Algae from the wild (beach)

[SaM dA MaN]

I dunno if everyone can relate to this but I live in Australia so the beach is pretty big here, any way...
You know when you're swimming at the beach and you feel that big prickly clump of sea weed scrape along your leg.
Thats macro algae right?
So I dunno if its legal or not, but is it alright to perhaps grab a handful of seaweed from the beach and chuck it in a refuge. I have no idea what species grows around the beaches where I live, but there seems to be quite a bit of the stuff at times. I think most of the stuff I've seen at the beach is a floating type algae but thats just judging from the way it seems to, well, float. I guess theres other types growing on rocks and what not as well.
Also what sort of things would one do before putting in 'wild' algae in their tank. Is it possible to quarintine algae?

So I know I havent really giving much information about what sort of algae it might be, I really don't know what algae grows at my local beaches.
But has any one had luck with seaweed from their beach?
thanks.

 

[piercho]

I think most of the stuff I've seen at the beach is a floating type algae but thats just judging from the way it seems to, well, float.

Maybe Sargassum, a rough brown algae that floats if broken loose from it's hold fast. Sargassum detail

Also what sort of things would one do before putting in 'wild' algae in their tank.

Generally, nothing. It comes in with live rock. If you have a well-establish tank, and want to avoid importing pests like certain flatworms, etc, you could grow it in a separate tank for a month or more to see what develops from it.

But has any one had luck with seaweed from their beach?

I've tried several alga from our local grassflats, and failed with all of them. But I live where the water is pretty cool. Tropical Sargassum, however, should be easy to establish. Sargassum, and most shallow-water macros, do best with intense, full-spectrum light - similar to what they have in a meter or two of water.

but is it alright to perhaps grab a handful of seaweed from the beach

In the states, yes. Check regulations at your local department of natural resources - or whatever you Aussies call it.

 

[SaM dA MaN]

Cool man,
Yeah I think I've seen that Sargassum one around.
I might give it a shot.