You might already know this but I have a bit of a nitrate problem and it is to my inderstanding that marine plants can help. Most people use caulerpa and that what I would like but unfortunatly as far as I know there isnt any in Hawaii. Does anyone know the closest thing to it, or how to keep marine plants? I see them all the time but I worry they will just die in my tank. How do you harvest them without killing them?

You could try sea lettuce (it's green and looks like lettuce...) I forget its Hawaiian name, limu? If the sea weed starts to disintegrate, it's time to return it to the ocean. Seaweed doesn't have a root system like land plants, just a holdfast to ...hold it to the rocks or bottom... so you can gently cut it from the substrate and it should survive in the tank for awhile.

Oddly enough I'm out here helping a Limu research group. Limu is a collective term for algae. Ulva (sea lettuce) and Caulerpa are two of the many kinds found in Hawai'ian waters- for more info, explore the UH websites:

http://www.hawaii.edu/reefalgae/invasive_algae/chloro/caulerpa_taxifolia.htm

http://www.hawaii.edu/reefalgae/

I don't know if you need a permit to collect, or where you might not be allowed to collect on Oahu. In general though they're fairly hardy. Ulva attaches to shallow rocks at the base of the plant and can be pulled up in one piece. Caulerpa often sends runners through the sand or over things, although I don't know about toxifolia. Put them in a bucket of seawater and transport home. They grow fast, and need sunlight/appropriate lamps.

Cool ill keep an eye out for them. Are you in hawaii now?

Raising macroalgaes can be as much fun as keeping animals...but be sure to keep an eye on your phosphate levels.

Can marine plants be kept well with octos?

Caulerpa, the macroalgae, does just fine...since it grows fast enough to keep the octopus from totally destroying it. But, be sure to scoop out the broken bits, and keep and eye on the phosphates!!!!

Raising macroalgaes can be as much fun as keeping animals

I was going to contest this, but then I realize there are a lot of people out there who keep clams in the tanks :)

Dan

I'd put one of my beautiful blue clams up against any octo for interest and beauty. Ok, they aren't as smart...oh heck, you're right.

Some of them are very pretty. But I can't imagine they're very exciting unless you threw some naticid gastropods in with them!

Dan

We do a seaweed collection every week in summer and every fornight (or so!) in winter. Some grows just fine ($#@^!$#* Undaria aka wakame, NOT a native) but others need to be removed and replaced regularly egUlva.
J

Yesterday I went to see if the octo was where I left him. He wasnt... I had him in a sorta cooler thing which was gone. Im sure hes someone dinenr now. :( Or maybe he escaped. Who knows. The good news is I got some cool plants. Im not sure what they are though...

Heres that plant... Does anyone know what it is? Also can anyone give me some tips on keeping marine plants? Oh and sorry about that blur... Its those evil little silver fish! Ill have my revenge... If only that scorpian fish hadnt gotten out of the tank! I need carnivores... And lots of them. :evil: