The Puffer Forum

I really would like to have some plants in my SW tank I'm in the process of setting up. No intention of doing corals, at least not anytime soon.

I have never dealt with plants in an aquarium and am not familiar with lighting or anything else. I've been looking at different marine plants and have came across a couple I like the look of and that don't seem to difficult to care for, like Botryocladia. Any experience there?

Are there any plants that are low maintenance? I don't want to have to invest tons in lights. The only lights I have currently are the ones that came with the hoods for my 60 gallon. The hood is Marineland and I know the lights say 'daylight' I believe it is. Can't get the exact information off of them at the moment. Are there any plants that would even be suitable under simple lights like that?

Or any suggestions on plants in general? I'd just like more than the live rock as far as decor goes.

Marine plants are macroalgae. Many are not difficult but are not anything like FW plants in handling. I think that you are biting off more than you can chew, especially without non-trivial changes in lighting.

Try some Google browsing to get a better idea of macroalgae needs.

I know some people hate plastic plants in their tanks but they are totally safe to use in both fresh and saltwater. Here is my SW puffer tank with plastic plants and macroalgae.

Macroalgaes... love this ones!
The easier ones are chaetomorphas, then caulerpas, then the rest.
Lighting issues are like the high demand FW plants but they also need actinic light at night. About fertilizer, they need some basic nutrients (N, K, P, Co2, Fe) BUT Specially Ca & Mg, just like corals they are very sensitive to temperature and Ca & Mg levels.

There are also some "marine plants", plants by definition not algae: the seagrass Posidonia and Thalassia species are the most common, but also difficult to keep due their high light, space and nutrient demand.

RTR wrote:Marine plants are macroalgae. Many are not difficult but are not anything like FW plants in handling. I think that you are biting off more than you can chew, especially without non-trivial changes in lighting.

Try some Google browsing to get a better idea of macroalgae needs.

I have been browsing a bit and have came across a couple types that I like and that don't seem to be hard to care for or will overrun my tank. I wasn't comparing to FW in any way, just stating I've never dealt with any aquatic plants.

I have no problem getting new lights but I don't want to go all out as I have no intention of getting any corals or anything that would require high/or very specific lighting. But I am relatively clueless when it comes to lighting. For example, an algae I am interested in my say moderate lighting but I don't know what that is considered.

I like the look of some of the algae in tanks and know they could be beneficial as well. I certainly don't want to get in over my head and want to start out relatively simple due to my inexperience.

These are two that have stuck out to me right off; gracilaria and botryocladia. I guess its mainly the colors, reds, that I like, though I would like variety if possible.

RVS wrote:Macroalgaes... love this ones!
The easier ones are chaetomorphas, then caulerpas, then the rest.
Lighting issues are like the high demand FW plants but they also need actinic light at night. About fertilizer, they need some basic nutrients (N, K, P, Co2, Fe) BUT Specially Ca & Mg, just like corals they are very sensitive to temperature and Ca & Mg levels.

There are also some "marine plants", plants by definition not algae: the seagrass Posidonia and Thalassia species are the most common, but also difficult to keep due their high light, space and nutrient demand.

Chaetomorpha is green hair algae, right? Isn't that something that can easily overrun a tank? Seems like I've read that quite a few times. Seems like I read caulerpa was more of a nuisance as well, or that these two were more commonly kept in refugium/sump, which I won't have.I don't mind the look of either really but certainly don't want to introduce anything that could cause problems in the future. Completely new to all of this and am trying to get a grasp on more of the basics I guess.

I have to say I haven't came across anything that mentioned actinic lighting at night, will certainly have to look more into that. But as I'm not familiar with even FW plants I don't know what 'high demand' in lighting would be there. I'm currently looking for and reading about different lights now and trying to understand some of this a little more.

I do recall Ca and MG being mentioned here and there as I've been reading. Is that something I would need to supplement for macroalgaes?

ETA: Is a light such as this sufficient?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=21442

sgtmyers88 wrote:I know some people hate plastic plants in their tanks but they are totally safe to use in both fresh and saltwater. Here is my SW puffer tank with plastic plants and macroalgae.

