Attaching various algae to rock/sand/other

[Limbo]

I’ve been given a bunch of frags of algae and have more coming and have been looking for references/tips on how to get them to attach to rocks etc. It’s hard trying to find this info and was wondering if, with your collective knowledge, it might be a good idea for people to add to this thread and give a tip on how to secure a frag of algae to something and info about whether it will ever attach itself to the object or not. General tips would be good as well as specific info to give ideas for something not covered.

I’m not after ID’s, I would like to assume that it has already been ID’d or can be in another thread.

Example :

Codium : Place frag into a hole in the rock. The hole should be just a little larger than the frags diameter. Use cotton thread and needle to pass thread through Codium flesh and tied in knot underneath rock rubble. I used Texas Holey Rock for this, smashed into rubble with hammer (wear safety glasses whenever you break rock).

The above example is my own experiment after finding a couple of snippets of info that suggested using cotton thread. I have no idea if it works long term, but right now my frag is not floating about

Would be great if we can cover the common algae’s. I would write the entire list myself if I knew anything :lol:

 

[piercho]

Sargassum
A free-floating frond (branch) of Sargassum can be coaxed into forming a holdfast by binding the frond tightly against a rock. I've used plastic electrical ties ("zip-ties", available in hardwares in the electrical section) for this. Once the Sargassum has formed a holdfast, the tie can be cut away. Holdfasts in Sargassum form relatively slowly.

Sargassum in a tank typically grows upward from a single holdfast, forming a long frond as it grows. It can also be propogated by forcing it to spread laterally. The rock with Sargassum attached to it is placed in a very shallow tank with only a couple of inches of water over the Sargassum. Rocks you would like Sargassum to grow onto are placed in contact with the rock that has Sargassum on it. Growing Sargassum has to spill over on to the adjacent rocks. After some time, new holdfasts will form where the Sargassum touches the adjacent rock.

Caulerpa
Every specie I've encountered form a holdfast composed of white, stringy filaments. These holdfasts form very quickly. Typically, all you need to do to get Caulerpa to attach is to put it into contact with the desired substrate. Some Halimedas are similar in nature.

Penicilius and Udotea
Its pretty obvious what to do with shaving brush, you make a hole for the obvious rhizome, and then fill in sand around it. IME the brush-part "dies" fairly quickly. Some time later, a new shoot, which looks like an Asparagus spear, emerges. Transplanting Udotea (mermaid's fan) was similar, except that the fan-part persisted a long time before dieing back, compared to shaving brush. IME, Udotea is easier to keep than Penicilius, except that it seems to be preferential graze for urchins.

 

[Samala]

Halymenia, Acanthophora, Gracilaria and similar fleshy reds

Easily attached to rock via a rubber band, frag glue can be used if you place the glue along the frond, not at the cut end of it. Wedging these inbetween rocks may work, but if you aren't careful it may tear the plants apart.

 

[Boomstick]

I just learn't yesturday from my LFS and posting here to see if it is ok, that you can use any GEL super glue, even the stuff from the $ store - so long as it is gel, to fix rock to rock and it is reef safe - careful not to get it on the algae it's self...

 

[graveyardworm]

Boomstick,

Not sure if all superglue is the same, what your looking for is superglue made from cyanoacrylate.

I like this thread, getting some macros to attach still eludes me. Maybe now I can make it happen, or atleast know that what I'm doing is supposed to work.