Kelp in home tank???

[stlmustangz]

Can kelp be kept in a tank & live??? If so does anyone have any to sell.

 

[Justjoe]

Re: Kelp in home tank???

Can kelp be kept in a tank & live??? If so does anyone have any to sell.

Kelp as in Laminaria, etc are all colder water plants with upper temp limits in the low 60's and require a great deal of water flow.
On the east coast, its inshore southern limit is Long Island and perhaps some areas of NJ, but it goes dormant in the summer time.
Joe

 

[taku]

Do you just want some sort of green tall grass-like plant for the tank? or were you wanting specifically kelp?

 

[Plantbrain]

You'll certainly need a chiller.
What species are you looking for/tank sizes?
I keep several cold water pacific species.

In general, they are not easy to keep unless you use an open system like public aquariums on the coast.

Most kill lot of it before learning how to keep it. I live near the coast so the supply is not the problem. I also keep only certain species I like that do not get mosterous. MBA has a 10 metetr kepl tank, I don't
Not sure if I'd really want one either I'd rather have them take care of it and go see it.

I think for the cost, you could fly to CA and collect some for less than the cost of a batch.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[plaz]

What about the 2 types of red kelp on a rock that LiveAquaria sells? It says 72 - 78 degrees. I e-mailed them and they said it would be fine at 80 - 82 degrees and that it would be good for the tangs (but I haven't ordered yet).

 

[Justjoe]

What about the 2 types of red kelp on a rock that LiveAquaria sells? It says 72 - 78 degrees. I e-mailed them and they said it would be fine at 80 - 82 degrees and that it would be good for the tangs (but I haven't ordered yet).

As far as I know, all true kelps are brown algae, there are blade like red algae, but they are not true kelp.
Joe