I don't have any issues with fake plants really, I just wanted to try my hand at live. Both for look and benefits.

Your tank looks nice and cute little GSP (thats what he/she looks like to me from that pic anyway).

Thats what my tank will primarily be for.

high lighting is a difficult issue, depending on your tank size you´ll need one of those tubes, then 2 6.500k and an actinic (blue one), 4 lamps are required.

Ca & Mg hace to be added in order to avoid whitening (like in corals) by keeping ph & kh safe levels, your aquarium has to get reef conditions & parameters in order to maintain macroalgaes, indeed, thanks to its ability to disintegrate if not properly maintained, i consider them a little bit more difficult to keep that easy corals.

All macroalgae can overrun an aquarium (thats why they need some "prune" like FW plants) if they have enough (excess) nutrient to do so, but most of all can be reduced by "prune".
Chaetomorpha is not like the hair algae at all, it is a gentle free floating algae, it grows a lot but is sellable lol.

Check this george farmer (one of my favorite aquascapers) set up, it will be nice to read:

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/c ... p?sid=3725

There is a video to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GebmsskR ... r_embedded

RVS wrote:high lighting is a difficult issue, depending on your tank size you´ll need one of those tubes, then 2 6.500k and an actinic (blue one), 4 lamps are required.

Ca & Mg hace to be added in order to avoid whitening (like in corals) by keeping ph & kh safe levels, your aquarium has to get reef conditions & parameters in order to maintain macroalgaes, indeed, thanks to its ability to disintegrate if not properly maintained, i consider them a little bit more difficult to keep that easy corals.

All macroalgae can overrun an aquarium (thats why they need some "prune" like FW plants) if they have enough (excess) nutrient to do so, but most of all can be reduced by "prune".
Chaetomorpha is not like the hair algae at all, it is a gentle free floating algae, it grows a lot but is sellable lol.

Check this george farmer (one of my favorite aquascapers) set up, it will be nice to read:

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/c ... p?sid=3725

There is a video to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GebmsskR ... r_embedded

I will definitely check those out, thanks!

As far as the reed conditions/parameters, what exactly does that mean? I am in the process of setting up a tank so that I can house a GSP in full marine (FOWLR and don't have him/her yet). More specifics than just being cycled?

I have a 60 gallon. It came with two hoods but from looking at them, I know they're Marineland, it seems they only hold one bulb each. Does that mean I am out of luck for using those hoods if I want to keep any macroalgae? Or could I get a strong enough bulb for each and keep macroalgae with no issues?

And I've been searching and reading about the actinic lights since you mentioned them. It seems that they are more so for coral or mentioned regarding coral just from what I've came across so far. Would I need one just for macroalgae as well?

Could you not modify one of the hoods to hold more bulbs? Upload an inside shot of one of the hoods and we can throw in some ideas.

Seagrasses require massive high-intensity lighting and the associated heat output requires chillers and/or massive AC. As with sailing ships, if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. These are not beginner plants.

Ditto for many macroalgae.

Learn with FOWLR plus a good skimmer first and then try more demanding tanks, starting with a 24/7 lighted macroalae refugium on the FOWLR plus skimmer tank.

I have no idea if it could be modified or not. I can upload a picture tomorrow as I'm at work and won't be off until late.

It seemed macroalgae was relatively simple to maintain in a FOWLR from what I had read so I thought I'd look into it. I don't have an issue getting bulbs/lights but certainly don't want to spend a fortune just for plants. I never came across any talk regarding chillers/etc when I was researching the couple macroalgae I mentioned. I don't believe I mentioned any seagrasses, just macroalgae.

I just wanted to have more decor for the GSP besides live rock and the benefits plants can provide is all.

Upload a pic for us to see of the hoods inside and we will see if it can be easily modified.

Okay I took a couple pictures of the underside of the hood. Hope they are of some help.







I have two of these hoods, they came with the tank.

You could easily attach extra bulbs by the look of it. Simple drilling and bolting. Powerful twin lighting ballasts run for about £50 here, run 2 of those with your different spectrum bulbs you should be golden, this would give you space for a total of 4 bulbs. You would need to spend approx £160 English money not sure what it would work out in $s