite hearing it can be a pest in some tanks.
It did attach to the rocks and started growing a bit but something dislodged it and i never saw it again. It's got a cool texture and shape though, I'd love to try some again.

 

[Reef_Imagined]

Gorgeous system and super-unique algae! Keep up the good work!
Brown wafer algae as in Lobophora? It’s recently had a resurgence as a desirable algae after returning to Gulf Coast Ecosystems and I don’t think many people have encountered it as a pest in years. I wonder if invasiveness depends on species-to-species differences in growth, environmental conditions, owner perception, etc.
@Northwest_Scapes_

Thanks!
Yup, Lobophora.. it becomes a problem when some of it get too near to my encrusting corals. I used patch of Gracilaria to shade over them, seems to slow down and control where they can grow. Here's a piece of it started to grow in plating form.

 

[Mortgaged Reefs]

One of my favorite parts of the reef tank has always been a refugium full of macros. I love getting all types of macros and have fun with them. It’s like 2 tanks in one. I like the diversity. I like to take the refugium and give it its own aqua scape, fish, clean up crew and all.

 

[guppyken]

Macro algae reef tank can definitely shine. It provides a home for pods, help regulate nutrients, as food for herbivores, a "nest" for fish to lay eggs on, and so much more.

And this is my 14 gal marco algae tank

 

[Jorge Sanchez]

In my nano, I let Caulerpa racemose grow and I think it is beneficial for the tank ecosystem. The main problem/challenge is to keep the algae at bay, pruning it periodically.