# Trying FW aquascape techniques with SW



## BruceWatts (Mar 1, 2008)

After I made the switch to SW tanks I began to miss my planted tanks so I decided to try to use what I had learned in the FW hobby and create a SW plant (mostly macro algae) tank. This is one of my attempts from 2006. 

The tank is a 37 tall and I had 2 x 65 watt PCs 1 blue and 1 white.
Filtration is a small sump with skimmer and about 12 lbs of live rock
I guess I will wait and see if anyone has any questions before listing live stock and plants.


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

looks good. 

i used to be in the saltwater/reef game but i got out of it cause it was messy =P. all the coral line and unwanted algae. planted tanks are neat and almost self sustaining(well at least for me =P) .


do you only have a clownfish?


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I really think 'scaping in SW is fabulous. Some of the macro algae are quite impressive. Not too many people try it - but what you've done looks great.


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## BruceWatts (Mar 1, 2008)

Live stock
One ocellaris clown
Neon goby
Klein's Butterfly
two peppermint shrimp
3 astrea snails
one turbo snail


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## Jeff.:P:. (Nov 20, 2007)

Im gonna have to that with my upcoming refugium/sump. :mrgreen:


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## Kookaburra (May 11, 2006)

BruceWatts said:


> The tank is a 37 tall and I had 2 x 65 watt PCs 1 blue and 1 white.


Do you know the "color temperature" of your lighting ?



> Filtration is a small sump with skimmer and about 12 lbs of live rock


Are you sure that the skimmer is absolutly necessary in order to maintain Macro-Algae ? And the "live rocks" : they take over the NO3 and the algaes need it, it's not contradictory ?
That about the filter : do you have something else that the skimmer ? I don't clearly inderstand this point ?



> I guess I will wait and see if anyone has any questions before listing live stock and plants.


I very interesting about the "Algae List "you have in your tank !
And what about fertilisation (macro-nutritiens ? Micro ? That kind ?) and water changes ? What is your schedule ?

I hope to do a tank like this during this year, so your tank is a good source of information for me :-k


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

Great work! What sort of maintenance is needed to maintain this? I'm guessing dosing ferts is required?
Aren't butterflys algae eaters?

I would love to do a tank like this, or start adding macros to some reef tanks I have access to....
but there is just about next to nothing in the way of info on how to do this I can find!


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## cholly (Jun 12, 2007)

Hmm. I dunno, I'd never recommend caulerpa for decorative purposes. Between it's monstrous growth rate, invasive holdfasts and tendency to go sexual, I've always considered it more of a tribulation than a show piece. 

Some real nice halimeda you've got going, though.

Since you're in southern california you might check your local dealers who deal in box lots of rock to see if you can find a couple pieces of live rock with sargassum growing on them. Sargassum's vertical growth would really fill in the back left nicely.


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## BruceWatts (Mar 1, 2008)

Kokaburra The lighting is a Current 30" Orbit with one 6700/10,000 bulb and one blue 420nm/460nm bulb. 
As far as the filtration goes I have three sumps with skimmers on my SW planted tanks and they seem to work fine. Live rock is pretty standard for SW tanks and it gives the macro algaes something to grow on.
I have never used any fertilizers on this tank. One of the reasons is that there are no guidelines for SW plant fertilization so I am flying by the seat of my pants here. The other reason is that anything that boosts the growth of the macro algae will also boost the growth of nuisance algae or micro algaes. It will take some time before the SW planted tanks have a set road to success like FW does in the 21st century.
This tank does have two vascular plants species Star grass and shoal grass. I will list all the plants when I get home later this evening.

Bruce


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## Kookaburra (May 11, 2006)

BruceWatts said:


> I have never used any fertilizers on this tank. One of the reasons is that there are no guidelines for SW plant fertilization so I am flying by the seat of my pants here. The other reason is that anything that boosts the growth of the macro algae will also boost the growth of nuisance algae or micro algaes. It will take some time before the SW planted tanks have a set road to success like FW does in the 21st


It's the same think in the FW Planted Tank : that boost the plants also boost the algaes ... but the Plants are the winner in the end ... Could be the same in SW Planted Tank, with "good" algaes and "bad" algaes : propably not, You wright ! 

Thanks for your information


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## Jeff.:P:. (Nov 20, 2007)

Bruce,

I hope you don't mind but I brought over your pics to our local reef club in Boston. Looks great. Check out some of the other tanks in the link.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?p=561375&posted=1#post561375










Jeff


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## BruceWatts (Mar 1, 2008)

Minsc said:


> Great work! What sort of maintenance is needed to maintain this? I'm guessing dosing ferts is required?
> Weekly water changes of about 5 gallons and scraping the glass is realy about all the maintenance I do on this tank.
> 
> Aren't butterflys algae eaters?
> ...


You have to be very careful adding macros to reef tanks as they can go crazy with the heavy lighting and become a nuisance. You are right there is not a lot of info on SW plants just like it used to be with FW, before the Optimum Aquarium book and Amano came on the scene. That is one thing I like about it is that you have to find your own way, however I am sure that the SW plant hobby will become a hit like FW because the plants are so beautiful and your color palette is very wide indeed.

Bruce


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## BruceWatts (Mar 1, 2008)

Jeff P 
I don't really mind but it would be polite if you asked first before posting. Some people might mind and then it would create bad feelings.

Bruce


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## Jeff.:P:. (Nov 20, 2007)

Sorry about that. I'll do it in the future. Thanks again.


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## BruceWatts (Mar 1, 2008)

*Plant List*

I will simply give a common name and the genus unless I am positive on the ID.

Second Photo top row left

Halimeda incrassata
Botryocladia ? sp. Red Grape
Caulerpa sp. Green Grape

Lower level from left

Chaetomorpha crassa
Red Feather ( single leaf)
Acanthophora spicifera ( purple plant)

Fore ground and middle plants
Halophila sp. Stargrass
Syringodium filiforme Manatee grass
Halodule sp. Shoal grass

3rd photo
on the rock in front
Halimeda tuna? coin or money Halimeda

Bruce


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