Impulse purchase - what should I do with it?

[sueandherzoo]

OK, I'll fess up - I have no good reason for having bought this except that I was sick of walking out of the LFS empty-handed. My 12-gallon nano has been up and running for over two weeks now and this weekend I will be picking up my first real inhabitants, a pistol shrimp and a shrimp goby. In the meantime I have been walking up and down the aisles of the LFS drooling and learning and tonight I couldn't resist - I bought a bunch of macro-algae not evening knowing what it is, what it's good for, or what I'm going to do with it! It was pretty cheap, looks somewhat attractive, and it allowed me to finally walk out of there with something in water! Pretty pathetic, I know.
So now I'm on here trying to learn what I bought and what to do with it. I kinda assumed since it was called "algae" it would help feed my snails and crabs since the tank is so spotless I fear they are starving to death, but now I wonder if it's really something they eat or if it's for the filtration and maintenance of my tank? Or is it more for sumps and refugeum (sp?) and stuff? Here's a pic - what should I do with it? I'm not putting it in the tank till someone here tells me it's OK to do. I may have BOUGHT on impulse but I won't plant on impulse!

 

[zilly]

I cant help you, but thanx for the great story!

 

[markeo99]

it is gracilara sure I didnt spell it right it is prob full of pods but it requires nutrients to live nitrates and such so dont add very much if you dont have nutes or it will die and crash

 

[sueandherzoo]

After reading several of the macro-algae posts on here I think I found it: is it Gracilaria pacifica? If so, my impulse purchase may have not been as stupid as I thought!
Glad you liked my post, Zilly, I'm guessing that you're a newbie too and am experiencing similar impatience? LOL
Thanks for the heads-up, Marke.... if it starts to not do well maybe I'll take it to the LFS when I go pick up my goby and shrimp and see if he'll give me some credit for it.
In the meantime, do I just stick this under my live rock? How does one "plant" macro-algae?
Geez I hate not knowing what I'm doing but I love learning this stuff!
Sue

 

[markeo99]

I just threw it in my fuge sorry

 

[spiderwoman]

Does your nany have a built in skimmer and sump chamber?

 

[sueandherzoo]

No, I don't have one of the bio-cube nano's, mine is the Marineland Instant Ocean. It has the built in pump/filter/charcoal filter pad/biowheel, etc.
If I can successfully manage the water in a 12-gallon and if I get addicted to the hobby (as if there is any "if" there!) then I will upgrade to a much larger tank and set up for Christmas, AFTER having learned all I need to know from this forum.
It's actually rather attractive "seaweed" and would look nice with the live rock.... can I just stick it under a piece?
Sue

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by SueAndHerZoo
http:///forum/post/2736090
OK, I'll fess up - I have no good reason for having bought this except that I was sick of walking out of the LFS empty-handed. My 12-gallon nano has been up and running for over two weeks now and this weekend I will be picking up my first real inhabitants, a pistol shrimp and a shrimp goby. In the meantime I have been walking up and down the aisles of the LFS drooling and learning and tonight I couldn't resist - I bought a bunch of macro-algae not evening knowing what it is, what it's good for, or what I'm going to do with it! It was pretty cheap, looks somewhat attractive, and it allowed me to finally walk out of there with something in water! Pretty pathetic, I know.
So now I'm on here trying to learn what I bought and what to do with it. I kinda assumed since it was called "algae" it would help feed my snails and crabs since the tank is so spotless I fear they are starving to death, but now I wonder if it's really something they eat or if it's for the filtration and maintenance of my tank? Or is it more for sumps and refugeum (sp?) and stuff? Here's a pic - what should I do with it? I'm not putting it in the tank till someone here tells me it's OK to do. I may have BOUGHT on impulse but I won't plant on impulse!

Good story

. This made me laugh. Just thought it funny that of all the things one might impulse buy at the LFS you picked a plant. Good thing it was not a fish...that usually does not end up favorable. I get very excited anytime I pick up something new even after years of the hobby, so I know the feeling...Don't care what it is...it's NEW!!...and I bet you have spent a fair amount of time looking at that green ball just sittin' there

. This hobby is great

.

 

[sueandherzoo]

That's why I'm still so very proud of myself! Of all the other things that were just screaming for me to take them home, I kept chanting that I had to be a big girl about this and wait till my water was PERFECT before bringing in a fish. I have NEVER had patience so I'm hoping that this hobby will force me to learn some - it has to have some benefits besides being fascinating, especially for the price! So this was the perfecdt compromise - I got to walk out with something "new" for the tank and I'm not jeapordizing any fish life. I may kill this seaweed but that I can live with.

