newbie philippines-macroalgae

[mujacko2002]

I would just like to know if anyone here has show/main tank that showcases saltwater plants and macroalgae instead of the usual corals? If so, what are the basic equipments/materials to be able to attain such tanks? I am planning to setup a 50 or 75 gallon fowlr with macroalgae in the near future so as of now i am on the stage of collecting information regarding these setup of mine. i've read over the internet articles about mangroves and indeed its really beautiful.

Thank you so much in advance for any response.

Godbless

Uly

PS
would i need a co2 to be able to grow marine plants?

 

[mr_X]

my macros don't need much in the way of special care. basically, a 6400k bulb and some fish poop.

 

[Anonymous]

mujacko2002
:welcome:

There are lots of people that keep macroalgae as the focal point for their tanks. I don't know much in the way of specifics as I have never intentionally done that, but will try and steer you in the right direction. The Reef Central message board has its own forum dedicated to macroalgae. I am sure they can help you if noone here can answer your questions.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forum ... orumid=176

Although this is a freshwater planted tank forum, several people there do keep saltwater macroalgae tanks:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/

Also, those that keep seahorses often do so with macro in the tank so looking here might be useful:

http://forum.seahorse.org/

 

[Anonymous]

I do!

I have mangroves to grow really slow, so I removed them from my display. All you need for macroalga is a NO light, and some way to move the water. If you want vacular plants (those with roots as compared to macroalgae that has holdfasts), you will need a substrate. I have also found that I need an iron test, and an iron supplement. When your algae is growing strong, I can recommend a site that sells it in a powder form and is really concentrated.

I would love to see photos of your tank when you get it up! Sounds really cool!

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/10/aquarium/view?searchterm=None

 

[Anonymous]

Also, those that keep seahorses often do so with macro in the tank so looking here might be useful:

http://forum.seahorse.org/

Seahorse.org has a specific marine planted tank forum now, btw. But I'm all for digging in to the topic here on RDO as well. The more hobbyists that contribute to the knowledge base, the better. I am in the middle of an epic battle to establish a temperate seagrass biotope. It's a struggle more because of external conflicts (ever try to move a tank with a 7" silty sandbed??) than problems with the system itself. It's a fascinating area, keep us up to date on your experiences!

 

[mujacko2002]

wow, thanks for the effort and responses my friends.

Mabuhay to all!!!

As of now, my 75g tank is in my LFS hands because i told them to add some more silicone and have extra braces for more stability.

Actually, i've read a lot of stuff over the internet about macroalgaes/marine plants, and rearing seagrasses seems to be difficult. And i am already having an information overload but i guess it will boil down to me .

@seahorsewhisperer
when you say NO are you referring to those lights usually seen in our homes?

--actually, i see a lot of this stuff in our local hardware store mostly goes by the brand names of GE, Philips, akari etc. They're CF bulbs like a 10watt bulb can produce a light of 40watts, they're energy savers too. They have a 55 cf bulb that can produce 250watts of light, so if this is beneficial for my setup, i'll take 4pcs then use it for FOWLR and macros. So what do you think folks?

thank you in advance

Godbless

Uly

 

[jollylager]

Macro grows pretty easily if you stay with the normal species. I have a macro oriented tank and it looks great at a quarter of the cost of a reef tank.

Important things to know:

Check out the species of macro for its tendency to go sexual, (releases carbon dioxide), because this can alter your ph and wreak havoc on the tank. Mangroves aren't a threat.

Super glue your plants down just like coral- many are neutrally buoyant and will end up near your filter if you just stick them in.

Get fish, crabs or snails to manage the growth of the algae in your tank.

A weak current looks great, and will help keep the plants in place compared to high current. Start slow them work up so you get an efficient level.

Aerate the tank more than you normally would.

C02 DIY kits are easy and work well. The expensive diffusers work better. Up to you, but be careful you can do a lot more damage than good with these things if you dont know what you are doing. No experimenting here.


If you get mangroves, get both the black and red mangroves-diversity is cool. You can get them at reefcleaners.org or on Ebay. If you live in Florida you can find them everywhere, check your local parking lot. Never take them from an area in which they may take hold. (Parking lots next to water is a place they can take hold).


Have fun, I wish I could send pictures, but I have no digital camera