Weeds - Page 70

Michael Hoaster · 01/25/2021, 03:08 PM

Dawn you sure know how to flatter a guy. Thanks for the kind words!

I'm liking the patch reef too, especially with it getting filled in with plants. Yes, I think Sargassum is a challenging plant. It's ironic because it washes up on beaches by the ton! I doubt I could have kept it, had it not grown out of the rock. I'm sure it would grow bigger if it was in brighter light, but I want to keep it where it is. I've optimized the placement as best I could. It grows slowly.

With the snails going nuts on my new Ulva I had to take drastic measures. I have suspended them on monofilament. This should give them a chance to grow unmolested until there's enough biomass to outpace predation. Doing this is something I said I would never do again. But it was kinda pricey and I know it would be gone by tomorrow if I didn't intervene. Here's a pic:

Isn't that lovely?! Take that, army of hungry snails!

vlangel · 01/26/2021, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Dawn you sure know how to flatter a guy. Thanks for the kind words!

I'm liking the patch reef too, especially with it getting filled in with plants. Yes, I think Sargassum is a challenging plant. It's ironic because it washes up on beaches by the ton! I doubt I could have kept it, had it not grown out of the rock. I'm sure it would grow bigger if it was in brighter light, but I want to keep it where it is. I've optimized the placement as best I could. It grows slowly.

With the snails going nuts on my new Ulva I had to take drastic measures. I have suspended them on monofilament. This should give them a chance to grow unmolested until there's enough biomass to outpace predation. Doing this is something I said I would never do again. But it was kinda pricey and I know it would be gone by tomorrow if I didn't intervene. Here's a pic:

Isn't that lovely?! Take that, army of hungry snails!

I assure you that I am completely sincere in my praise of your tank. It is really maturing beautifully.

Way to stick it to the hungry snails! We love our clean up crew until they start cleaning up something we want to keep! Well, a reefer has to do what a reefer has to do, right? Ulva grows fast if I recall correctly so hopefully you do not have to endure the solution to the hungry snails too long! LOL

Michael Hoaster · 01/26/2021, 09:24 AM

Thanks Dawn! It's great to have our little community to encourage each other. It's hard to quantify how much it adds to my enjoyment of doing this stuff, but I know it's a lot! Sure, there's not many of us these days, but I think our supportive vibe could attract new people.

So today the new Ulva intestinalis looks about the same, which is way better than gone. If I had left it on the sand there would be nothing left today! Seriously. I confess that when I looked at it this morning I hoped it had grown. Not realistic! I expect it is still adjusting to the light. I dosed a small amount of ammonia yesterday to give it a little kick. My experience with 'regular Ulva' is that it can take high light and high nutrients. I expect to see some growth soon.

I was also worried the Damsels might go after them, hanging in the middle of the tank like that. They routinely prune the Caulerpa away from their hidey holes in the back wall, which then ends up on the sand bed. So far they appear to be leaving it alone.

They just need a little time to get going, and then they should make it. Once they get well established, I'll need to figure out where to plant them permanently. Ideally, I'd eradicate the Feather Caulerpa from the tank completely, and leave the Fern (mexicana) variety to coexist with it on the back wall. Caulerpa mexicana is less invasive and I like the look of it.

vlangel · 01/26/2021, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Thanks Dawn! It's great to have our little community to encourage each other. It's hard to quantify how much it adds to my enjoyment of doing this stuff, but I know it's a lot! Sure, there's not many of us these days, but I think our supportive vibe could attract new people.

So today the new Ulva intestinalis looks about the same, which is way better than gone. If I had left it on the sand there would be nothing left today! Seriously. I confess that when I looked at it this morning I hoped it had grown. Not realistic! I expect it is still adjusting to the light. I dosed a small amount of ammonia yesterday to give it a little kick. My experience with 'regular Ulva' is that it can take high light and high nutrients. I expect to see some growth soon.