 

[mkzimms]

hah i know the feeling you guys. even with a two fully stocked tanks i cant leave the LFS without something in hand. even if they have nothing i want i will still pick up a snail or two just to get the adding something to the tank rush.

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by SueAndHerZoo
http:///forum/post/2736174
That's why I'm still so very proud of myself! Of all the other things that were just screaming for me to take them home, I kept chanting that I had to be a big girl about this and wait till my water was PERFECT before bringing in a fish. I have NEVER had patience so I'm hoping that this hobby will force me to learn some - it has to have some benefits besides being fascinating, especially for the price! So this was the perfecdt compromise - I got to walk out with something "new" for the tank and I'm not jeapordizing any fish life. I may kill this seaweed but that I can live with.
To an extent it will facilitate in the building of patience, but just wait until your first tank is fully stocked and you can't put anything else new in. Patience goes right out the window and suddenly you have a fish tank in every room of your house

. If your anything like me you will purposely overstock so you can justify the new tank to your better half.

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by mkzimms
http:///forum/post/2736189
hah i know the feeling you guys. even with a two fully stocked tanks i cant leave the LFS without something in hand. even if they have nothing i want i will still pick up a snail or two just to get the adding something to the tank rush.

...I usually end up with something lame like a container of PH buffer I don't need. Snails are a much better idea.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/2736214
To an extent it will facilitate in the building of patience, but just wait until your first tank is fully stocked and you can't put anything else new in. Patience goes right out the window and suddenly you have a fish tank in every room of your house

. If your anything like me you will purposely overstock so you can justify the new tank to your better half.
Oooohhhhhh great idea - thanks! He'd never be able to just stand by and watch me anguish over the poor fish who are overcrowded through no fault of their own. The sadness and guilt would make me a very unpleasant companion.

 

[reefkprz]

gaccilaria it is. it will need moderatly high light and medium flow to survive. it is often used as a nutrient exporter in fuges. tangs love it crabs and snails wont touch it. it may be difficult for you too keep alive, many people have a hard time growing it. it need a moderate wave style flow to be happy as opposed to a laminar flow, most sumps are under lit to keep this species alive, it will do well in a DT that has NO herbiverous fish and has the lighting to maintain corals.
the storyy was definatly amusing better an algae than a fish your not positive your ready for.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Thanks for the confirmation of what my impulse buy is. I'm actually very pleased with it - for some reason it doesn't float to the top like I assumed it would, it's pretty much staying where I stick it and it looks rather attractive. And even though you're right in that the snails and crabs didn't seem too interested, there is one in there who grabbed a stray branch of it and was tugging and chomping and chewing on it when I left for work this morning. Maybe he was absent the day the crabs learned they don't like this algae.

I guess I have a 50/50 shot of it living in the display tank. Not sure if the standard flow and lighting will be enough for it to live but if it doesn't, at least it will have kept me amused until my shrimp and goby arrive. I can still live with myself if I kill a plant.... killing a fish would be an entirely different matter.
I need a good excuse to go to the LFS again tonight - I'm having withdrawals. Anyone have any I can borrow?

 

[subielover]

Out of curiosity how many watts of light does your tank have?

 

[sueandherzoo]

I wish I knew! Since the Marineland Instant Ocean Eclipse is a self-contained beginner kit it doesn't really list any specifics anywhere. I didn't see any description of the light on the box or in the manual (except that it's a 50/50) so I just tried doing some searches on the internet to see if I could get a clue. I think their original "Eclipse" 12 gallon had a plain fluorescent light but somewhere along the line they upgraded to a 50/50, still don't know the wattage though. When I bought the kit at the LFS there were two boxes on the shelf - they looked just about identical except that one said "now featuring 50/50 lighting" so I took that one.
If you find out how powerful my light is, please let me know.

Sue

 

[reefkprz]

post a picture of the fixture and bulb.
never mind looked it up its a stock 9w-13w bulb its crap, dont put any corals under it.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Thanks for finding me the info.... I just did a search on this forum and found someone else who has this kit and they list it as a 13 watt 50/50 but you already know that.
No, I won't attempt to put anything in this tank that requires good lighting. This is my "experiment with salt water" tank. If I get hooked on it like I assume I will, I will be upgrading to a bigger and better system and turn this kit into a QT.
Thanks!
Sue

 

[reefkprz]

your welcome