Sourcing and deciding on macroalgae

rostervandross

Active Member
Howdy, I am on the look out for macroalgae to put in my new refugium. Are there benefits to having different sorts and where do you find them for sale?
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
If you can find a baseball size clump of chaetomorpha (ask at the LFS) that will most likely be all you need to get. It grows fast once it gets started so you won't need very much. Once it gets started it will overgrow any other macro algae you have to pay more for.
I tried a fancy red macro but it was a waste of $$$ as the chaeto sorta smothered it out. o_O
If you don't see chaeto at your LFS, ask them because sometimes they have it, just not out in their display tanks. :)
 

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF

DaveK

Well-Known Member
When your looking for a macro algae, you only need a small portion. Sometimes you can just ask and your LFS will give you a small amount to get you going.
 

rostervandross

Active Member
Thanks for sharing your experience Diana. I will poke around at Reef Cleaners. I may have to ask this in another thread but I am on the look out for information on what kind of light bulb puts out good light to support my refugium. I do already have plenty of dome fixtures
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
Thanks for sharing your experience Diana. I will poke around at Reef Cleaners. I may have to ask this in another thread but I am on the look out for information on what kind of light bulb puts out good light to support my refugium. I do already have plenty of dome fixtures
Chaeto doesn't require high intensity lighting above the refugium to grow.
There are lesser expensive LED fixtures...that's what I have above mine.

If I didn't have bryopsis present in my system, I'd be happy to send you a start of chaeto. I don't seem to have bryopsis in my refugium (only in DT) but I wouldn't want to take any chance by sharing my chaeto. I have to toss lots of it out & it seems like a terrible waste. :frown:
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
... I am on the look out for information on what kind of light bulb puts out good light to support my refugium. I do already have plenty of dome fixtures

Many people just get those 6500K LED flood light bulbs from home depot and use them. CFL bulbs of the same color temp are also good. You can plug these into just about any old fixture that will take them.

If you want to buy a fixture the Finnex FugrRAY Planted isn't bad. See it here (offsite) - http://www.finnex.net/index.php/fugeray_series/?___store=default Note-You got to keep this fixture dry and away from salt creep. While it's good for a refugium, or planted tank, it's nowhere near powerful enough for a normal reef system, and the spectrum is too red.
 

Marty.h

Well-Known Member
I use a LED outside spotlamp has a 6400K rating and my cheato grows well this is 3 weeks growth

From this

20150912_140622_zps8fs9qfbf.jpg


To this

20151009_230554_zpsurb8ny4g.jpg


Also have accelerated coraline growth since changing to that light.
 
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