halimeda Control, Any tips

[Jason McK]

I have a rather large amount of Halimeda that I would rather keep a little more control over. Anyone have a good way of keeping it under control. Other than picking it by hand

Thanks
J

[marie]

My fish seem to do a good job of keeping it pruned back

[Jason McK]

Do you know what fish it is?

J

[marie]

Not real sure but it might be the regal angel she has shown a taste for things that are calcium based.

[niloc16]

i'm taggin along for this one. i love the look of halimeda and its not taking over in my tank but it would be nice to have a natural pruner for it. the tangs dont even look at it.

[Scavenger]

If it's any help, I found out by accident that about a week in the shade and you have some nice new shiny white new sand.


On a side note, after watching a few documentaries and i can't remember which one right now, they stated that a large portion of "tropical sand" is the result of dead halimeda (which absorbs calcium and turns to sand when dead) and parrot fish poop. (they eat sps, absorb the tissues and poop the calcium.)

Just thought I'd throw that in for what it's worth.

[honkey sauce]

2 yellow tangs I added eradicated my Halimeda.I m kinda glad though cause dead leaves that fell off left piles of ruble that was unsightly

[Moose]

Hey Jason I too had luck with fish in this problem rabbit fish and mag fox face those guys eat anything remotely green kinda sucks some times cause all the rock is picked so clean got any recent pics of your set up and the bubble king?

[untamed]

That's something. My Halimeda never managed to grow to a point where it became a problem.

If you really want to knock it down, you can trigger a sexual event. It used to happen to me all the time, but I'm not sure what I did to cause it.

I can't pinpoint what it was...something really minor...like a small temperature rise or a water/salinity change. Try a one or two degree temp increase for 1 day and see what happens...maybe even a change to the timing of the lights. (although I never did that...) When it goes, you'll get a 90% die off in less than 24 hours.

I never experienced any kind of ill effects of the macro "going off" and releasing all it's nutrients to the system.

[Jason McK]

Well i have a Foxface and a Cheveron. That won't touch it. I'm a little cousious of forcing a sexual event. So I think I'll just pull by hand what I don't want.

Anyone want some?

J