Anyone have luck growing gracilaria?

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by jdameli1, Aug 29, 2011.

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  1. jdameli1

    jdameli1 Torch Coral

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    My tanga love love love it and when they eat mainly gracilariathey get such a great looking color and appearance. But my Lfs sells it for like $20 a pound.

    I tried growing it with zero success in the refugium with zero luck. Does anyone grow it? And is there something special I should do?
     
    jdameli1, Aug 29, 2011
    jdameli1, Aug 29, 2011
    #1

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  2. Magnett2

    Magnett2 Coral Banded Shrimp

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    Magnett2, Aug 29, 2011
    Magnett2, Aug 29, 2011
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  3. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    Some of the tangs we get in at the store are quite expensive so I wanted to grow Ogo myself to save money. I've tried and failed many times. I just gave up and whenever a sensitive tang or expensive tang that takes a little time to get to eat, I just order the Ogo in even though it's very costly. I've tried dosing Iron, I've tried higher nitrates, I've tried different lighting spectrums, I've tried dosing Iodine.
     
    inwall75, Aug 29, 2011
    inwall75, Aug 29, 2011
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  4. Magnett2

    Magnett2 Coral Banded Shrimp

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    Magnett2, Aug 29, 2011
    Magnett2, Aug 29, 2011
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  5. whippy

    whippy Sailfin Tang

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    I couldn't get it to grow well when I tried eithert. I'd tried everything but I just couldn't make it happen.
     
    whippy, Aug 29, 2011
    whippy, Aug 29, 2011
    #5
  6. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    inwall75, Aug 29, 2011
    inwall75, Aug 29, 2011
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  7. SAY

    SAY Ocellaris Clown

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    it might be fun to see if i can grow this for my tangs.
     
    SAY, Aug 29, 2011
    SAY, Aug 29, 2011
    #7
  8. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    Just so you know. It's expensive to experiment with. When I got to the $150 mark (at wholesale prices), I gave up. I'm willing to give it one more shot with a lot more flow but if that fails, I quit forever. LOL
     
    inwall75, Aug 29, 2011
    inwall75, Aug 29, 2011
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  9. Dingo

    Dingo Giant Squid

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    I have grown it successfully in my fuge before i took it down.

    The only place I could get it to grow was in VERY HIGH flow... like im talking attached to a powerhead and in constant movement. mine literally grew onto my powerhead, rooted there, and loved it! The enemy of a lot of these macros are copepods so you must keep the flow too high for them to settle on it and destroy it.

    Good luck inwall... and remember, right in front of or even allow it to attach to a powerhead!
     
    Dingo, Aug 29, 2011
    Dingo, Aug 29, 2011
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  10. SAY

    SAY Ocellaris Clown

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    i can beleive it. i think i will buy a handful of the algae and give it just one shot. i will try to give up well before the $150 mark. :)
     
    SAY, Aug 29, 2011
    SAY, Aug 29, 2011
    #10
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