Attaching Macro to ? in Tank

lapin · 06/01/2018, 06:53 AM

I have a 5'x5' cube 3 foot deep. How does one attach algae or do you just let it float til it finds a place? Its a mixed reef with some high, med and low flow areas. Lot of big rock and sand.

norfolkgarden · 06/01/2018, 07:15 AM

Tank sounds beautiful!
Would love to see pictures.

I attach it to a rock with a (very) loose rubber band to a small piece of rubble. Almost so loose it falls off.

Then you can add it where you like with a grabbing stick.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Michael Hoaster · 06/01/2018, 09:41 AM

I have tried rubber bands and also super glue, without success. The only thing that has worked for me was to simply put a rock on top of it. The most successful macro attachments for me have been when new plants pop up in random places. Just by having some plant material in the tank gives you this possibility.

I have been following your build, which is awesome BTW. The fact you are a reefer, willingly putting plants in your display, is very cool! Plants make aquariums look so much more natural. They belong!

AlSimmons · 06/01/2018, 10:19 AM

You could try some fishing line. Just wrap it around the algae loosely and once it attaches you can remove it.

lapin · 06/01/2018, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

I have been following your build, which is awesome BTW. The fact you are a reefer, willingly putting plants in your display, is very cool! Plants make aquariums look so much more natural. They belong!

Thanks and thanks for the helpful hint. The plant stuff comes from the fresh water days. It always helped to have a bunch of them in a tank when you were breeding fish. Kinda liked them. I kinda like algaes that other people think are problems too

)))))) Im begining to like the cyano.

Michael Hoaster · 06/01/2018, 04:13 PM

Right on. My tank was a fresh water planted tank before I went to marine planted. I wanted to combine what I learned on both sides.

Liking nuisance algae means you'll always be happy! It's all part of nature, so why not!

lapin · 06/01/2018, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Right on. My tank was a fresh water planted tank before I went to marine planted. I wanted to combine what I learned on both sides.

Liking nuisance algae means you'll always be happy! It's all part of nature, so why not!

I been trying to mow thru your thread. Could it be much longer????

)))))
Hope to have 10% of your success. Great lookin foil tree roots.

Subsea · 06/01/2018, 10:32 PM

Because I like decorating with ornamental algae, in particular, the reds like Gracilaria Hayi and Dragons Breath, I use acrylic brackets to display macro against back glass up high. I heat up acrylic strip and bend J bracket to hang on aquarium edge. I drill two 1/4” holes using small tie wrap (thin & flat) and like an upside down horseshoe, I wedge macro on top of clear acrylic ledge. When macro grows, it covers up tie wrap and bracket where all you see is a red bush coming out from the back glass.

Michael Hoaster · 06/01/2018, 10:43 PM

Thanks! It is kinda long. Some great stuff in there. I guess it is coming to an end. I'll be starting a new thread on it, with the re-do.

lapin · 06/05/2018, 08:50 PM

Thanks for all the ideas. What seems to work for the Gracilaria type algae is the rubber band or a tie wrap, to a piece of rock. I shaped the rock to be a rough cone that I can push down into the sand pointed upwards. I still loose some pieces that float around the tank. But then that's sort of natural anyways.

06/01/2018, 06:53 AM	#1
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	Attaching Macro to ? in Tank I have a 5'x5' cube 3 foot deep. How does one attach algae or do you just let it float til it finds a place? Its a mixed reef with some high, med and low flow areas. Lot of big rock and sand. __________________ Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening

06/01/2018, 09:41 AM	#3
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	I have tried rubber bands and also super glue, without success. The only thing that has worked for me was to simply put a rock on top of it. The most successful macro attachments for me have been when new plants pop up in random places. Just by having some plant material in the tank gives you this possibility. I have been following your build, which is awesome BTW. The fact you are a reefer, willingly putting plants in your display, is very cool! Plants make aquariums look so much more natural. They belong! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

06/01/2018, 10:19 AM	#4
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	You could try some fishing line. Just wrap it around the algae loosely and once it attaches you can remove it. Last edited by AlSimmons; 06/02/2018 at 09:31 AM.

06/01/2018, 04:13 PM	#6
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Right on. My tank was a fresh water planted tank before I went to marine planted. I wanted to combine what I learned on both sides. Liking nuisance algae means you'll always be happy! It's all part of nature, so why not! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

06/01/2018, 10:32 PM	#8
Subsea Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 1,882	Because I like decorating with ornamental algae, in particular, the reds like Gracilaria Hayi and Dragons Breath, I use acrylic brackets to display macro against back glass up high. I heat up acrylic strip and bend J bracket to hang on aquarium edge. I drill two 1/4” holes using small tie wrap (thin & flat) and like an upside down horseshoe, I wedge macro on top of clear acrylic ledge. When macro grows, it covers up tie wrap and bracket where all you see is a red bush coming out from the back glass. __________________ Laissez les bons temps rouler, Patrick Castille Current Tank Info: 10,000G. Greenhouse Macro Growout

06/01/2018, 07:15 AM	#2
norfolkgarden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Norfolk, Virginia, USA Posts: 258	Tank sounds beautiful! Would love to see pictures. I attach it to a rock with a (very) loose rubber band to a small piece of rubble. Almost so loose it falls off. Then you can add it where you like with a grabbing stick. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

06/01/2018, 10:43 PM	#9
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Thanks! It is kinda long. Some great stuff in there. I guess it is coming to an end. I'll be starting a new thread on it, with the re-do. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

06/05/2018, 08:50 PM	#10
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	Thanks for all the ideas. What seems to work for the Gracilaria type algae is the rubber band or a tie wrap, to a piece of rock. I shaped the rock to be a rough cone that I can push down into the sand pointed upwards. I still loose some pieces that float around the tank. But then that's sort of natural anyways. __________________ Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening