What kind of plants can I keep in a reef aquarium?

[iozomatli]

I currently have a 15gallon long reef aquarium and am having cyano problems. I need some sort of plant or macroalgae in the tank to combat the cyano. I dont' want to set up a refugium, so is there any types of plants/macroalgae that would be safe to be in my main tank? I don't want anything that would do damage on my corals or fishes or inverts. Any suggestions of any type of nutrient export plant or macroalgae that I can have in the main tank would be greatly appreciated.

And what would be considered a 'pod' plant? I am in need of some pods.

[marduc]

What is in your 15 gal? there are lots of different macros to choose from, but the question is do you have grazers that would demolish all that you try to put in?

Also, i'm not so sure that the macros would outcompete the cyano or not, chances are they will get coated with the stuff too. I've got a fuge w/ 5 types of macros and until I increased the flow in there they would get coated with cyano (kept it out of my main tank at least). Cyano is one of the most primitive life forms around, and as such is pretty good at outcompeting other plants/algeas to meet its needs.

edit: and a pod plant would be probably referring to an isolated, or dedicated area (usually a refugium) where "pods" (copepods, amphipods, ect) are protected from predation so that their numbers are able to increase dramatically (A pile of live rock rubble in the corner of your tank would provide a refuge away from hungry fish perhaps).

[iozomatli]

Ahh okay....so my 15 gallon has snails and shrimps. Those are probably the only ones that will graze over algae, but they mostly eat diatoms and sift the sand. I'm hoping for macros to outcompete the cyano...so if they will, I would be interetsed in getting some, but if not, then I might look into a fuge.