Intro To MacroAlgae - Podcast Episode 86

[Rob]

This months reefkeeping edition podcast is an interview with Sarah Lardizabal. In this show she gives us a great introduction to macroalgae.
Here are some of the topics discussed

- Differences between plants and algae
- Differences between macro and microalgae
- Difference between beneficial and nuisance macroalgae
- Tips to identify Macroalgae
- Explanation of macroalgae sexual reproduction
- Beneficial uses of macroalgae


Article: (Link not active until release date)
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-01/index.php

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[Victoria]

I really enjoyed the show. I also keep maco algea in my QT. Is it my imagination or was there a repeat at the end of the show? You said the samething twice..:D

[iglowce]

i cant wait to get a rock wt maiden's hair

[JustDavidP]

Sarah/Rob,

Great show. I enjoyed it very much. I too feel that macro algae needs some more attention in the hobby. Maybe this will be the start of a grass roots....er... holdfast movement ;)

Sarah, I've got lots to ask. I dabble in keeping macro collected in my back yard on Cape Cod to include Ulva, Sargassum and (pardon..forgot the true name) "Dead Man's Fingers". I also use the traditional Chaeto and various caulerpas (yes true ones...green..and purdy, like prolifera) :)

I also use macro in my seahorse breeding programs. Yeah...I'm the seahorse nut..so I also use a lot of algae in my pony corral. I tried grasses, but it proved to be far too high maintenance.

In any case, be forewarned :) I'll most likely pepper this forum next week with some Q&A! I've had lots of wondering lately about proper keeping techniques and the benefits (or negatives) of various species.

Thanks again!

Dave

[Rob]

Is it my imagination or was there a repeat at the end of the show? You said the samething twice..:D
yes, thanks for catching this, a new "fixed" version is uploading right now

[graveyardworm]

Never listened to a podcast before, I love macros and planted tanks so my first listen was excellent, cant wait to listen to somemore. Too bad the podcasts arent linked in the RK article, politics I suppose.

[Samala]

Dave feel free to keep the questions coming! I havent participated at Talkingreef before but I'm looking forward to helping out with any Q's in the future. :D

Thanks to everyone for kind words! This was my first podcast!

>Sarah

[Seahorsedreams]

Sarah! How's it going! This is my site away from "home" that I joined recently! I like it here!

[graveyardworm]

I was back browsing through RK mag and noticed that there is a link for the podcast, this must be a new feature, or I just never noticed it before. I enjoyed the silence after you mentioned dictyota.

Also just noticed at the top in the Tags list podcast is miss spelled, and isnt highlighting in the posts. Just an FYI

[Rob]

I was back browsing through RK mag and noticed that there is a link for the podcast, this must be a new feature, or I just never noticed it before. I enjoyed the silence after you mentioned dictyota.
yep, they are in the Mag, but not specifically in the article.
nothing new here, its has been like this for a year (exactly 1 year, January is the 1 ear anniversary of the TR and RK partnership)



Also just noticed at the top in the Tags list podcast is miss spelled, and isnt highlighting in the posts. Just an FYI
spelling error fixed. (Thanks.. ;) )
as far as highlighting, the "tagged" words at the top don't reference highlighted words, or don't get highlighted because they are tagged, but if you click on one of the tagged words at the top it will show you other threads with that "tag"

and last but not least.. :welcome: to Talkingreef

[Rob]

Dave feel free to keep the questions coming! I havent participated at Talkingreef before but I'm looking forward to helping out with any Q's in the future. :D

Thanks to everyone for kind words! This was my first podcast!

>Sarah
Hey Sarah, thanks for checking the thread out, im sure you will see there are a few here that are REALLY into the stuff you talked about.. should make for some good discussions...

btw, great job in the show, it came out great, hopefully we get a chance to do another one in the future.

[Astrivian]

This was a cool cast. I do have one question regarding macroalgae however, and that is where do i buy some cool stuff? I see the standard chaeto, calupera, maiden's hair, mermaid's fan, and sometimes some red and purple stuff, but it seems like there should be much more. Is there a good place to buy some stuff?

Also, and David you might be able to answer this too, how does Sargassum do in a tank? Is it safe for the display with corals and the like, or more of a refugium thing? To confess, i really dig sargassum for various historical and literary reasons (viz. the Sargasso Sea, or as it is known know, The Bermuda Triangle). Part of my big tank set up is a custom build aqua garden in the fuge on the reverse photoperiod; some sargassum would be cool in there :)

Again guys, great show!

[Samala]

Hi Astrivian,

There are several species of Sargassum, which I dont think I did a good job making clear in the article. (Ahh hindsight.) Some species are pelagic floaters, and would be in your Bermuda Triangle zone. Some hitch themselves to substrate, Sargassum hystrix comes to mind as a very common one of this variety. Those that holdfast do well under bright lighting in fairly nutrient-poor tanks (the average reef tank). Plenty of herbivores find it tasty though.

The pelagic stuff I have not been able to reproduce effectively. It needs to tumble to make it happy and likely needs intense lighting - more than I currently provide under PCs (ohhh the T5 fairy is due for a visit in two weeks, I'm so excited!).

I hope that helps! Feel free to fire away with more questions if you have them!

>Sarah

[Astrivian]

Oh thanks Sarah! I saw the hystrix here and there and i never knew it was different than the floating stuff.

And i saw your pics of the Vancouver aquarium. I was recently up there at a conference and got a chance to tour. Their displays are what inspired my garden display idea, including the really neat one you have in the picture. That was a great aquarium.

[CarmieJo]

I enjoyed this podcast and have listened to it twice already.

Sending out a big :welcome: to both Sarah and Dave.

[Danamck]

Great podcast Rob & Sarah. A very interesting and important topic. It would have been nice to touch on some of the species of macroalgae that are banned in certain states. There are a few here in California, yet you can't believe the number of fish stores that sell and/or use them. What kind of an example is that setting for their clients?

Thanks again for another great show.

[JustDavidP]

Okay... here I go :)

Sarah..first and foremost, thanks again. Not only was the podcast informative, but you really seemed to have fun doing it. I'm sure most of that has to do with your love for the subject matter. I'm hoping the remainder of the excitement was just "Sarah being Sarah" :) You are a natural. Welcome to the Talking Reef.. I have kind of tagged along, learning from your discussions elsewhere (ie. the Org) and really think you have a TON to offer the folks here.

Now...onto my first, of a probable, slew of questions...

I collect grass shrimp from Cape Cod as a food source for my H. Reidi seahorses. As I am doing so, from time to time, I also collect free floating macro algae that happens to be washing up in the same shoreline. The species contain, but are not limited to (because I have no clue on some IDs) Ulva (which I can get by the TON in my river/inlet on East Falmouth, a Sargassum species (probably Sargassum bacciferum), Codium, Callithamnion tetragonum, Fucus vesiculosus and others. Most often, the best collecting (as far as variety) is later in the Summer, as the Gulf Stream gets closest to the Cape and the Islands.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/CapeMacro.jpg

My first question... Is it legal to collect "seaweed" on the shores? Are there regulations? Are thay National or by State?

My second question.. at this time, when I collect, I use them in the same tanks with the shrimp. They tend to help me keep the water parameters stable, provide cover and such for the shrimp and, as I've noted, are sometimes eaten by other life in the tanks ( Ilyanassa obsoleta, banded killifish etc.) I've never feared doing this because they are all collected together. However, if I wanted to use some of these macro algae in my seahorse tank, or refugium, what special precautions shoud I take (besides basic QT and inspection) or what procedures should I follow to ensure that I'm not introducing any "issues" into my system?

I'm going to come back at you for some "conditions" questions for certain algae that I am interested in, but didn't want to scare you off soo soon ;)

Oh...and are you prepared to talk about "grasses" too?

Thanks again... it's a pleasure to have you around.

Dave

[Samala]

Oh boy! Good to see you've been thinking! I let this thread get away from me, but now I'm back and going to dive right in. (Sidenote: That's totally "Sarah being Sarah".. but you have to remember that I'm used to giving short speeches to a broad public and especially to school kids who take field trips into seagrass and algae beds. So, I tend to be very, um, entertaining. ;))

Regulations on macroalgae harvest tend to be by State. Florida has a wacky volume restriction on harvest of a few gallons. Its all very odd to me. Beyond that there are no restrictions on species, area of collection (well, so long as you are outside Federal and State run areas) and such. Generally Fish and Wildlife have enough trouble keeping up with hunting and fishing regulations to really worry about algae. For now. If we continue to get algae releases into non native areas that may very well change.