I was also worried the Damsels might go after them, hanging in the middle of the tank like that. They routinely prune the Caulerpa away from their hidey holes in the back wall, which then ends up on the sand bed. So far they appear to be leaving it alone.

They just need a little time to get going, and then they should make it. Once they get well established, I'll need to figure out where to plant them permanently. Ideally, I'd eradicate the Feather Caulerpa from the tank completely, and leave the Fern (mexicana) variety to coexist with it on the back wall. Caulerpa mexicana is less invasive and I like the look of it.

I am sure the ulva will be great once it settles and acclimates. I am glad that the damsels do not seem interested in it. That would be very tricky to keep them away!

I agree that this particular community engaged in the macro algae and seagrass add so much to my reef experience. I have benefited tremendously by the experience of others on here, including you.

And to think that I was intimidated when I first read your v1 thread. I lurked forever because I didn't know much about macros and nothing about seagrass.

To any other potential lurkers, I pronounce these aquarist to be among the most friendly, helpful and least contentious folks that I have met on reef forums!

Back to your tank, I have never tried caulerpa mexicana but have been tempted to get some from gulf coast ecosystems. I will have to study your back wall closer to see the difference in it and the feather. Being less invasive would be wonderful compared to the feather caulerpa.

Michael Hoaster · 01/26/2021, 02:33 PM

Yep, if the damsels decide to pick on them, they'll likely perish. It's possible they then could plant themselves randomly around the tank (like the Caulerpa does), but then they're susceptible to the snails again.

It's been a real pleasure having you around, Dawn! To any lurkers, it doesn't matter if you know nothing about seaweeds. Ask any question you can think of. I'd be delighted to answer.

I like the way mexicana looks - almost fake, which goes well with my weirder-the-better plant theme. It doesn't grow as fast as the feather stuff, but it's still Caulerpa. It makes for a great export medium, like Chaeto or Ulva, so it could be a good fit for your fuge.

ThePurple12 · 01/28/2021, 05:08 PM

How much are yellow tangs now at the LFS? I haven't been to mine in a while. I heard since the Hawaii ban on aquarium collecting, the price has shot up. Apparently Liveaquaria was selling one for $500 on Diver's Den??

vlangel · 01/28/2021, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePurple12

How much are yellow tangs now at the LFS? I haven't been to mine in a while. I heard since the Hawaii ban on aquarium collecting, the price has shot up. Apparently Liveaquaria was selling one for $500 on Diver's Den??

Whoa, that is some serious dough! They are striking but not $500 worth, or at least that is too rich for my blood. I guess I am glad that my tank is too small anyway.

vlangel · 01/28/2021, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Yep, if the damsels decide to pick on them, they'll likely perish. It's possible they then could plant themselves randomly around the tank (like the Caulerpa does), but then they're susceptible to the snails again.

It's been a real pleasure having you around, Dawn! To any lurkers, it doesn't matter if you know nothing about seaweeds. Ask any question you can think of. I'd be delighted to answer.

I like the way mexicana looks - almost fake, which goes well with my weirder-the-better plant theme. It doesn't grow as fast as the feather stuff, but it's still Caulerpa. It makes for a great export medium, like Chaeto or Ulva, so it could be a good fit for your fuge.

Maybe a plant oriented birthday present is in order.

Michael Hoaster · 01/28/2021, 08:18 PM

Then captive bred tangs are cheaper now. Hopefully this will push the industry to fully convert to captive bred.

Happy Birthday!

ThePurple12 · 01/28/2021, 08:59 PM

That would be great!

Michael Hoaster · 01/28/2021, 09:55 PM

My new Ulva Intestinalis still lives! That's a new longevity record for me. What is it now 3, 4 days? Believe it or not, the day after suspending it, I came in to check on them in the morning, and some had snails! Apparently, they were able to hitch a ride on some of the taller seagrasses and managed to get onto the Ulva. I even thought of that possibility, but discounted it because as they get higher on the blade, it sinks lower in the tank. Resourceful little buggers! So I've added a snail check to my morning routine. Hooray!

