Sea Fans

[Mekong]

In a group order from e-tropicals they sent a bunch of stuff we didnt order and I got some sea fans.

Anyone know much about these?

I placed them in my tank and I thought they werent doing well. I noticed one day that there were like 4 sprouts coming up from the sand. The old ones look like they are slowly decaying but the new ones are growing graet. They have quite a large root structure it seems.

I have them in my 55g fuge with a 5" sand bed (fine sand), 220VHO over them, (10,000k and 6,500k bulbs) and a seio 620 and mj1200 creating flow.

Any tips on keeping these?

 

[xcreonx]

what kind of seafans?

Many of them are not photosynthetic and need lots of flow and lots of target feeding.

 

[MarkS]

what kind of seafans?

Many of them are not photosynthetic and need lots of flow and lots of target feeding.

I don't think he's talking aout gorgonians.

 

[xcreonx]

at etropicals:

the red and orange sea fans are Diodogorgia sp. and the purple is Pseudopterogorgia sp., none of which are photosynthetic.

the 'corky sea finger' is also a gorgonian, and it is photosynthetic.

 

[MarkS]

Yeah, but he's posting in the marine plant forum and talking about good root structure. I have three species of gorgonians in my tank and neither have any form of root structure. I am really confused.

 

[jwalters103]

i think hes talking about the mermaids fans, not sea fans(definately not gorgonians from the description)

 

[MarkS]

i think hes talking about the mermaids fans, not sea fans(definately not gorgonians from the description)

That's what I'm thinking.

 

[Mekong]

This is what I am talking about, I was told it was a sea fan in the group buy...

http://www.etropicals.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=46&pCatId=2085

Halimedaceae udotea

 

[MarkS]

Oh. That's what I thought.

These are real sea fans: Gorgonia They are animals (corals). That's why I was confused.

Now that I am sure of what you are talking about, I can try and be of some help.

The algae you have is calcareous. It requires high levels of calcium. Most calcareous algaes will disintegrate and then regrow. They seem to reach a certain size and decide that they are too big, disolve and then regrow. This is what you are noticing. Dose calcium and keep it at high levels, about 450 ppm. These algaes suck calcium out of the water faster than any coral to grow their skeleton. I've seen a Halimeda, another calcareous algea, double in size in 24 hours.

 

[Mekong]

So is this a bane on my system and I should get rid of it?

Too my knowledge the only calcium demanding thing I have are green star polyps and a TINY monti digita frag, I plan on getting a derasa soon to add to my fuge. Will the halimeda impede on this? Even if I just keep it to 2-3 fans?

(I am upgrading to 4x65watt PCs and 2x54watt T5 in a week or two, and then if needed another 2x54watt T5s over the display and over the fuge: 2x110 VHO [6500k and 10000k] and 40watt NO florescent actnic)

 

[xcreonx]

i see, not 'sea fans'. i guess that's why we should use scientific names instead of common names!

i wouldn't get rid of it. mine don't drain my calcium that much. i do use kalkwasser in my makeup water and never had any issues, yet