refugium algae

KodiakBear · 02-19-2007, 06:11 PM

I never thought that I could be a year into a new hobby and still consider myself 'just starting out,' but there is so much to this hobby that I'll probably be posting in this forum for years to come... Anywho...
I want to get some macro algae for my refugium, but have no idea what kind/how much I should get. I have 2 yellow-tailed damsels, a diamond goby, a blenny, flowerpot coral, physgra, and a ricordia.
Searching through the old threads it seems a lot of people use Chaetomorpha, but I couldn't find a good picture to show me what it looks like. What type of macro would be best for this combination? If you have pictures to help me identify it later would be great too.

saltwaterfarm · 02-19-2007, 06:27 PM

I don't have pics, but Chaeto looks like a green brillo pad. I'm currently using that and some red grape caluerpa.

I'm gonna hitchhike for more ideas...

rDr4g0n · 02-19-2007, 06:55 PM

based on my limited research, chaeto seems to be the best bet.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...Images&gbv =2

google image search

sasquatch · 02-19-2007, 07:02 PM

Cheato is cool, mine never really grows, but halemida!! just pulled almost a 1/2 gallon pail out on the weekend ( it stinks ask BWLR lol) Steve

2455coop · 02-19-2007, 07:56 PM

What do you want to do with your algae. If you have tangs, they love to eat caulerpa (I use Calerpa, but I have to thin it frequently so it doesn't go to seed). Halimeda, Shaving Brush Plant, and Red Mangrove are suppose to be the best at absorbing nutrients and nitrates. Red Smooth Leaf Kelp, Maiden's Hair Plant, and The Mermaid's Fan plant are great ornamental plants.

jg2269jg · 02-19-2007, 09:02 PM

I have a mix of red gracilis, green grape caluerpa and red mangroves it seems to work good and the gracilis and caulerpa are good tang food. I keep the light on 24/7 though because the caulerpa is sexual from what i hear (if i am wrong please teach me, That is what my friends tell me) and can go down hill if you have a regular light cycle like your fish tank

bluespotjawfish · 02-19-2007, 09:54 PM

My fish like the red gracilis the best but also munch down the calerpa. The reference to brillo pad is no exaggeration on the cheato. I might need to get something to contain that and keep it away from the other stuff my fish like.

Triggerjay · 02-20-2007, 10:37 AM

I bought some red mangroves on e-bay, which have not arrived yet. I have calupera in the fuge now. How deep does the mud need to be to plant the mangroves? my mud is about 1" thick.. thanks

Jason

KodiakBear · 02-20-2007, 12:40 PM

how much flow does cheato need? I don't have much going to my sump right now as I've read that a deep sand bed (~6 inches) should have only a little flow.

BrothaWolf · 02-20-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KodiakBear

how much flow does cheato need? I don't have much going to my sump right now as I've read that a deep sand bed (~6 inches) should have only a little flow.

I had it in a fuge with very little flow and it grew like mad. Some people say it likes to tumble so my new fuge has a bit more flow. Seems to be a very forgiving macro

Warnberg · 02-20-2007, 02:12 PM

http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/caulerpa.htm

http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/halimeda.htm

two good ones to have

KodiakBear · 02-20-2007, 04:52 PM

How about lighting for these macros... How much is too much? How much is not enough? Could I/Should I put the fuge light on the same timer as the tank?

KodiakBear · 02-20-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warnberg

http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/caulerpa.htm

http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/halimeda.htm

two good ones to have

well, I think i have some of that already growing on one of my LR. I'd been trying to figure out what it was. Looks just like what that site calls "Halimeda sp. (Halimeda discoidea)" Maybe I should just move that LR to the fuge and see what happens.

Snelly40 · 02-20-2007, 05:39 PM

my cheato grew like mad and expands all the time. I used a flood light from homedepot, but it is a great algae to use

Triggerjay · 02-26-2007, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jg2269jg

I have a mix of red gracilis, green grape caluerpa and red mangroves it seems to work good and the gracilis and caulerpa are good tang food. I keep the light on 24/7 though because the caulerpa is sexual from what i hear (if i am wrong please teach me, That is what my friends tell me) and can go down hill if you have a regular light cycle like your fish tank

Where and how did you plant your red mangroves? I have some, and planted them in a basket in the sump. How deep can they be without killing them?

