Macro algae only tank.

[squishifishi]

i know you dont want to, but it would be really pretty to add a school(?) of trimma gobies or other tiny fish to dart between the plants. would just give it some more movement and a unique splash of color. it will also make the tank look bigger and feed the plants. they can eat some copepods too.
Anyway, this is a really cool idea! there are so many cool algaes out there. way cooler than fw imo. the way theygrow, more different shapes, sizes and textures. this can be a really diverse tank. ive never seen this done before, but hey, fw planted tanks are way popular...why not sw?
love it! good luck! keep us posted

 

[Bryn]

Thank you for the nice words of encouragement. I agree that a small shoal of fish would look good swimming through the plants. Had considered adding some pajama cardinals. But what I want to achieve first is a tank that supports life from the microscopic up, and stopping short of the next step in the food chain, fish. I would like to have a lot of zoo-plankton, copepods, and amphipods for some corals to live off. In a way producing my own marine snow. Brine shrimp, and small creatures of all kinds. I have a stereo microscope as well as lab grade compound, so am looking forward to seeing what exists in my tank.

Bryn

 

[Bryn]

You are right about the shapes, textures, and the cool factor of the macro algae. I had fresh water plants many years ago, but always wanted to move into the marine environment. So many different areas to explore.

Bryn

 

[squishifishi]

oh, so you may have some coral eventually? that could prove difficult with a macro dominant tank because of the random growth patterns and how they bury their root tendrils in the rock. my cheato in the dt bugs the nearby corals just from its leaves bumping them and sometimesblocking light. there are some corals that really dont care though, like xenia and mushrooms would do well and look cool amongst all the macroalgea.
have fun studying your micro life

 

[squishifishi]

oh yes, and will you have a few snails or crabs to eat up any roting veg?

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Have you considered Mermaids Wineglass (Acetabularia crenulata), or Blue Ball (Ochtodes)?
Can't wait for pictures of your tank!

 

[Bryn]

squishifishi,

I had thought if I was going to have corals it would be the LPS, I believe they don't mind higher nitrates, "dirtier water". The snails and crabs would be a must, the sand shifters along with maybe some bristle worms. I still have a long way to go, and a lot to learn.

Bryn

 

[Bryn]

Whiterabbitrage,

Love the idea of Mermaids wineglass, as well as the blue Ochtodes. I'm not sure how easy the Mermaids are to keep. From the little I have read they might need some special attention. Something to look into in the future.

I noticed that you have a lot of LPS corals, this is something I would like to add to the tank later, especially any LPS that have movement and would fit in with the macro algae. That is also the idea behind not having fish, allowing the tank to build with copepods, amphipods, rotifiers etc. to feed the corals naturally.

Its a nice dream I have, now I have to fulfill it, LOL.

Thanks

Bryn

 

[squishifishi]

Mm, I think most lps would be bothered by the macro algae a surrounding them, bit it really depends on how you create the setup. Softies generally enjoy Dirty water, but I don't really think you will have high nitrates and such because all the plants will keep the water pretty clean.

 

[Bryn]

That is possibly true about clean water, but I plan on dosing with Calcium Nitrate to keep the Nitrates about 5ppm. I made a post on you 2.5g pico tank, you did a great job.

Bryn

 

[tektite]

A few comments I have from my experience with macroalgae tanks for the past few years:

....Had considered adding some pajama cardinals. But what I want to achieve first is a tank that supports life from the microscopic up, and stopping short of the next step in the food chain, fish. I would like to have a lot of zoo-plankton, copepods, and amphipods for some corals to live off.....

This is actually not a great idea for a macroalgae tank. With no predators, amphipods become a big problem, especially for the more delicate macroalgaes. They can literally eat some macros to death, especially slower growing ones.

oh, so you may have some coral eventually? that could prove difficult with a macro dominant tank because of the random growth patterns and how they bury their root tendrils in the rock....

