Re: Marine planted tanks

["Giancarlo Podio" <gp at isaconsulting_com>]

Thank you for all the info! I guess until today I too never associated
planted tanks with salt water. Well I guess it's time for me to start doing
some homework and find some sources for all these goodies. If by any chance
you know of a link or similar reference where I can find out what the
flowering SW plants are that would be awesome!

Oh yeah, about the FW Field Trip, I'm waiting for you to announce the
Philadelphia SW (sewage water) field trip :-)
I'm going to make it to one of these meetings one day, I keep trying but I
can't seem to pull it off. I have to start planning a year ahead!

Thanks for your help!

Giancarlo Podio

----- Original Message -----

  a.. To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
  b.. Subject: Re: Marine planted tanks
  c.. From: Thomas Barr <tcbiii at yahoo_com>
  d.. Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 13:46:07 -0700 (PDT)
  e.. In-reply-to: <200305081118_h48BIiMt013857 at otter.actwin.com>

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> I didn't know algae was "useful"
>or "required" in a saltwater tank nor did I know that there are
>salt water
>plants I could keep.

They are extremely useful, ask anyone that uses a Refugium/Leng
style set up. Macro algae are not required though for SW tanks.
But it'd be mainly a critter tank and not a "plant tank" then.

A number of folks want to make that distinction that a macro
algae SW tank is not a planted tank and hence off topic but I
think salinity has nothing to do with it.There are flowering
plants in SW as well, not just macroalgae. Are algae Cladophora
balls off topic here as well?

I suppose I should say "there's a Freshwater bias on this list
maintained by elitist of the APD" or something along them
lines:-)

If the focus is leafy things with Chl a, it's fair game.
Again, it depends on your goal.

> I don't mind doing the water changes, >after all I do
>them weekly on the freshwater tanks so that should not be a
>problem. I think
>I will have to join a salt water group, I have too many
>questions to ask :-)

Well, there's a little info on Caulerpa etc.. Few folks do
macros/seagrasses exclusively. But there are a few folks and few
articles out there.

>.....soooo, what kind of salt water plants are there? I've
>never seen any
>for sale

Caulerpa and Halimeda are main ones you may see for sale.
There are well over 300+ suitable species and perhaps 30
flowering plants, perhaps even more.
I am next to the Caribbean so I get my macroalgae there. We have
about 60 species around the Keys and 5-6 species of flowering
plants.

Few are offered for sale, there's this Coral bias over in the SW
groups:-)
You might be able to get some species from some folks or trade.

Macro algae does not transplant or travel very well FWIW.

>I promise that was the last salty question. Thanks for the
info!
>Giancarlo Podio

Well you can come down for the FW field trip and then head on
down to the Keys/reefs and get yourself some macro algae.

I have been happy with mine and can show you were to buy some
good substrate for these tanks for about 2.50$ for 50lb bags
also.

Sell your weeds back to the LFS for Salt or other supplies.
Good lighting is needed though, PC's fit the bill nicely.

Regards,
Tom Barr