Oh, and my Iron finally arrived, after it's two week journey. So I added some to the tank. I'm really hoping for improved colors in my red macros. It'd be nice if the Hypnea turned blue too.

This weekend I'll go over my sand bed with a fine tooth comb to remove any Caulerpa stragglers that will have inevitably popped up.

ThePurple12 · 01/28/2021, 10:02 PM

I wonder how intelligent snails actually are. Apparently more than we give them credit for!

Michael Hoaster · 01/28/2021, 10:08 PM

Good point! Apparently they can smell stuff, as evidenced by nassarius snails emerging from the sand at feeding time. So they must be able to track down preferred food. But climbing seagrasses to get to Ulva seems a bit of a stretch. It seems more random chance to me, but who knows!

ThePurple12 · 01/28/2021, 10:16 PM

You're probably right, it seems like snails just wander around eating algae wherever they go. But yep, who knows!

vlangel · 01/29/2021, 10:49 AM

Really, how big can their brain be, ha ha! (Maybe that logic is flawed however. My head is a whole lot bigger than a squirrel's and yet they have outwitted me at my bird feeders for years!). They (the snails) must have some sensory devise in their make up that directs to food sources. It's both fascinating and frustrating, LOL.

Michael Hoaster · 01/29/2021, 11:43 AM

Surely they know how to find food, but figuring out that climbing a seagrass blade to get to it seems iffy. I think they get into position by chance, smell the delicious Ulva, then make the transfer when they bump up against it. Best guess! My niece was quick to point out that my fish are smarter than me. If Blue Whales have a brain the size of a VW bus, why don't THEY rule the world?

Michael Hoaster · 01/29/2021, 06:59 PM

I snuck a little obsessive-compulsive weeding in today, getting all the Caulerpa stragglers off the sand bed. I also removed the remaining small patches of cyanobacteria. Went ahead and snapped a pic.

Seymour the beige-colored Sea Cucumber ventured out into the bright light to lend a hand. The white things in the center are the suspended dead coral pieces with the Ulva tied to them. I'm almost tempted to prune the seagrasses all to the same height. I'm not crazy about all the varying lengths. It's purely an aesthetic choice. Too vain?

ThePurple12 · 01/29/2021, 09:57 PM

BRILLIANT!

On trimming the grasses to the same height, I think it could look great. I might do it myself. Some of those stunning freshwater planted tanks come to mind.

Michael Hoaster · 01/29/2021, 10:36 PM

Ha ha! I might! I could certainly come up with other good excuses to do it, not the least of which would be to protect the Ulva from the voracious snails. Even though I'm removing them every morning, the Ulva is loosing ground. Calcium precipitate on the blades is another good excuse.

Downsides? At first, it won't look as good, with all the blades shorter. And who knows how even they will grow back? That could be an interesting experiment. The fish would have more open water column to swim in. Hmm…I'll think about it.

I'm not seeing much improvement in the macros' coloring, since the new Iron dose. I'll give it a few more days. With the huge Caulerpa biomass, it may take a little more to move the needle.

vlangel · 01/30/2021, 09:42 AM

I love the pic! I rather like the varying lengths of seagrass because it looks natural. Of course I do not appreciate the natural look in my lawn and definitely prefer the manicured mowed look. And like a haircut, if you don't like it, it will always grow back.

Seymour is pretty big. I was comparing him to the damsels. He looks to be twice their size.

Michael Hoaster · 01/30/2021, 10:30 AM

Thanks Dawn. I appreciate an apposing point of view. I agree. It's just that I have these patches of tall grasses, rather than a mixture of blade lengths throughout that's bugging me. I actually need to do some transplanting, as there are numerous grasses growing too close to the back wall, and mingling with the Caulerpa. Maybe I should do that first, then see how it looks. At the minimum, I'd like to get rid of the 'snail elevator', so the Ulva intestinalis can thrive. Again this morning I had to remove snails from them, and they're gradually losing ground. It's annoying to lose a battle with tiny snails.