Most macroalgae do not attach to rockwork at all, no roots or rhyzomes. I have had no problems with LPS in my macro tanks. Just trim the macros so they don't bury the LPS, but otherwise they should be fine.

.....The snails and crabs would be a must, the sand shifters along with maybe some bristle worms.....

Be careful with larger snails (they can eat macroalgae) and crabs of any kind (even hermits). They can be detrimental to macroalgae.

Mm, I think most lps would be bothered by the macro algae a surrounding them, bit it really depends on how you create the setup. Softies generally enjoy Dirty water, but I don't really think you will have high nitrates and such because all the plants will keep the water pretty clean.

As long as they're not buried in the macroalgae, LPS don't mind. I've actually had some LPS kill off surrounding macroalgae in the past. The level of nutrients in the water will be dependent on how much is dosed.


Keep in mind that a tank with no fish has no bioload, the typical way for nutrients to get to the macros. You'll have to dose more nutrients because of that. You may even want to look into dosing ammonia directly, when done safely it takes the place of the fish's bioload and is good for the macroalgae.

 

[Bryn]

tektite,

Thanks for the informative reply. I'm using this thread a bit like a blog or sorts, something I can refer to in the future.

When I bought my macros from living-plants, I also got some Calcium Nitrate. I was looking at keeping my Nitrates around 5ppm. Ammonia would also be a good idea, would you have any suggestions on a source, and dosing?

Thanks

Bryn

 

[Bryn]

Also can anyone id this please.

Thanks

Bryn

 

[tektite]

It appears to be red gracilaria, its going to die though. Some parts may survive but anything orange is gone.

 

[Lsufiregal]

Thank you sir, I will do my research before it turns up. I'm thinking of keeping it in a separate tank for a while to give it the indervidual attention it might need.

Bryn

This made us giggle. Kyle said Tektite is a ma'am. Her macros are gorgeous btw.

 

[Bryn]

This made us giggle. Kyle said Tektite is a ma'am. Her macros are gorgeous btw.

Whoops, glad to see tektite is still helping me after that Faux Pas. :lolspin:

 

[squishifishi]

beautiful macros! yea, i guess you are right. the thing is, my tank is so tiny that the current makes the leaves bump into lots of corals, but that wouldnt be hard to avoid in a bigger tank. and cheato is the main one that burrows ito the rock, but you probaly dont want that stuff in your tank anyway lol.
ooo! you could get a big galaxea! that would lookbeautiful in there, grows fast, really easy and hardy. mine survived a cycle, and me fragging it with a hammer and chisel!(dont try this at home kids...)
the way it grows, it almost looks like a bush to me. i think that would look nice and not out of place if ya know what i mean.

 

[Bryn]

Very interesting suggestion. Something to right down with my other ideas. Even thought about the sun polyps.

Bryn

 

[Lionfish666]

I think a macro + lps tank would be awesome. Corals like torches, hammers, and mushrooms will ad sway and new colours into the mix. I saw a great macro tank with seahorses a while back, macro is their home in the wild so it's something to consider instead of fish.
Either way photos please!

 

[Bryn]

It is a grandiose idea as I'm new to saltwater, but I'm not expecting perfection, and will make a lot of mistakes. A fish less tank comes from not wanting a tank I have to be home for every day. I travel a lot and spend maybe Thursday to Sunday away, so a fish less tank I think will make it easier to leave. To some they find peacefulness in watching fish slowly swim, for me it is the swaying of of algae.

I will get photos up soon. At present I have two tanks, a 40g and 55g, the 40g has sand, while the 55 is bare bottom but full of rock. Everything has been "thrown" in, some attached to stones, others free floating. I realize I need to find a good supply of Super Glue gel. The 40g is dirty from the sand being new, and dust has settled on everything.

LPS corals I will have to research a while, but they are the corals I would consider to add, I think some would fit in to the theme very well.

Thanks

Bryn