Sub-Tropical local beach flora

[Dyepes]

I live in Central Florida, and make a bi-weekly 30 minute or less commute to a really healthy beach in my area called Honeymoon Island, a nationally acclaimed beach.

I love the place, but the main reason I go is sometimes I collect saltwater from there for my changeouts, but also because of the variety of free floating sea grasses and algae/plant type stuff can find and bring for my tangs to eat. The sea floor where the stuff grows is hundreds of yards offshore, so I just grab whatever happens to float by and is destined to dry up and be eaten by EVERYTHING. I usually find a different variety each time I visit, and it keeps my tangs rather pleased, as well as usually loaded with all kinds of amphipods and little shirmp creatures that I can only assume is either krill or baby shrimp.

I am just curious if there is some kind of scientific database anyone is aware of on these plants with detailed images and vivid explanation on the plants and the creatures they provide and ecosystem for.

everytime I search google, the sites i come up with just broadly describe them as macro-algae, and typically are only showing the same varieties mostly for commercial purposes. I am looking for a mroe scientific and envrionmental type databse on these local plants, more notably florida area.

Any ideas?

 

[Steveabg]

This is a great book, and a perfect reference for your location:

http://www.bookfinder4u.com/detail/0874746078.html

If you want to really get deep into it, poke around algaebase.org.

 

[Samala]

That's an excellent resource just as is the Smithsonian IRL's photo pages, though not nearly as complete. Check out the stickie in this forum on marine plant info and you'll find the link, or google for the marine station in fort pierce.

>Sarah

 

[Dyepes]

Thanks guys. The fact of having a mini eco-system in my own home was what has brought me into this hobby above all else. the life is beautiful of course, but my main enjoyment coems from watching and observing how every part of the system interacts with itself.

In fact the plants on the cover I have had in my tank from that same island many times. Since I dont work with coral much, I like to plant my aquarium with live stuff. In my new 72, I will be creating like a wall for a plant refuge so the tangs cannot get in and tear it apart, but with small enough gaps that the smaller fish can go in and forage for pods and critters and such. Whatever grows outside of it will be at the mercy of the tangs of course.

Unfortunately it appears most vendors appear out of stock of it. I will continue looking for it, and in any case I will just contact the publisher and see if they can print up a copy. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[sunfishh]

First off Dyepes
[welcome]

Now with that out of the way I was wondering if we could see a picture of your tank? It sounds awesome.

 

[Plantbrain]

If you post pics, I can ID most of the weeds for you.
I'm less of a critter person, but can get some of them.

Littler and Litter's Carribean Reef plants is awesome, runs about 90-110$ but has everything and is the best resource for macro algae and grasses for your area bar none.

You can also stop by your local Tampa Bay aquarium and ask them and inquire. They are happy to tell you about the local flora.
The local club members also know a fair amount about the weeds nearby.

I come to tampa typically yearly to do a marine plant fest and a freshwater plant fest to show folks the local spots and what is what.

Both events are 3 days and show folks a very wide diversity and differences between all things aquatic plant/seaweed.

The Marine part is much more like a class, as I helped teach a macro algae class in the Keys for a couple of years while at UF.

We collect all day, ID afterwards.
Some folks keep a few to try out in their tanks.

I killed a lot of marine plants before I was able to do well.
But they grow back fast and are hardly in danger. Not so with SPS corals.

I might try some approaches with macros and use some hardier SPS's(ahaha, is there such a thing? hehe) later this coming year.

Finally have the room to set upa nice grass/Reef and will have a massive refuge planted macro tank.

I like the guts to look nice as well so both tanks will be viewed in the system set up.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[ClamIAm]

Are you still doing the plant collecting trip? I've always thought it would be sweet to go down to Florida and collect some stuff for my tanks (especially now that I have a 75 gal caribbean macroalgae setup)

 

[Dyepes]

There is not muc in my 30 gallon tank that I plant from tiem to time. I started doing it to feed my tangs, but also realized how colorful it made the tank look. In any case it changes from tiem to time. I just went out to the island Wednesday but the only thing trhat was washing ashore was a ton of regular seaweed. I took a couple with the root still in them and planted them in the walled off area I am building in my new 72.

There really is not much to brag about yet as I am a low-income laborer and am traveling to New Mexico for two weeks to spend time with my wife's family and and our new born.


And of course, thanks for having me here, I'll have some really nice pics next month. I should have more disposable income by then to have it at least 30% complete. I have learned much and am taking my time setting this new one up slowly. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Dyepes]

This tank is very young, and I am building it slowly. Here is some pictures of how it is at the time being. The plants scattered outside the walled area make it look kinda messy, but they only there temporarily. Maybe someone can id some of it?



