Cool Looking Macro Algaes that are Safe for Display? Good place to buy them?

[duganderson]

I like the look of some of the macro algae and I know they can help with removal of nutrients.

Which ones do you think look cool in a nano (34 G. Red Sea Cube) AND do not tend to cause problems in a tank or "go sexual" in a bad way?

Any suggestions of sites to buy macros?

Thanks! Doug

 

[griss]

As far as sites to buy macros, here’s a thread.

Where to Get Marine Plants & Macroalgae

Since the old thread on this topic has a lot a dead links and information about companies that have long since gone out of business, let's start a new thread. I'll periodically browse the thread to keep all the links in this first post. So, here's what we have so far. Feel free to add to this...

forums.reefcentral.com

 

[griss]

I haven’t kept Macros is a long time with the exception. Of Caulerpa & chaeto in my fuge.

That said, I like the look of the red leafy macros such as Dragon’s Breath.

@vlangel knows macros

 

[vlangel]

I like the look of some of the macro algae and I know they can help with removal of nutrients.

Which ones do you think look cool in a nano (34 G. Red Sea Cube) AND do not tend to cause problems in a tank or "go sexual" in a bad way?

Any suggestions of sites to buy macros?

Thanks! Doug

Hi Doug,

My tank is a little bigger than yours, (a 56 gallon), and I have macroalgae in it. It is ornamental to add bright red and green color but it also is very effective at removing nutrients.

In reds, I have some red grape caulerpa (which is not a species of caulerpa), red gracilaria and gracilaria hayi. All of these are beautiful. The gracilaria hayi tends to be the most able to attach anywhere and grow so it needs pruned the most.

In the greens, I have C cupressoides (which is one of the least invasive species of caulerpa), cheato, ulva and codium.

 

[griss]

Hi Doug,

My tank is a little bigger than yours, (a 56 gallon), and I have macroalgae in it. It is ornamental to add bright red and green color but it also is very effective at removing nutrients.

In reds, I have some red grape caulerpa (which is not a species of caulerpa), red gracilaria and gracilaria hayi. All of these are beautiful. The gracilaria hayi tends to be the most able to attach anywhere and grow so it needs pruned the most.

In the greens, I have C cupressoides (which is one of the least invasive species of caulerpa), cheato, ulva and codium.View attachment 32395325

Dawn, are those BTAs?

ETA - Nevermind, yes they are.

 

[T Diddy]

Hi Doug,

My tank is a little bigger than yours, (a 56 gallon), and I have macroalgae in it. It is ornamental to add bright red and green color but it also is very effective at removing nutrients.

In reds, I have some red grape caulerpa (which is not a species of caulerpa), red gracilaria and gracilaria hayi. All of these are beautiful. The gracilaria hayi tends to be the most able to attach anywhere and grow so it needs pruned the most.

In the greens, I have C cupressoides (which is one of the least invasive species of caulerpa), cheato, ulva and codium.View attachment 32395325

That’s a beautiful aquarium!

 

[vlangel]

Dawn, are those BTAs?

ETA - Nevermind, yes they are.

They sure are! As what tends to happen with BTAs, I began with one! Ha Ha, now I have around 8!

 

[vlangel]

That’s a beautiful aquarium!

Thanks T Diddy! It has such common ordinary stuff and yet there is beauty in even the most common of animals. I like this aquarium because it is easy to care for and everything usually thrives for me. Nothing frustrates me more than trying to keep things that lanquish, so I just don't do that anymore.

 

[T Diddy]

Thanks T Diddy! It has such common ordinary stuff and yet there is beauty in even the most common of animals. I like this aquarium because it is easy to care for and everything usually thrives for me. Nothing frustrates me more than trying to keep things that lanquish, so I just don't do that anymore.

I know what you mean. I recently started my aquarium again, and am really wanting to accomplish a thriving mixed reef. I’m afraid I’m having trouble finding a happy place for a hammer coral due to excessive flow. There’s a torch coral being delivered tomorrow, so I guess I better figure it out sooner than later. I’m not sure what I’ll do if I can’t make this work…I thought I had plenty of light/flow options within my aquarium, but it seems I was overconfident in creating an ideal environment for everything

 

[vlangel]

I know what you mean. I recently started my aquarium again, and am really wanting to accomplish a thriving mixed reef. I’m afraid I’m having trouble finding a happy place for a hammer coral due to excessive flow. There’s a torch coral being delivered tomorrow, so I guess I better figure it out sooner than later. I’m not sure what I’ll do if I can’t make this work…I thought I had plenty of light/flow options within my aquarium, but it seems I was overconfident in creating an ideal environment for everything

Hang in there. Mixed reefs can be tricky because the different stuff has different needs. My tank is sort of a mixed reef but nearly everything likes lots of nutrients, so that is pretty easy to provide. And a lot of my success now I believe is due to a mature aquarium. This tank has been up since November 2016 so the rock and sand bed are to a place of maturity to help the biolife become really established. So as long as nothing catastrophic happens things just seem to hum along.

Just enjoy the process and give yourself time. It will get there.