Id please red/pink petal like macro

[vetteguy53081]

The petal part comes from one stalk for one petal. The stalk is not very distinct from petal and is kinda U shaped extending into the petal part.It is short. Usually grows in a half circle with round part pointing downwards. I have no idea where the original rock was from. It was premium live rock, the type stuff we can't get anymore. It's really hard to get a good pic of it right now as it looks like utter crap. But the one post I found online shows the base perfectly. Althought I have never seen mine grow full round. Only half rounds.

Looks like a type of Ulva or Fauchea sp. red algae

 

[Perculus]

Ideally, you'd be looking for a phycologist (an algae researcher) who specializes in (uncommon) marine rhodophytes (red algae); so a university with a phycology degree/department with a be a good place to start. Barring that, any university with a decent marine biology program could probably direct you to someone in the know.

I know Canada has a few different phycology programs, but I don't know which would be best to reach out to.

I may investigate this course of action. You have been very kind and knowledgable about all of this. Thanks.

 

[Perculus]

It wouldn't be Maripelta rotata, as that's from the East Pacific (cold/temperate water), but it could be Maripelta atlantica, which has been found in Florida's waters - a good thought.

My understanding is the recommendation to ID red algae via morphology is to focus on their reproductive structures - OP, did your algae occasionally form a single, little, ball-shaped structure on the underside of the petals (called blades)?

Maybe? I can't recall it doing something that caught my eye. It is hard to see underneath it. Once in a while a bigger blade will get nubs on it. Does not happen often and seems to travel across the whole thickness of the blade. I looked at old pics and found a far away shot of it so it's not the best picture.

 

[Perculus]

Looks like a type of Ulva or Fauchea sp. red algae

I have no idea. It is my first and only macro algea and no nothing about these things. I'm curious about general care for it though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have no idea. It is my first and only macro algea and no nothing about these things. I'm curious about general care for it though.

Most macro do well as long as the salinity is not elevated, you are not adding anything that addresses algae and dont have fish which eat algae as it then becomes salad for them

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I may investigate this course of action. You have been very kind and knowledgable about all of this. Thanks.

Happy to help and let us know how it goes if you pursue that course.

Once in a while a bigger blade will get nubs on it. Does not happen often and seems to travel across the whole thickness of the blade.

That's interesting, and would be more in line with Maripelta rotata than M. atlantica. I would need to check again tomorrow how that lines up with Meredithia nutleorum.

I have no idea. It is my first and only macro algea and no nothing about these things. I'm curious about general care for it though.

It's definitely not Ulva or Fauchea - Ulva is a green algae (both taxonomically and in actual coloration); Fauchea is a red algae taxonomically and at least sometimes color-wise as well, but a quick Google image search will show it's a a number of flattened branches that fork into more branches - it doesn't resemble what you have.

 

[Perculus]

Most macro do well as long as the salinity is not elevated, you are not adding anything that addresses algae and dont have fish which eat algae as it then becomes salad for them

Interesting. I did a lot of changes to this tank in preparation to add a few corals and the salinity was increased from 30ppt to 35ppt in the last 4 months. Along with light changes and other things. I think I will slowly reduce salinity as it is more important to me than any corals. Only dosing all for reef and now cheatogro. Fish are only clown and chromis. Hermits, astraea snails and cleaner shrimp in there as well. I don't see anyone consuming it. Snails clean it but I have looked closely and they don't seem to take bits out of it when going over.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Interesting. I did a lot of changes to this tank in preparation to add a few corals and the salinity was increased from 30ppt to 35ppt in the last 4 months. Along with light changes and other things. I think I will slowly reduce salinity as it is more important to me than any corals. Only dosing all for reef and now cheatogro. Fish are only clown and chromis. Hermits, astraea snails and cleaner shrimp in there as well. I don't see anyone consuming it. Snails clean it but I have looked closely and they don't seem to take bits out of it when going over.

35ppt is ideal

 

[Subsea]

I have no idea. It is my first and only macro algea and no nothing about these things. I'm curious about general care for it though.

I switched from Chaeto grow (inorganic) to liquid kelp concentrate (organic) which is 0.3%N. It is substantially less money and more trace elements such as copper & zinc.



@Perculus
Consider dosing silicates. My ground water is saturated with silicates, which made it easy for me to focus on sponges as both utilitarian & ornamental.

 

[Perculus]

I switched from Chaeto grow (inorganic) to liquid kelp concentrate (organic) which is 0.3%N. It is substantially less money and more trace elements such as copper & zinc.



@Perculus
Consider dosing silicates. My ground water is saturated with silicates, which made it easy for me to focus on sponges as both utilitarian & ornamental.

Thanks for the tip. I just got the botttle of cheato gro so I will use that for a bit. Do you know if stuff like this is harmful to inverts? Since putting it in I see none of my little hard tubbed feather dusters out and saw a dead one floating about yesterday. Never seen anything like this.
I have a ridiculous amount of sponges already despite the fact I used rodi water. Most undersides of rocks are just plastered in the stuff. I wonder if my ro is letting silicates go by... Maybe I'll try an ornamental one soon, they are so beautiful.

 

[mushroomtank]

Thanks for the tip. I just got the botttle of cheato gro so I will use that for a bit. Do you know if stuff like this is harmful to inverts? Since putting it in I see none of my little hard tubbed feather dusters out and saw a dead one floating about yesterday. Never seen anything like this.
I have a ridiculous amount of sponges already despite the fact I used rodi water. Most undersides of rocks are just plastered in the stuff. I wonder if my ro is letting silicates go by... Maybe I'll try an ornamental one soon, they are so beautiful.

Following along - interesting thread!