I'll give it some more thought.

ThePurple12 · 01/30/2021, 02:12 PM

Michael, what about taking a small, snail-free piece of Ulva and putting it in a container with light and nutrients to act as a backup?

Michael Hoaster · 01/30/2021, 05:38 PM

That's not a bad option, ThePurple12. Thanks for the suggestion! Let me marinate on it.

For now, I'm liking the idea of moving some of the grasses around and perhaps pruning them down to even out their height.

After referring to themarineplantbook.com, I found that Galaxaura likes bright light. So I'm going to need to move some of them. I'll likely put them all on the left side on the patch reef, where the light is brightest. I've already moved my light a little to the right to give them more light. Hopefully that'll be enough. Heaven forbid I should move red plants into the green zone! That's not part of the vision!

Michael Hoaster · 01/30/2021, 07:35 PM

Thought I'd snap some more pics to show the new adjustments to the patch reef plants.

This has a kind of Secret Garden feel to it. I made a slight adjustment to the Halymenia at bottom right.

Patch reef overview. Lots of room for more plants in front and right side.

Three of the four Galaxaura and some Botriocladia looking nice and red. The fourth Galaxaura is behind the one at top.

Halymenia and Sargassum with growing beige sponge bottom center.

Closer shot of the Galaxaura. Hypnea at bottom right that I wish would color up.

Grasilaria and Sargassum. Since I moved the light closer to them, maybe the Sargassum will grow taller.

Nice variation of red tones. I'm curious how these will change with the change in light.

I hope the Galaxaura like their new location in brighter light.

Okay, this is my favorite of the batch! I love how the cool tones of the live rock bring out the reds.

ThePurple12 · 01/30/2021, 08:32 PM

I like the adjustments. Do you know the name of that tall, red, Gracilaria-looking plant in the back? I think I have the same thing, but don't know what it's called.

Maybe the Hypnea would color up if you moved it to a brighter location? I remember in V1 you had a ton of brilliant blue Hypnea among the seagrass. Just a guess of course.

