Algae In Tank

[Kiseki]

Konichiwa, I want to put Maiden's Hair algae in my reef tank before I set it up. But I asked my friend first and he said that the algae can only be kept in a refugium. I plan to keep calurpa in my fuge but the maiden's hair in the main tank. My friend said the fish can eat it but then I saw that is repels fish that eat the leaves with enzymes, so I want to know if it is good with MH lighting, will it affect the corals. and will the fish/inverts eat it.
Arigato!

 

[BillyZ]

it will depend on what fish you plan on having. Having maiden's hair won't hurt your corals or any other fish in habitants. But which fish and inverts you have will determine if the hair is eaten. Tangs or sea urchins, for example, would make a quick meal of it.

HTH

(And welcome to AquariumAdvice.com )

 

[reefrunner69]

I personally have never had any luck with maidens hair, but if you research it and find out what it requires...it should be fine in the display tank, IMO.

 

[Kiseki]

The only thing that might eat the algae, I think is the cherub angelfish. And maybe the neon gobies. The only inverts that I intend to keep is peppermint, cleaner shrimp, and dwarf electric blue striped hermits. Also some sand sifting sea star.

 

[makana]

KONICHIWA AMY-
im not sure what maidens hair is but i have many species of macroalgae in my display tank. my refugium is for my DSB and Chaetomorpha sp. in the display is Codium sp., Haymenia sp., Halimeda sp., Padina sp., Penicillus sp., among others.
however, i do not keep an angelfish, tang, or any other algal grazers. i have a pajama cardinal, a tomato anemonefish, and a mandarin goby who keeps to her copepods.
i dont think the gobies, shrimp, or blue legged hermitcrabs will pose a threat to the algae but i believe the angelfish will be a problem. not with all species however.
for example, the Halimeda species are quite tough becasue tehy are literally CaCO3. im not sure but i think that calcareous algaes are the way to go for your tank

 

[Kiseki]

I have heard of Halimeda and shaving brush plant but some things I don't know. On liveaquaria.com they said that the turtle grass algae has enzymes to ward away algae eating fish.

 

[makana]

i have seen turtle grassd in "lagoons" with algae eaters so im sure that will work if you want that effect. i have "shaving brush" and Halimeda discoidea and they are both easy to keep given you add calcium, check alk, and do water changes and all that goodness.
if you want any macros let me know and well work out how to get it you out
i highly reccomend the use of Chaetomorpha and NOT caluerpa for nutrient export for sveral reasons. the biggest are: 1) the ease of harvest; 2) will not go sexual; 3) greeat for microfauna production as the Chaeto's surface area provides a habitat for them to thrive in and flourish.
if that doesnt sell you on the chaeto this will - i have a bunch of it for you for no charge. pm us.