Part Three - See The Weeds

[charlesr1958]

After numerous brain numbing hours I have finally managed to complete part three of "A Philippine Fringing Reef & The Reef Aquarium" detailing the Macroalgae and their subtidal habitat. If this does not convince everyone to set up a Macroalgae refugium, then nothing will....lol

A Philippine Fringing Reef & The Reef Aquarium - Part Three

Hope it is of use.

Chuck

 

[piercho]

Chuck that's probably the most useful piece ever posted in the marine planted tank forum. I can only just begin to appreciate the time and research you put into it. I'm printing it to read it in detail later.

Thanks from an ex-Subby: Seahorse (669) and Parche (683).

 

[TheH]

Wonderful article. All three parts.

One of the things that you mentioned was that macro-algaes do best in low-flow areas (but with a reasonable amount of water displacement) as these are the kinds of places where they are naturally found. I have heard others mention before the macro-algae generally require a very high amount of flow. Does this vary between species? Do you have any recomendations for chaetomorpha specifically, as I noticed it wasn't one of the algaes that you really talked about?

 

[yrema]

thanks very much for the awesome write up, chuck!

 

[charlesr1958]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12338344#post12338344 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheH
Wonderful article. All three parts.

One of the things that you mentioned was that macro-algaes do best in low-flow areas (but with a reasonable amount of water displacement) as these are the kinds of places where they are naturally found. I have heard others mention before the macro-algae generally require a very high amount of flow. Does this vary between species? Do you have any recomendations for chaetomorpha specifically, as I noticed it wasn't one of the algaes that you really talked about?

Having explored a great many reefs and their supporting habitats, the consensus that I get and from numerous morphology papers is that the macroalgae species with large thallus are at the mercy of water movement, be it tidal or wind driven. Any "high" flow would destroy (tear/break) the larger frondose types which explains their only being found in the low flow regions. Herbivores also greatly affect the macroalgae, most notably the fish. Being in the shallows keeps such fish away. Those same fish are also responsible for ensuring what algae is able to grow on the coral reefs are either quickly consumed or kept trimmed to the point of a bare bones exsistence. The only time I have seen such growth is in areas of the coral reefs that are sheltered from flow due to landscape features.
Chaetomorpha are only ever found by me right near the shoreline in very hot, very calm waters as a drift species usualy snagged on attached algae or projecting rocks. They do however, from experience with them in refugiums, do quite well with being kept in a bare, lighted sump that provides a "tumbling" rotation of the algae ensuring all of the algae is exposed to light as it rotates or tumbles. Being a drift green algae, they have limited nutrient storage capacity yet enough so that they can persist or survive when nutrient levels drop, unlike the caulerpas or ulva spp.

Chuck