Weeds

I'm gonna silicone the screen in. I would like to add some plants and live rock, but I'm worried that they'll stop some of the juveniles from being swept through the screen to the other side. I probably will add some sand for bio filtration. The shrimp are coming tomorrow and the tank still doesn't have water! I'll have to add a cycled sponge to the tank.
 
A little update. The plants are really growing in. Most of the back wall has coverage and I'm getting some overhang near the top.

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Seagrasses are also filling in. It's thick! Can you see the black mollie, following the white one?

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From the end you can see how the back wall tilts out with caulerpa.

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Papillon admiring the strings of pearls, red grapes and some golden sargassum.

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As everything grows in, the tank gets smaller!

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Cool new (old) plant! See the red "Y"? Pretty sure its a remnant of the red freebie I got a couple years ago. It's kinda like Grasilaria hayi, but grows in a more fan shape. Also note the halimeda, just below.
 
Thanks Dawn! Yeah, it's funny, no mater how little I do, the plants keep growing. I'm starting to see some indications that nutrients are running low, with some caulerpa going clear. But for now, I think it's helping to get rid of the remaining uglies.

I have a new plant on the way - Halimenia floresia, also referred to as Dragon's Tongue. It almost looks like a red Ulva. I've tried this plant before without success. But it is one that I've wanted for a long time, so I'm trying again. I figured since I got a refund from the vender that could not deliver, I'd order from a vender I know and trust: live-plants.com. If I am successful with this one, it could grow into a large, impressive plant. I'm hopeful!
 
The splash of red patch reef has a touch more red today. My new plant Halimenia floresia is behind the mangrove. It's even more amorphous and ulva-like than I expected.

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This doesn't really do it justice but it shows it in the overall context of the tank.

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A better view from the end.
 
It's a beautiful addition to your ecosystem and I really like it. I had wonderful luck with it years ago for quite some time and then for some reason it just suddenly faded away and was gone. I have never really tried it again but maybe I will because it is an especially beautiful red macro algae.
 
Thanks Dawn! It's one of my favorites. I'd love to have good luck with it. Can you recall the conditions you provided for yours? Light, nutrient levels, current?

In prior experience with this plant I felt like I was in a race against time. I needed to get it adjusted as quickly as possible, so it could grow faster than the snails consumed it. I appear to be in a similar situation now. What can I do differently that will make the difference?

I could divide it up and plant it in different locations around the tank. I like this except for the 'shorter fuse' factor. Smaller plants die quicker than bigger ones. Hmm. Maybe just 2 or 3.

I dosed ammonia and iron, to bolster nutrient levels. Maybe I'll resume CO2 as well. I want my new plant to have everything it needs. Right now it's in medium light. With three plant cuttings I could put one in brighter and one in dimmer light.

Ideas anyone?
 
I tried some of that macroalgae a while ago. I always thought it was just a red form of Ulva until I saw your post. It died off, mainly due to the yellow tang I had. I got rid of the tang because it was eating my seagrass. It would be cool to have some again, I'll have to get some the next time I order macroalgae.

Putting 3 pieces in 2-3 different light levels sounds like a good plan.
 
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Well the new Halimeda is down to a few fragments. It never showed growth. If it vanishes, the only hope is that it could pop up later, when conditions suit it better. It's happened more than once.

I have two new little bushes of blue hypnea, that grew from the wall. I stuck 'em in the grass bed. I kinda like the blue.

Otherwise, I'm cruisin' with low effort these daze.
 
It's weird how macroalgae just appear every now and then. I've never had fern caulerpa in my tank, but somehow I have it now. With my sargassum, I put a little piece in the tank. It died, but a few days later little sargassum leaves started popping up everywhere.
 
Thanks ThePurple12. It is weird!

I don't understand the how or why, but I'll take it! There seems to be a window of adjustment for new plants. If you're lucky, conditions will suit them, and the plant begins to grow again. If not, the plant gradually disappears. But it doesn't completely disappear. Something remains, and if you're lucky, it will grow back. One of the best things about this phenomenon is that the new plant grows from a solid, natural attachment point. The downside is you don't get to pick where it pops up.
 
I have never had luck with superglue, or rubber bands or fishing filament. The only thing that's ever worked is to put a rock on top of the plant, or the plant between two rocks. The glue holds but the plant breaks off just above the glued part.
 
I am sorry Michael for being MIA. We went on a little vacation and then life claimed my attention when I got home. Then I dropped my phone on its face and cracked the screen so yeah...

Anyway in answer to your question , my dragon's breath thrived in a tank that no doubt had high light and moderately high nutrients, ( I am guessing). I never checked parameters in that tank but I fed well but also did monthly 25% water changes. That tank had 3 VHO bulbs and the dragon's breath was pretty high in the tank. That tank had fairly low flow. I hope yours establishes and I wish you good luck.
 
No worries Dawn, I hope you had a nice vacation. Thanks for your reply. There's almost nothing left of my Halimeda floresia, but you never know. As I said before, this plant is kind of a long shot for me. I've tried it before without success. But it's only available once or twice a year, so I gave it another try.

Maybe the solution would be to set up a grow out tank. If I could give it ideal conditions with no predation (snails), that might give me better chances. Maybe next year!
 
Michael Hoaster said:
No worries Dawn, I hope you had a nice vacation. Thanks for your reply. There's almost nothing left of my Halimeda floresia, but you never know. As I said before, this plant is kind of a long shot for me. I've tried it before without success. But it's only available once or twice a year, so I gave it another try.

Maybe the solution would be to set up a grow out tank. If I could give it ideal conditions with no predation (snails), that might give me better chances. Maybe next year!
Click to expand...

My tanks never have many snails except nassarius and they eat the excess mysis and leave the plants alone. So that may be what is going on.
 
Ok, it's been awhile since I've posted an update. With fall colors hitting the mountains, I've been camping the last two weekends. That, along with very little attention to the tank has led to a bit of overgrowth. I've even got coralline algae on the viewing panels. With no plans to camp this weekend, I hope to get in there and tidy up my underwater garden. If I can get things under control (ha!), I'll try to get some pics.
 
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