Pete Giwojna
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Re:macro algae - 2008/09/18 00:05
Dear Lulabulla:
Unfortunately, a 14-gallon Biocube is unsuitable for keeping dwarf seahorses (Hippocampus zosterae). Virtually all of the nano tanks and BioCubes are designed with reef keepers in mind and have strong pumps that produce vigorous water flow and high turnover rates. The output from the pump often needs to be toned down a bit so it doesn't overwhelm the limited swimming ability of Hippocampus, especially the tiny dwarf seahorses that would be utterly unable to swim or feed in the maelstrom of a 14-gallon Biocube.
One good way to modify the water flow in the BioCubes and nano tanks is by adding a spray bar return positioned above the surface of the water to provide better surface agitation and oxygenation, which will effectively diffuse the discharge from the filter, allowing you to maintain a relatively high turnover rate without generating too much turbulence or water flow for seahorses other than the dwarf variety. For example, this is how Estefano recommends modifying BioCubes and nano tanks to make them more suitable for seahorses with regard to the water flow:
<Open quote>
I recently bought a nanocube 24 (for a different reson other than a seahorse) but here are some of the recommended upgrades I would strongly consider if I were to house seahorses in this setup...
1) skimmer - Sapphire aquatic is comming out with a very high quality venturi skimmer that fits perfectly in on of the back compartments of the biocube. check www.nanotuners.com; then click on skimmers, you will see the biocube29 skimmer there. there are others available, however this is one of the top quality skimmers out there.
2) SPRAY BARS!!! very important, all these nanocubes have very powerful pumps that are designed to turn water over 10-15 times per hour, as you may have read from previous recommendations from Pete you will know that this is not suitable for seahorses, adding spraybars (from loc-line, 1/2 inch; available at marinedepot.com) is a very good upgrade. they also have a check-valve available which you can use to slow down the water flow.
3) UV sterilizer - CADLIGHTS has created an in chamber UV steralizer I would strongly consider adding to a setup like yours. go to www.cadlights.com and click on the UV steralizer from the list, its only $55 and a really nice upgrade for your new tank.
What I would recommend you do is the following:
Go to your local fish store and buy a Mini-jet 606, These pumps have a flow controller built right into them. They are rather inexpensive and readily available in every fish store out there.
This is the link of the pump so you know what to look for...
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14665
As a long term solution you should install some spraybars, I must advice you that you will need to sand down the original nipple that comes with the biocube in order to make the spraybars fit. Its really easy and only takes 5 minutes with sanding paper.
Here are the links of the spraybars so you know what to look for...
http://www.marinedepot.com/
ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~LL1131~idCategory~FIFTLLHI~category~Loc_Line_1_2_inch_B
all_Socket_Circle_Flow_Assy_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Plumbing_Parts_Loc_Line_1_2in_~vendor~.html
and the elbow you will need to make it go across the top...
http://www.marinedepot.com/
ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~LL1123~idCategory~FIFTLLHI~category~Loc_Line_1_2_inch_B
all_Socket_90_degree_Elbow_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Plumbing_Parts_Loc_Line_1_2in_~vendor~.html
and the regulator ball-valve...
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idproduct~LL1127.html
I hope this help,
Estefano
<close quote>
So if you want to try seahorses in a 14-gallon Biocube, Lulabulla, I would suggest making the modifications outlined above and then sticking with one of the smaller Shetland pony class of seahorses, rather than the dwarf seahorses, which would be not last long in such a tank.
The "Shetland pony" category include Zulu-lulus or Cape Seahorses (Hippocampus capensis), which are temperate seahorses that require an aquarium chiller to maintain suitable temperatures, or the Black Seapony (H. fuscus), which is a tropical species that would do well at standard aquarium temperatures.
Both these species are small enough to do well in a 14-gallon aquarium, and they are both considered among the easiest of all seahorses to breed and raise. Please contact me off list (PeteGiwojna@aol.com) and let me know if you would be interested in keeping either of these species, and I will be happy to send you a species summary that explains everything you need to know about them in considerable detail.
Now, regarding your question about the macroalgae going sexual and triggering a massive die off of the whole colony (i.e., a "vegetative event"), it is lush beds of Caulerpa that are most susceptible to this phenomenon. The Halimeda, Chaetomorpha, and other macros you listed are not to risk in that regard.
You can prevent the Caulerpa from going sexual either by thinning it out regularly and harvesting old fronds, complete and intact, or by keeping it illuminated 24 hours a day, which is, of course, not practical of the Caulerpa is in your display tank.
When pruning or thinning out Caulerpa, take care not to actually cut it. Remember, you're not pruning hedges or trimming trees -- the idea is to carefully pull up and remove continuous, unbroken fronds. Simply thin out the colony of excess strands, gently plucking up convenient fronds that can be readily removed intact. A little breakage is fine, but cutting or breaking too many strands will result in leaching undesirable substances into the aquarium water as the Caulerpa's lifeblood drains away. Too much cutting or breaking can thus sap the colony's strength and cause die offs or trigger the dreaded vegetative events that judicious pruning otherwise prevents.