Moving on. ;) I've had Ilyanassa eat Ulva and Rhizoclonium and been repeatedly told that they will not feast on vegetation. But, I know they were Ilyanassa from the Delaware Bay, I collected them! I think they were perhaps starving. Banded killies relish the red algaes in my experience.

If you are really concerned about macroalgae bringing in something unwanted you have a few options. Freshwater dips (several with fresh QT environment after each) work well for getting rid of copepods and other invertebrates that may bring in disease pathogens (like Vibrio). I do not know if it is effective at getting rid of any other bacteria or pests like Ich. If you are really paranoid, prophylactically treating macro is possible. A quick formalin dip has worked alright in the past for me with Caulerpa, Ulva and Gracilaria.. but can cause the algae to bleach out a bit and look withered. Typically they recovered well after a few weeks of good light and nutrients.

For the supremely paranoid (or those that are culturing and need practically sterile systems) you can purposefully cause the algae to sporulate, collect the spores and release them into a substrate filled system.. presumably to allow them to grow up on the rock. This is tedious, time consuming, and requires a LOT of equipment. If you go this route I'll send you an email with the full writeup I used successfully.

Anywho, that's a mouthful. What are you interested in for conditions for algae and grasses? I'm more than happy to chat about both or either. :D

>Sarah

[JustDavidP]

Okie dokie Sarah.. I think I've just become your number one fan :) Here's the deal... I do have some questions about grasses, macro, and SW "planted" tanks...but.......

I also "googled" you (hope it wasn't too painful ;) ) and found enough of your writing and input on forums to keep me busy for some time. What I will do (because I AM doing another tank..planted) is read, read, read some more, and find you back here when I need to.

Thank you!

Dave

[Samala]

Hey David, in case you cant find it otherwise, I do keep a blog (hopefully more faithfully in the future) at my website seanursery.com. Just some randoms thoughts, trials and successes. Might be worth the time to peruse.

>Sarah

[JustDavidP]

Excellent...will do. Thanks!

D

[Astrivian]

Where is a good place, including hobbyists, to buy some seagrass and macroalgae? Does anyone on TR offer to mail either?

[saxman]

Sarah/Rob,
(pardon..forgot the true name) "Dead Man's Fingers".

would that be Codium, yer Dave-ness?

i think we're gonna need to send you some of that red grape from the fuzzy tank. at some point, i'd LOVE some Sargassum...*hint, hint*

[Seahorsedreams]

i think we're gonna need to send you some of that red grape from the fuzzy tank. at some point, i'd LOVE some Sargassum...*hint, hint*


I TOLD ya he was paying special attention to that stuff for you, David :-)

[CarmieJo]

Sam,

I've got some caluerpa I'd share with you. I think that I have 2 types of caluerpa, one is c. racemosa as it has the "grapes" and also some with flat elongated oval leaves. I don't think it could mailed at this time of the year without some heat packs though.

[Reefbaby]

I LOVED this podcast. It was super informative and entertaining at the same time. I'm rather looking forward to digging deeper into this topic and learning more about macroalgae. What a great addition to our already "pod-castic" list! :D

[mysterybox]

I have Racemosa Caulpera in my sump/fuge & Chaeto in my CPR hang-on. I have low nutrients, I heard that you mentioned that you "feed" your Macro. Without hurting my fish, Stoney corals, & water chemistry, what can you feed them to grow? Nitrates are at <0.5 & phosphates are below 0.024.
Ralph

[Danamck]

I've never heard of feeding your algae intentionally, unless you're talking about a planted aquarium where the algae is allowed to grow in the display tank. Those are beautiful tanks but truly limits the fish you can keep.

[Rob]

unless you are noticing them dying off, i would not worry about intentionally feeding them
if you are reading any measurable level of PH4 or Nitrate, they will be fine