In any case this does not represent how the final outcome will be. As I stated earlier I am especiall low on funds because I am going on vacation to the other side of the country, away from any nice beaches

 

[Samala]

Third photo over is definitely Thalassia, turtle grass.

First and second photos I cant see enough detail to ID. That red one to the far right in the second photo looks like the same stuff I have in one of my tanks. Not be able to ID it from photos in books yet. Wish I could cause its lovely.

The dark red in the last two photos is also nice. I cant recall seeing it before though.

Wish I could be more help!

>Sarah

 

[sunfishh]

Dyepes thanks for the pics

 

[Dyepes]

Theres stuff that washes up over there that looks even similar to land plants that I have had in my 30 before it was completely consumed. The stuff is rich with all kinds of pods, small crabs and snails.

Next time I am out there on a good day ill post some pictures of the goodies.

 

[Dyepes]

Theres stuff that washes up over there that looks even similar to land plants that I have had in my 30 before it was completely consumed. The stuff is rich with all kinds of pods, small crabs and snails.

Next time I am out there on a good day ill post some pictures of the goodies.

 

[Plantbrain]

The red stuff is likely the Echeuma, generally it's a orangish/yellow color out in rocky flats, sandy areas, but in tanks it can go redder. "Sea moss" the locals called it. I like it.

It should be pretty rubbery and tough.
Fast grower, likes current/wave action.

That's the only thing locally I've seen in that area that has that look from what I can tell on the pics.

I kept it for awhile.
It got too big though, I liked the Daysa better.

BTW all seaweeds are edible, this one in particular.
This one appears to be rather small.
Do not change the lighting routine.
Stick with the same hours per day.
I think that's about the closest thing based on the looks of it from the picture.

It's small enough to be a couple of others, but I'd really have to see it live.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Plantbrain]

The red stuff is likely the Echeuma, generally it's a orangish/yellow color out in rocky flats, sandy areas, but in tanks it can go redder. "Sea moss" the locals called it. I like it.

It should be pretty rubbery and tough.
Fast grower, likes current/wave action.

That's the only thing locally I've seen in that area that has that look from what I can tell on the pics.

I kept it for awhile.
It got too big though, I liked the Daysa better.

BTW all seaweeds are edible, this one in particular.
This one appears to be rather small.
Do not change the lighting routine.
Stick with the same hours per day.
I think that's about the closest thing based on the looks of it from the picture.

It's small enough to be a couple of others, but I'd really have to see it live.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Dyepes]

Yea it is growing from a rock. Helluva lot larger bushes of it out on the Island. I was looking for the smallest rock I could find one on, and I could not find any much smaller than my fist, so I just kinda grabbed this one.

It should be pretty rubbery and tough.
Fast grower, likes current/wave action.

You got that right. It grows right where the waves crash onto the shore. I do not have access to a tidal chart, because low tide is the best time to go out there and do my scavenging. The interesting thing is there appear to be several bi-valve(clam-like) creatures thriving inside the plant itself, as well as the rock it grows from.

My tangs love eating the stuff I usually collect that washes up. There is another Island where I have also collected something with the same shape as the turtle grass, but much smaller and not rooted. Usally attached to small shells or rocks with as much as a few dozen blades of grass. Its a really nice light green, do you happen to have any idea what it is called from the reference your using??



The water was really nasty out on that Island because of the 4th of July holiday, and the fact that it is one the bay right across from St. Pete pier where large fireworks displays are shot off. All that gunpowder really ruined the water, I could not believe one guy was even bothering to fish out there.

I suppose the fireworks holidays affect the water quality because of all the gunpowder that the rain eventually carries as runoff to the river, and then the bay, and of course the Gulf itself.

Is there anything in fireworks that would be harmful to aquatic life in moderate concentrations?

 

[Plantbrain]

Well, that sounds like the weed to me, it's typically yellow/orange but it does get redder in some tanks, if you run the NO3 low enough, it can redden up. Not sure if the low NO3 (not absent but a low steady state NO3 level) readings really color up all red macros or not.

This does occur in FW plants though.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[burblerboy]

very nice looking set up Dyepes.
Plantbrain or Samala, do you know if we get any of these down south on the ocean side or down in the keys

 

[Plantbrain]

Yes, they are common, especially on the ocean rather than the Florida Bay side, rocky flats etc.

I've been threatening to start a investment business to raise ornamental species and for research in the Keys.
I have the $, but trying to find a non flaky person in the Keys is tough

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Dyepes]

raise ornamental species and for research in the Keys.

Are you talking about like a Fish store, or are you specifically talking about macro-algae and such? If it is the latter, consider the gulf side of Pinellas county by Tarpon Springs and Palm Harbor. I find such a variety of plants out there washing up, and there are large thriving seagrass beds in the area as well. I have been meaning to go on a boat a few miles off and go diving just to see exactly what is underwater down there.