Valonia Filter

[johnny]

Well a few months ago, I tried to make a frag holder out of the specimen containers that hang on the side of the tank (the ones you usually see at LFS). I drilled holes in the bottom, front, sides of it, quite a few of them to allow for water flow.

Before I could put any frags in it though, I cleaned out a couple of valonia bubbles, put two of them in the specimen container to remove when I was done and throw out. Well, needless to say I forgot about them. Two months later, the specimen container was completely lined with valonia bubbles.


Now I'm wondering... how is valonia as a nutrient export?
Because it always seemed no matter how my ATS was doing, or how much macro I had going... I always had valonia in my tank... until I had that "VB" (valonia box).

Thanks!

Nick


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[Anthony Calfo]

Indeed an interesting frag holder, and interesting question about Valonia.

Alas... the trouble with using Valonia in a vegetable filter is that it cannot be harvested easily without disturbing/rupturing cells. It used to be thought that Valonia was a single celled orgnanism (and one of the largest at that). As it turns out, that may not be true... but they behave the same way unfortunately. It touches upon many of the same problems we encounter with Caulerpa as a single celled algae (the largest in the world in fact). Its the very thing that makes them so dangerous regarding vegetative events or acts of sexual reproduction.

I would strongly dissuade you from trying to harness this group of algae for nutrient export. Please avoid Dictyota and most Sargassum too (noxious and or nuisance factors).

Do focus on something more stable and multicellular... Chaetomorpha is truly a fine choice. If you have enough light and water flow... then Gracilaria or Ochtodes.

Kind regards

Anthony

 

[TIGER SHARK]

Anthony,
I was just looking over Dr. Ron's article on nutrient exports from a couple months ago and I believe he suggested xenia, per weight are one of the best nutrient exporters. I have some bubble algae that is popping up everywhere so I was looking into, growing out my xenia. I know its not as fast growing as Caulerpa, but I dont really have a refuge setup now. I could add one but do you think the xenia growout would be effective?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

I do indeed agree with Dr Ron... Xenia is a fine animal filter for nutrient export... it has many good attributes. Fast growth, weakly noxious, saleable, attractive... a potentially great means of nutrient export, although most only by absorbtion (they do not feed organismally to any degree). For tanks with heavy organics (particles of food and feces from messy/large fishes or corals/feeding) you will need to employ additional/other measures (more aggressive water flow, skimming, settling chambers, extra water changes, etc).

Best regards,

Anthony