Growing Macro Algae in the Display...No Refugium!?!

[Raindog3030]

This is one of those things that has baffled me since rejoining the hobby earlier this year. Why doesn't macro algae seem to do well in the display, despite all corals thriving?

More specifically, does a lack of red/white light deprive the macro algae of the spectrum it requires to thrive? When I started my current 20 gallon long build (build thread link in signature) I emulated my last build from 10 years ago, down to everything shy of the lighting.

10+ years ago, I decided it would be good idea to keep a chunk of chaetomorpha in my display. Pod hotel, nutrient exporter, and one more interesting thing to look at...this thing thrived for many years! This was a fairly new concept back then, when reef mud was starting to show up on shelves at the LFS and the first HOB refugiums came out.
Of course, I was poor in my college years, so a compact fluorescent light was the best thing I could get!

Now, let's fast forward to the present, where I can afford cool things I want, and now I have a pair of Kessil A360WEs hanging over this little 20 gallon long. Same thing, threw a ball of chaeto in the back where there was some good flow, but several months have passed...and no growth? The chaeto isn't dying, its very dark green actually, but there have been to visible signs of growth!

Another interesting thing to mention, is I have recently received a plug with some lettuce algae on it, and it is growing rampantly! Did I just get a bum piece of chaeto? Or am I not giving enough white light running a max color of 40% from the Kessils? I thought maybe not enough nutrients, but we feed reef roids and a cornucopia of frozen stuff as well.

All of my water parameters are well within acceptable levels, and consistently at that!

What are you experiences with macro algae in the display with live corals?

 

[cristata.reef]

I had red palm macro in my DT with my corals until I got dino (many species dinoflagellates utilize algae as a "host" if you will) from which I removed it and but it into another tank (don't worry there wasn't anything in it) And yes. since macroalgae are protists they require white but mostly red light for growth, photosynthesis, etc. If you really want macro to grow in your DT you need to have higher nitrate levels which they will uptake. I've never used chaeto because I don't like the way it breaks into tiny strands and goes all over the place, but other species like dragon's breath, red palm, or caulerpa if you can handle it and don't live in CA might do better

 

[lapin]

I too have not had much luck with chaeto. I bought some 3 months ago for my observation tank and did not see a whole lot of growth. Not much of a bio load so I didnt expect much. It was there for the pod thing. What I found grows the best for me over the years, are the other red and green matting type algae. Plus in a display tank chaeto looks like ..... compared to some of the more decorative types avail today. Get some red grape or the red stuff they call tang heaven.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

We've noticed that sea lettuce tends to grow like crazy! I'm a huge fan of Pom Pom macroalgae. It grows pretty dang fast and you can root it to a rock if you rubberband it.