Possible to collect seaweed in Port Aransas?

[Betta132]

We're going up to Port Aransas, Texas, in June. I'm planning to turn my 29 biocube into a macroalgae planted tank, and I'm wondering if there's any seaweed up there I could collect. Last time I was there, I found a few torn-up bits of sea grass that had been washed up, as well as literally truckloads of sargassum. Let's say I went to a different area, maybe this lagoon-looking area I spotted... Any sort of macroalgae that might have been washed up and would work in aquariums?
The Biocube has a 10,000k light and an actinic light, although I was just reading off of the bulbs, I don't know what that means.

 

[tektite]

It depends. I haven't been to Port Aransas, only Galveston, but macroalgae may be similar in the two areas. Lagoon areas don't have much, given that I would be very very careful before digging anything up. Check Texas collecting laws on that to see what's allowed there.

Best bet is usually along rocky shorelines, some macros grow on the rocks. In Galveston there's a dark green gracilaria-type that's quite common, and a bright green bushy one here and there. Also white or clear bryozoan colonies, but they are nonphotosynthetic filter feeders that require specialized care to keep alive longterm. If you hit it right with the wind again and fresh Sargassum is coming in, there's some possibilities in there too. It takes some searching, but sometimes other macros are growing in the Sargassum. I've found a beautiful pink macro, and a red gracilaria that way.

 

[tektite]

Oh, both lagoon and rocky surf areas may have ulva or enteromorpha as well.

Macros I've got from Galveston:







The two on the right:

 

[Betta132]

Those are beautiful!
I wasn't planning on digging anything up if I found something, just taking a little cutting and seeing if it grows.
I've seen this stuff washed up now and then, usually in little bits. It looks sort of coral-ish, but it's a purple algae. I'm told it's related to coraline algae, and it looks kind of like a tiny purple 'Christmas cactus' houseplant. It's a lot of little rectangular segments stuck together in branches, and there's sometimes bits caught in the sargassum.
Any suggestions for keeping this sort of stuff alive for the few days we'll be there? I'll have a small tank with a tiny filter, should I just put that in some indirect sunlight and make sure it doesn't get too hot?
I may end up starting a 'what's this?' thread when I get back...

 

[tektite]

This stuff, or similar? It actually is coralline algae, a branching variety. As such, it does need good cal/alk levels to live.

Main thing when collecting in such a hot time is keeping the algae cool, relatively speaking. For a few days light won't matter, just keep it in shallow water and don't let it sit out in the heat. And especially don't let it sit in a car for any period of time with the car off, it will be baked in a few minutes.

 

[Betta132]

Yeah, it's that stuff.
Alright, I can manage that... Maybe pack everything in a cooler and take it inside when we stop for lunch? I don't think any place is going to mind me taking a cooler full of bagged seaweed inside... I'm thinking of taking a thermometer with me to measure water temps and then try to keep my collected things at a temperature fairly similar to it.

 

[tektite]

That's the best way to do it.

 

[Subsea]

I have collected on South Jetty at Port Aransas in July. There is abundant Scroll Algae on jetty boulders.
Patrick