Macro and seagrass questions...

[MarkS]

I PM's billsreef, but he wont talk to me.

My ten gallon reef broke and most of the stuff died. I decided to do what I've been planning to do for a LONG time... Set up a seahorse tank with lots of macro and seagrasses.

I've already got the new ten gallon set up. It has a ten gallon sump, Remora skimmer, 175 watt 20,000K MH, 3" sand bed and 10 pounds of live rock. The rock was slavaged from the old tank along with 1/3 - 1/2 of the water.

I want this planted with seagrasses that will provide the seahorses some good hitching posts. I've got three different species of macro already, razor, grape and something that looks like lilly pads (?). What grasses would be good? Pics would be great.

In one PM from Bill, he recommended iron suppliments. I really hate dosing anything. He also mentioned fertilizer stakes, which sounds good. What I want to know is if there is any reason I could not mix in some flourite or laterite substrate used in planted freshwater tanks?

I want the tank to look something like this, though I don't have enough room for that exactly:

Any help?

 

[kmk2307]

Mark I don't believe I could be of any help to you but a couple questions were raised in my mind. I'm not really familiar with flourite or laterite. When you are trying to maintain a caulerpa / sea grass tank what should you strive to maintain the nutrient levels at? What is your water testing like now? Razor caulerpa (Caulerpa serrulata) is (IME) very prone to reproducing sexually (going sexual) which can create a bit of a mess so I wouldn't let it get very large. Caulerpa prolifera is one very attractive macro that you might want to try to get a cutting of too.

Kevin

 

[greenighs]

Try www.floridapets.com. Shelly and John are great with answering emails, and their plants and macros are excellent.

If you decide to keep seagrasses (true vascular plants, not macroalgaes), you will need strong lighting. PCs at least, MH preferable. You'll also need a deep sand bed, 6" at the very least. I enriched mine with Kent Refugium Mineral Mud and Kent Marine Biosediment, and I'm still having a hard time getting the true grasses to "take." I'm also interested in whether flourite or laterite would work in a marine tank.

I dose with iron, but not as often as once a week, but maybe once a month. I was getting crazy hair algae when I dosed once a week! Ick!

As far as macros go. I love Caulerpa prolifera. It's never gone sexual on me, and does great. Hope some of this helps.

 

[billsreef]

Re: Macro and seagrass questions...

I PM's billsreef, but he wont talk to me.

:lol: Just trying to give you a complex

Nah, actually I was just heading out the door to pick up my daughter when you PM'd me. So you have mail now

Essentially I've seen no real difference in growth using iron enriched sediments. But also I do dose my systems with iron, so can't really say if they would be sufficient in systems not dosed with iron.

greenighs,

Try reducing the size of the iron additions and making small additions twice a week. The trick is finding a dose tailored to your tanks needs that gives improved growth of the sea grass without making nuisance algae problems become severe. Also plant tabs such as the ones used for FW planted tanks or Jobe's fertilizer spikes might help your sea grass.

 

[MarkS]

If you decide to keep seagrasses (true vascular plants, not macroalgaes), you will need strong lighting. PCs at least, MH preferable.

Reread my original post. I've got a 175 watt MH over the ten gallon.

You'll also need a deep sand bed, 6" at the very least. I enriched mine with Kent Refugium Mineral Mud and Kent Marine Biosediment, and I'm still having a hard time getting the true grasses to "take." I'm also interested in whether flourite or laterite.

I can't go 6" in a 12" tall tank. :eek2: I have a 3" bed and that will have to do. I am also thinking about adding Mineral Mud. I asked Bill about the flourite/laterite and he's not too sure. Of course, he's biased since he only sells the suppliment... I still think I'll follow his advice and get the suppliment.

 

[billsreef]

Hey Mark,

I've got over 100lbs of iron enriched substrate to unload too Just haven't found it to live up to the hype Definately makes for a great fine sediment in a refugium though