A Heavily Planted Nano-reef ?

trudismith · 03/06/2003, 09:27 AM

I have a 20 gal. tank with some live sand and rock, 2 cinnamon clowns, one bi-color blenny, a 6-line Wrasse, various small snails and crabs, a small E. quadricolor anemone, and a small chili coral. I also have a few spriggs of caleurpa and would like to add to that with other kinds of hearty macroalgae to achieve a densely planted tank. Does anybody have suggestions on the advisability of doing this? Suggestions for lighting, nutrients needed, etc. would be much appreciated!

billsreef · 03/06/2003, 03:15 PM

What kind of lighting do you have over your tank now?

Most nutrients will be readily available already in the form of the food you feed the tank. The only thing additives I find usefull for plants is iron. Randy Holmes-Farley is doing some work on Iodine, but the jury is still out on that one.

kovu · 03/06/2003, 03:38 PM

hey billsreef, do you know if its safe to add macro's to a tank that is cycling?

technoshaman · 03/06/2003, 04:11 PM

I have played around with this idea but it seems one macroalgae always ends up being top dog and he others kind of wither away. In my 46 gallon reef I have 2 large patches of halmeda (different species ) some unidentified dark green branching algae and bits of caulerpa I haven't been able to remove. Currently my halimeda seems to be top algae - also seems to be sucking up a lot of calcium.

mogurnda · 03/06/2003, 04:24 PM

With the bioload you describe, it seems like macroalgae should do quite well. Plenty of notrogen, and probably enough iodine and iron just from the food. In my 20, I have a substantial growth of some reds (red grape - Botryocladia - and a large spiky red thing), both of which came on the rock. They grow very well, despite being gnawed on by hermits and limpets. One possibility is to get one of the macroalgae kits from Inland Aquatics, which would have 5 varieties, I think, and see what takes over.

mogurnda · 03/06/2003, 04:27 PM

You asked about lighting. Seems like macros aren't as picky as corals, I get very good growth under 55w power compact, and the ulva does well under 13W in the little refugium. I don't recommend ulva, unless you can get it attached to a rock. It forms a sheet on the surface, blocking light for everyone else. HTH

trudismith · 03/06/2003, 04:55 PM

I forgot to mention that I'm using a Whisper Jr. filter, a protein skimmer (venturi) and a Powerhead 210 (venturi) in the tank. Any thoughts about that? I have a 55W PC, so I guess my lighting is OK as is. I'm so glad to find this forum as I have had no luck finding information about growing macroalgae until now. Thanks for the advice!

BadFishToo · 03/08/2003, 12:45 AM

You have trouble keeping macro? I cant get rid of mine.

I thought it would look cool at first but then it gets out of control. Razor grows like crazy if you really want some

billsreef · 03/08/2003, 07:08 AM

kovu,

All the amonia and nitrite from cycling will simply be called fertilizer by the Macro's

Trudi,

I'm not sure I'd use "filter" and "whisper" in the same sentance

However it is good for running some carbon. The LR, LS, and macro's will do the main filtering for you

kovu · 03/08/2003, 07:52 PM

awesome thanks.

03/06/2003, 09:27 AM	#1
trudismith Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Saratoga Springs, NY Posts: 41	A Heavily Planted Nano-reef ? I have a 20 gal. tank with some live sand and rock, 2 cinnamon clowns, one bi-color blenny, a 6-line Wrasse, various small snails and crabs, a small E. quadricolor anemone, and a small chili coral. I also have a few spriggs of caleurpa and would like to add to that with other kinds of hearty macroalgae to achieve a densely planted tank. Does anybody have suggestions on the advisability of doing this? Suggestions for lighting, nutrients needed, etc. would be much appreciated!

03/06/2003, 03:15 PM	#2
billsreef Moderator 10 & Over Club Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Long Island, NY/North Miami Posts: 33,193	What kind of lighting do you have over your tank now? Most nutrients will be readily available already in the form of the food you feed the tank. The only thing additives I find usefull for plants is iron. Randy Holmes-Farley is doing some work on Iodine, but the jury is still out on that one. __________________ Bill "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi) Current Tank Info: Far too many tanks according to my wife, LOL.

03/06/2003, 04:11 PM	#4
technoshaman Reefer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Austin TX Posts: 1,275	Planted nano reef I have played around with this idea but it seems one macroalgae always ends up being top dog and he others kind of wither away. In my 46 gallon reef I have 2 large patches of halmeda (different species ) some unidentified dark green branching algae and bits of caulerpa I haven't been able to remove. Currently my halimeda seems to be top algae - also seems to be sucking up a lot of calcium.

03/06/2003, 04:24 PM	#5
mogurnda Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: DC Posts: 733	With the bioload you describe, it seems like macroalgae should do quite well. Plenty of notrogen, and probably enough iodine and iron just from the food. In my 20, I have a substantial growth of some reds (red grape - Botryocladia - and a large spiky red thing), both of which came on the rock. They grow very well, despite being gnawed on by hermits and limpets. One possibility is to get one of the macroalgae kits from Inland Aquatics, which would have 5 varieties, I think, and see what takes over. __________________ Dave ------ I don't want the world, I just want your half. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon mostly SPS; 65 gallon Caribbean patch reef

03/06/2003, 04:27 PM	#6
mogurnda Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: DC Posts: 733	You asked about lighting. Seems like macros aren't as picky as corals, I get very good growth under 55w power compact, and the ulva does well under 13W in the little refugium. I don't recommend ulva, unless you can get it attached to a rock. It forms a sheet on the surface, blocking light for everyone else. HTH __________________ Dave ------ I don't want the world, I just want your half. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon mostly SPS; 65 gallon Caribbean patch reef

03/06/2003, 03:38 PM	#3
kovu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: MAss Posts: 123	hey billsreef, do you know if its safe to add macro's to a tank that is cycling?

03/06/2003, 04:55 PM	#7
trudismith Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Saratoga Springs, NY Posts: 41	I forgot to mention that I'm using a Whisper Jr. filter, a protein skimmer (venturi) and a Powerhead 210 (venturi) in the tank. Any thoughts about that? I have a 55W PC, so I guess my lighting is OK as is. I'm so glad to find this forum as I have had no luck finding information about growing macroalgae until now. Thanks for the advice!

03/08/2003, 12:45 AM	#8
BadFishToo Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Stuart, FL Posts: 80	You have trouble keeping macro? I cant get rid of mine. I thought it would look cool at first but then it gets out of control. Razor grows like crazy if you really want some

03/08/2003, 07:08 AM	#9
billsreef Moderator 10 & Over Club Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Long Island, NY/North Miami Posts: 33,193	kovu, All the amonia and nitrite from cycling will simply be called fertilizer by the Macro's Trudi, I'm not sure I'd use "filter" and "whisper" in the same sentance However it is good for running some carbon. The LR, LS, and macro's will do the main filtering for you __________________ Bill "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi) Current Tank Info: Far too many tanks according to my wife, LOL.

03/08/2003, 07:52 PM	#10
kovu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: MAss Posts: 123	awesome thanks.