01/25/2021, 03:08 PM	#1726
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Dawn you sure know how to flatter a guy. Thanks for the kind words! I'm liking the patch reef too, especially with it getting filled in with plants. Yes, I think Sargassum is a challenging plant. It's ironic because it washes up on beaches by the ton! I doubt I could have kept it, had it not grown out of the rock. I'm sure it would grow bigger if it was in brighter light, but I want to keep it where it is. I've optimized the placement as best I could. It grows slowly. With the snails going nuts on my new Ulva I had to take drastic measures. I have suspended them on monofilament. This should give them a chance to grow unmolested until there's enough biomass to outpace predation. Doing this is something I said I would never do again. But it was kinda pricey and I know it would be gone by tomorrow if I didn't intervene. Here's a pic: Isn't that lovely?! Take that, army of hungry snails! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/26/2021, 09:24 AM	#1728
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Thanks Dawn! It's great to have our little community to encourage each other. It's hard to quantify how much it adds to my enjoyment of doing this stuff, but I know it's a lot! Sure, there's not many of us these days, but I think our supportive vibe could attract new people. So today the new Ulva intestinalis looks about the same, which is way better than gone. If I had left it on the sand there would be nothing left today! Seriously. I confess that when I looked at it this morning I hoped it had grown. Not realistic! I expect it is still adjusting to the light. I dosed a small amount of ammonia yesterday to give it a little kick. My experience with 'regular Ulva' is that it can take high light and high nutrients. I expect to see some growth soon. I was also worried the Damsels might go after them, hanging in the middle of the tank like that. They routinely prune the Caulerpa away from their hidey holes in the back wall, which then ends up on the sand bed. So far they appear to be leaving it alone. They just need a little time to get going, and then they should make it. Once they get well established, I'll need to figure out where to plant them permanently. Ideally, I'd eradicate the Feather Caulerpa from the tank completely, and leave the Fern (mexicana) variety to coexist with it on the back wall. Caulerpa mexicana is less invasive and I like the look of it. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/26/2021, 02:33 PM	#1730
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Yep, if the damsels decide to pick on them, they'll likely perish. It's possible they then could plant themselves randomly around the tank (like the Caulerpa does), but then they're susceptible to the snails again. It's been a real pleasure having you around, Dawn! To any lurkers, it doesn't matter if you know nothing about seaweeds. Ask any question you can think of. I'd be delighted to answer. I like the way mexicana looks - almost fake, which goes well with my weirder-the-better plant theme. It doesn't grow as fast as the feather stuff, but it's still Caulerpa. It makes for a great export medium, like Chaeto or Ulva, so it could be a good fit for your fuge. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/28/2021, 08:18 PM	#1734
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Then captive bred tangs are cheaper now. Hopefully this will push the industry to fully convert to captive bred. Happy Birthday! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/28/2021, 09:55 PM	#1736
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	My new Ulva Intestinalis still lives! That's a new longevity record for me. What is it now 3, 4 days? Believe it or not, the day after suspending it, I came in to check on them in the morning, and some had snails! Apparently, they were able to hitch a ride on some of the taller seagrasses and managed to get onto the Ulva. I even thought of that possibility, but discounted it because as they get higher on the blade, it sinks lower in the tank. Resourceful little buggers! So I've added a snail check to my morning routine. Hooray! Oh, and my Iron finally arrived, after it's two week journey. So I added some to the tank. I'm really hoping for improved colors in my red macros. It'd be nice if the Hypnea turned blue too. This weekend I'll go over my sand bed with a fine tooth comb to remove any Caulerpa stragglers that will have inevitably popped up. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/28/2021, 05:08 PM	#1731
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	How much are yellow tangs now at the LFS? I haven't been to mine in a while. I heard since the Hawaii ban on aquarium collecting, the price has shot up. Apparently Liveaquaria was selling one for $500 on Diver's Den??

01/28/2021, 08:59 PM	#1735
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	That would be great!

01/28/2021, 10:02 PM	#1737
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	I wonder how intelligent snails actually are. Apparently more than we give them credit for!

01/28/2021, 10:08 PM	#1738
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Good point! Apparently they can smell stuff, as evidenced by nassarius snails emerging from the sand at feeding time. So they must be able to track down preferred food. But climbing seagrasses to get to Ulva seems a bit of a stretch. It seems more random chance to me, but who knows! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/28/2021, 10:16 PM	#1739
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	You're probably right, it seems like snails just wander around eating algae wherever they go. But yep, who knows!

01/29/2021, 10:49 AM	#1740
vlangel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2,409	Really, how big can their brain be, ha ha! (Maybe that logic is flawed however. My head is a whole lot bigger than a squirrel's and yet they have outwitted me at my bird feeders for years!). They (the snails) must have some sensory devise in their make up that directs to food sources. It's both fascinating and frustrating, LOL. __________________ Genesis 1:20 - Current Tank Info: A 56 gallon naural nutrient macro reef that flows into a 30 gallon fuge with macros/seagrass that flows into a 20 gallon sump.

01/29/2021, 11:43 AM	#1741
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Surely they know how to find food, but figuring out that climbing a seagrass blade to get to it seems iffy. I think they get into position by chance, smell the delicious Ulva, then make the transfer when they bump up against it. Best guess! My niece was quick to point out that my fish are smarter than me. If Blue Whales have a brain the size of a VW bus, why don't THEY rule the world? __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/29/2021, 06:59 PM	#1742
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	I snuck a little obsessive-compulsive weeding in today, getting all the Caulerpa stragglers off the sand bed. I also removed the remaining small patches of cyanobacteria. Went ahead and snapped a pic. Seymour the beige-colored Sea Cucumber ventured out into the bright light to lend a hand. The white things in the center are the suspended dead coral pieces with the Ulva tied to them. I'm almost tempted to prune the seagrasses all to the same height. I'm not crazy about all the varying lengths. It's purely an aesthetic choice. Too vain? __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/29/2021, 09:57 PM	#1743
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	BRILLIANT! On trimming the grasses to the same height, I think it could look great. I might do it myself. Some of those stunning freshwater planted tanks come to mind.