As an added benefit, the macroalgae act as an excellent form of natural filtration, reducing the available levels of phosphates and nitrites/nitrates. Be sure to carefully prune and thin out the fast-growing Caulerpa regularly; when you remove the excess fronds, you're exporting phosphates, nitrates and other nutrients from the tank, thereby helping to maintain good water quality, and pruning the runners helps keep it from going sexual.
If you're concerned about your ability to maintain and control of Caulerpa properly, just use a different forms of macroalgae that grows less rapidly instead and you can get the same sort of benefits at relatively little risk. In that case, some of the other macroalge you may wish to consider are Gracilaria, Ulva, Chaetomorpha, and Chlorodesmis. Hawaiian Ogo (Gracilaria sp.) are bushy red-to-brown macros that do well under low light levels. Sea Lettuce (Ulva sp.) are deep green sheets of algae that do best under a little stronger lighting. Maiden's Hair (Chlorodesmis sp.) are bright green tufts or clumps of very fine-bladed algal mats to grow attached to small rocks. All of these types of macroalgae are much less prolific and slower growing than Caulerpa. However, like all macroalgae, they should still be harvested periodically in order to export the excess nutrients they have consumed.
Aside from red and brown Gracilaria and the bright green Ulva and Maiden's Hair, some seahorse keepers also like the Chaetomorpha turf algae from. It can best be described as looking like the clumps of the colorful plastic grass we use to fill Easter baskets. It is popular because it is slow growing and doesn't require the kind of pruning that Caulerpa needs, and because it it comes loaded with microfauna: miniature feather dusters, copepods and amphipods, tiny snails and micro stars. In short, Chaetomorpha is another interesting marine plant that can add some extra variety to a lush bed of macroalgae.
Also, be sure to read the excellent online article by Anthony Calfo titled "Best Plants and Algae for Refugia -- Part II ' Vegetable Filters,' which discusses the dreaded vegetative events and how to prevent them in more detail. Copy the following URL and paste it into your web browser, and it will take you directly to the article:
http://www.reefland.com/rho/0105/main2.php
Here is a brief excerpt from an article that addresses your concerns, Lulabulla:
<open quote>
"You will hear some aquarists say that Caulerpa is the best algae for refugiums, and you will find many others that say it is the worst! How can there be such a great difference of opinion? I will tell you that both are correct. In the hands of a knowledgeable aquarist that understands the needs and dangers of Caulerpa, it can be a wonderful boon. But in the hands of the unprepared and newer aquarists, it may eventually become a disaster. Although I truly admire the beauty and effectiveness of the genus Caulerpa as decor and as a vehicle for nutrient export, I rarely recommend that it be cultured in large quantities. It's just too dangerous.
One of the biggest complaints about Caulerpa is that it is prone to sudden die-offs from stress or sexual reproduction. So many of the undesirable elements that it had absorbed into its great mass in the days and weeks prior get suddenly purged into the water during these massive, vegetative events. The shock is too great for many organisms, and aquarists have reported some catastrophic losses of display creatures after such events. Beyond any issues of toxins released, though, there is the simple fact that several kilograms of vegetable matter (the dying Caulerpa colony) are rapidly decaying in the system. The sudden proliferation of bacteria and simultaneous increase in demand for oxygen (bacterial bloom) on the decomposing colony is enough to stress or kill aquarium fishes. Ironically, this dramatic and potentially devastating disadvantage to Caulerpa is easily avoided!
There are two ways to generally reduce vegetative die-offs of Caulerpa: 1) keep it in stasis, or 2) interrupt its life cycle with strategic pruning. On the former count, "stasis" is "in layman's terms" a state whereby the Caulerpa does not get to complete its life cycle by keeping it under constant illumination (as recommended by some advocates of the mud system refugiums keepers). In practical hobby applications, Caulerpa is one of the only algae species that this can be applied to. The majority of plants and algae must have a period of respiration (day/night photoperiods). Speaking to the latter possibility for staving off die-offs, one can simply interrupt the cycle of maturity by frequent and aggressive thinning or pruning. Thinning is best as Caulerpa fronds are single cells (the largest single-celled organisms on the planet, as I recall), to cut or break a frond itself can lead to sapping of the entire cell (releasing noxious or toxic elements), or even a complete and rapid die-off of the entire colony! A patch of Caulerpa though will naturally grow many, branching fronds which naturally break and separate on their own. Take note of the older growth and thin it out of the bunch. This is best done habitually on a weekly basis with fast growth, but no longer than monthly ideally. The natural life cycle of most species of Caulerpa falls within three to six months. The goal here is to interrupt that cycle to prevent sexual reproduction
and massive die-off." <Close quote>
Best of luck finding the perfect macroalgae and seahorses for your 14-gallon Biocube, Lulabulla!
Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna
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