Halimeda questions

[GoneReefing]

I currently have some Halimeda in my fuge but it is being overgrown by my cheato, i trim the cheato back but it always grows back. My question I have for all of ya is should I move it up to the main tank? I know they absorb calcium to grow and could overshadow corals or should I just get rid of it? Are there any disadvantages of keeping this macro? especially in the main display instead of the fuge?

[carlinsa]

i havent had much experience with halimeda but i would say you would be fine with both of them in your fuge. i would not put it in your main tank cause may be shadowing could cause slow growth or kill corals. if you have some way to seperate the 2 macros you can do that an be ok. or just let them grow together.

[justahobby]

I keep most of mine with chaeto and it grows around the chaeto ball. It can use up your calcium if it gets out of hand, but testing your calcium levels before and after pruning will help you determine how much halimeda is too much. It's a more attractive macro for the display than say chaeto and far less aggressive than the caulerpas. I prefer mine in the substrate to avoid pruning off rocks. It doesn't like excessive pruning so if it does get on rocks you can stunt its growth by doing so. I had a scopas that would occasionally munch on it, but I can't imagine it tasting very good. I don't think it is very likely to go a-sexual either.

[GoneReefing]

Justahobby is yours in the main display?

[JimD]

Get rid of the Halimeda, its a calcium sink, it may look cool but its not a real contender as a nutrient export algae if thats what your using it for.

[mabel_photo6]

That Halimeda stuff does look cool but it's good to know that they take in a lot of calcium.
How do you control chaeto though?
I have a hang on 'fuge and it's taken over almost completely.
I've seen others that are able to keep it under control in some sort of egg crate thing.
I trim it and it grows so big fast.

When I set up my 100 gallon, I don't want it to over take my 4 foot 'fuge.
I want to add some other macro algae and/or plants.
Which comes to my next question, who carries good stuff for the 'fuge??
And what do you recommend to be put in a 'fuge?

[allan]

Just a newb here so bear that in mind... but here goes and this is just my opinion.

The halimeda, as stated above isn't a very good nutrient export as it really does grow slowly. That being said I would like to put some in my display for asthetic reasons only... and trimming it would keep it well under control. Just my opinion of course.

As far as the chaeto growing quickly, well that's a good thing. The more it grows the more it binds those harmful nutrients out of the water and into the plant. Then taking out the excess removes it completely from your system. That being said, if it's reaaaaally growing fast it may indicate that you are overfeeding or putting too much nutrient into your tank. Or perhaps your skimmer, if you have one, isn't pulling enough out. I notice a tremendous growth in my chaeto when I shut down my skimmer for maintenance and forget to turn it back on.

I've heard a variety of macro in your fuge is a good thing (chaeto, mangrove, culerpra yadda yadda), and the fact that your chaeto is growing well now implies that you have good flow through it and it isn't sitting passively in your fuge. I had a tough time with mine until I realized that water was flowing over and not through my forest. Once I forced the water column through the tangled mess of green I experienced a good growth pattern.

[allan]

Oh and one quick note about your new fuge. I think you can make a really neat fuge using a variety of plant, something nice to look at. Partition a section of your fuge to the right or left of your main display with egg crate and grow the chaeto in there... two purpose, additional nutrient export and also makes an excellent filter media that's 100% natural.

Have you seen Ping's setup? He has one fuge that is pretty much a display tank dedicated to fuge-dom. A fuge-ella... Fuge-upotia... Fugetia...

[GoneReefing]

Thanks for the information. After googling a little more I found this blurb on dr. foster & smith --> URL
(http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2159&aid=2141)

Halimeda may also be called the Money Plant. Calcareous algae deposit limestone (calcium carbonate) in their tissues. When the algae dies, the calcium carbonate is left as sediment in tropical lagoons and reefs.So as long as I continue to dose and monitor calcium levels I should be ok right? As long as I just left the dead material decompose the calcium in the plant should be released back into the system.

My SPS in general are growing (slowly), but I don't think it as much as a calcium issue as temperature and bulbs as the bulbs are stock t5ho (which I am in the process of ordering some ATI and UVL bulbs) and the temp thing is just that it will fluctuate from 76 to 81, can't seem to keep it constant. I notice the polyps on the sps will go in when it is a higher temp and come out when in the lower range.

I have been still debating on if I should keep this, as its a nice large plant but the cheato is overgrowing and stunting it so that was the reason I asked if I should move it up to the display and if any has came across any issue with doing so.

Thanks for everyones input, keep it coming.

[JimD]

Halimeda will absorb calcium much quicker than sps thus lessening the amount of available calcium to corals and fish, basicly, what this means is that youll need to substantialy increase Ca according to consumption. Are you testing for Ca? When Halimeda dies off, it really wont release back into the system, more like itll become part of the substrate, not really a bad thing.

[justahobby]

Justahobby is yours in the main display?

It came in on a piece of LR and when I prune i throw it in the sump. I started doing that when I had a seahorse. Worked better than maintaining a gorgonia IMO. Now, I keep it on hand if I want to get some store credit. If you plan on pruning it and keeping some for aesthetics then go for it. JMHO.