01/29/2021, 10:36 PM	#1744
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Ha ha! I might! I could certainly come up with other good excuses to do it, not the least of which would be to protect the Ulva from the voracious snails. Even though I'm removing them every morning, the Ulva is loosing ground. Calcium precipitate on the blades is another good excuse. Downsides? At first, it won't look as good, with all the blades shorter. And who knows how even they will grow back? That could be an interesting experiment. The fish would have more open water column to swim in. Hmm…I'll think about it. I'm not seeing much improvement in the macros' coloring, since the new Iron dose. I'll give it a few more days. With the huge Caulerpa biomass, it may take a little more to move the needle. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/30/2021, 09:42 AM	#1745
vlangel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2,409	I love the pic! I rather like the varying lengths of seagrass because it looks natural. Of course I do not appreciate the natural look in my lawn and definitely prefer the manicured mowed look. And like a haircut, if you don't like it, it will always grow back. Seymour is pretty big. I was comparing him to the damsels. He looks to be twice their size. __________________ Genesis 1:20 - Current Tank Info: A 56 gallon naural nutrient macro reef that flows into a 30 gallon fuge with macros/seagrass that flows into a 20 gallon sump.

01/30/2021, 10:30 AM	#1746
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Thanks Dawn. I appreciate an apposing point of view. I agree. It's just that I have these patches of tall grasses, rather than a mixture of blade lengths throughout that's bugging me. I actually need to do some transplanting, as there are numerous grasses growing too close to the back wall, and mingling with the Caulerpa. Maybe I should do that first, then see how it looks. At the minimum, I'd like to get rid of the 'snail elevator', so the Ulva intestinalis can thrive. Again this morning I had to remove snails from them, and they're gradually losing ground. It's annoying to lose a battle with tiny snails. I'll give it some more thought. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/30/2021, 02:12 PM	#1747
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	Michael, what about taking a small, snail-free piece of Ulva and putting it in a container with light and nutrients to act as a backup?

01/30/2021, 05:38 PM	#1748
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	That's not a bad option, ThePurple12. Thanks for the suggestion! Let me marinate on it. For now, I'm liking the idea of moving some of the grasses around and perhaps pruning them down to even out their height. After referring to themarineplantbook.com, I found that Galaxaura likes bright light. So I'm going to need to move some of them. I'll likely put them all on the left side on the patch reef, where the light is brightest. I've already moved my light a little to the right to give them more light. Hopefully that'll be enough. Heaven forbid I should move red plants into the green zone! That's not part of the vision! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/30/2021, 07:35 PM	#1749
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Thought I'd snap some more pics to show the new adjustments to the patch reef plants. This has a kind of Secret Garden feel to it. I made a slight adjustment to the Halymenia at bottom right. Patch reef overview. Lots of room for more plants in front and right side. Three of the four Galaxaura and some Botriocladia looking nice and red. The fourth Galaxaura is behind the one at top. Halymenia and Sargassum with growing beige sponge bottom center. Closer shot of the Galaxaura. Hypnea at bottom right that I wish would color up. Grasilaria and Sargassum. Since I moved the light closer to them, maybe the Sargassum will grow taller. Nice variation of red tones. I'm curious how these will change with the change in light. I hope the Galaxaura like their new location in brighter light. Okay, this is my favorite of the batch! I love how the cool tones of the live rock bring out the reds. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/30/2021, 08:32 PM	#1750
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	I like the adjustments. Do you know the name of that tall, red, Gracilaria-looking plant in the back? I think I have the same thing, but don't know what it's called. Maybe the Hypnea would color up if you moved it to a brighter location? I remember in V1 you had a ton of brilliant blue Hypnea among the seagrass. Just a guess of course.