Jason

02-19-2007, 06:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
KodiakBear Achilles Tang Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Woodbine, GA Posts: 831 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	refugium algae I never thought that I could be a year into a new hobby and still consider myself 'just starting out,' but there is so much to this hobby that I'll probably be posting in this forum for years to come... Anywho... I want to get some macro algae for my refugium, but have no idea what kind/how much I should get. I have 2 yellow-tailed damsels, a diamond goby, a blenny, flowerpot coral, physgra, and a ricordia. Searching through the old threads it seems a lot of people use Chaetomorpha, but I couldn't find a good picture to show me what it looks like. What type of macro would be best for this combination? If you have pictures to help me identify it later would be great too. __________________ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" --Isaiah 6:8 Whoever acquires knowledge and does not practice it resembles him who ploughs his land and leaves it unsown. -- Gulistan You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire, once the flame begins to catch, the wind will blow it higher. -- Peter Gabriel My Confession

02-19-2007, 06:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
saltwaterfarm Manta Ray Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,222 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: refugium algae I don't have pics, but Chaeto looks like a green brillo pad. I'm currently using that and some red grape caluerpa. I'm gonna hitchhike for more ideas... __________________ Lisa 90 Gal AGA, DIY Sump/Fuge, Current Outer Orbit 250w MH's with T5's. AquaC Remora Pro Skimmer, RK2.[/font] Purple LTA, pair of Percula Clowns, Clams, Softies, Shrooms, Ricordea, Echinophyllia, Torch, Frogspawn, Blastos, Sponges, Acro, Wellso, the NEW Zoa Mountain, and some more stuff... 3 Gal Sexy Shrimp Pico. 29 Gal Oceanic BioCube, Current Sunpod 150w MH.

02-19-2007, 06:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
rDr4g0n Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: south texas Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: refugium algae based on my limited research, chaeto seems to be the best bet. http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...Images&gbv =2 google image search __________________ I know there are quite a few typos in this post. It's not that I'm stupid... it's more like... I'm lazy. - John My 29 Gallon tank of AWESOME My DIY Projects: My $50, 150watt lighting • 10 gallon tall tank • Hood for my 10gal. tall my r0xx0r DIY protein skimmer • 2 cheap strip lights into 1 • Grow cyano!?

02-19-2007, 07:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,981 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: refugium algae Cheato is cool, mine never really grows, but halemida!! just pulled almost a 1/2 gallon pail out on the weekend ( it stinks ask BWLR lol) Steve

02-19-2007, 07:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
2455coop Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Amarillo,Texas Posts: 266 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: refugium algae What do you want to do with your algae. If you have tangs, they love to eat caulerpa (I use Calerpa, but I have to thin it frequently so it doesn't go to seed). Halimeda, Shaving Brush Plant, and Red Mangrove are suppose to be the best at absorbing nutrients and nitrates. Red Smooth Leaf Kelp, Maiden's Hair Plant, and The Mermaid's Fan plant are great ornamental plants. __________________ Bill 75 gal D.A.S. 15 gal refugium

02-19-2007, 09:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
jg2269jg Star Polyps Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 173 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: refugium algae I have a mix of red gracilis, green grape caluerpa and red mangroves it seems to work good and the gracilis and caulerpa are good tang food. I keep the light on 24/7 though because the caulerpa is sexual from what i hear (if i am wrong please teach me, That is what my friends tell me) and can go down hill if you have a regular light cycle like your fish tank

02-19-2007, 09:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish Tridacna maxima Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 4,943 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: refugium algae My fish like the red gracilis the best but also munch down the calerpa. The reference to brillo pad is no exaggeration on the cheato. I might need to get something to contain that and keep it away from the other stuff my fish like. __________________ Lorraine To BB and all Bluespots - Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow Please Donate to the American Cancer Society: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrainerichards

02-20-2007, 10:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Triggerjay Golden Moray Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield MO Posts: 2,071 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: refugium algae I bought some red mangroves on e-bay, which have not arrived yet. I have calupera in the fuge now. How deep does the mud need to be to plant the mangroves? my mud is about 1" thick.. thanks Jason

02-20-2007, 12:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
KodiakBear Achilles Tang Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Woodbine, GA Posts: 831 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: refugium algae how much flow does cheato need? I don't have much going to my sump right now as I've read that a deep sand bed (~6 inches) should have only a little flow. __________________ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" --Isaiah 6:8 Whoever acquires knowledge and does not practice it resembles him who ploughs his land and leaves it unsown. -- Gulistan You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire, once the flame begins to catch, the wind will blow it higher. -- Peter Gabriel My Confession

02-20-2007, 02:12 PM	#11 (permalink)
Warnberg Acropora Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 1,911 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: refugium algae http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/caulerpa.htm http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/halimeda.htm two good ones to have __________________ Dave 240 Gallon Tall Tencor (96"L x 30"T x 18"W) 4 250 Watt MH XM10K bulbs 2-54 Watt T5 Actinic Euro-Reef CS8-2-RC Jetstream 1 Calcium Reactor 4 Tunze Turbelle stream 6000 power heads 7095 Tunze controller

02-20-2007, 04:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
KodiakBear Achilles Tang Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Woodbine, GA Posts: 831 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: refugium algae How about lighting for these macros... How much is too much? How much is not enough? Could I/Should I put the fuge light on the same timer as the tank? __________________ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" --Isaiah 6:8 Whoever acquires knowledge and does not practice it resembles him who ploughs his land and leaves it unsown. -- Gulistan You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire, once the flame begins to catch, the wind will blow it higher. -- Peter Gabriel My Confession

02-20-2007, 05:39 PM	#14 (permalink)
Snelly40 Manta Ray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 3,098 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: refugium algae my cheato grew like mad and expands all the time. I used a flood light from homedepot, but it is a great algae to use __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society*

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