marine plant of the moment: Halimeda

reefkprz

Active Member
there are at least 38 different species of halimeda if not more.
so we shall cover Halimeda discoidea
the nickname coin plant is kind of obvious as it looks like a bunch of ancient beaten metal coins stacked end for end. it also looks like christmas cactus's rough around the edges cousin, leading to another nickname cactus algae
this is a fast growing macro algae in ideal conditions it can Easily add a new disk every day. it is a high consumer of calcium and is reputed as one of the largest reefbuiling organisms in the ocean even (debateably) more so that stony corals.
the calcium carbonate build up in its thallus (body) makes this plant inedible to most herbivorous fish. so if you want an algae in your display tank and your tang eats all of the ones you have tried so far it most likely wont eat this one. it is also reputed to be mildly toxic (the accuracy of this I cannot verify).
this algae loves light, often times if a bush of halimeda gets over large the internal parts will be white from lack of light the calcium content is quite apparant then. also at night when it stops photosyntesizing it will "bleach out" only to return to its green color after a few minutes of the lights being on.
Phosphates are atcually reputed to inhibit the growth of this plant but its origins are high nutrient waters, however it is dependant on calcium and phosphates are known to inhibit the growth or being deletorious to many calcium requiring organisms including corals and coraline algae.
WARNING: This plant will not handle excessive pruning, you can prune it a little at a time but if you go and rip it apart like you can do to caulerpa or cheato it WILL die back. prune gently.
 

slim

Member
I wish mine would die!!! I pull and rip but it keeps comming back. It hitched hiked on a frag I picked up at a LFS. It's as bad as GSP!!!
Will
 

scopus tang

Active Member
Originally Posted by slim
http:///forum/post/2607525
I wish mine would die!!! I pull and rip but it keeps comming back. It hitched hiked on a frag I picked up at a LFS. It's as bad as GSP!!!
Will
Will are you talking about this macroalgae?

I can't imagine it being hard to get rid of, usually its hard to keep. Very slow spreader and usually easily removed by pulling it off of whatever rock its growing on. Mine is "rooted" in the sandbed, and is easily pulled up.
 

slim

Member
It looks like it...It has covered the frag of Zoa's it came on and they have suffered. I will try and get a pic later this weekend. It's the "rooted" part that stays on the rock and regrows and spreads to other locations later. It also cuts down on my Alk and Ca so I need to add more. I hate the stuff!!!
Will
 
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