Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Indian Ocean and Western Atlantic Ocean.
Natural Environment: Inhabits very shallow sandy and mixed sandy-muddy substrates near mangroves and seagrass beds.
General Husbandry: Prefers bright light and gentle water movement. Besides needing a calcium level near that of Natural Seawater (NSW), about 400 ppm, it appears to do better if alkalinity is maintained between 3.5 - 4.5 meq/l or even slightly higher.
When this alkalinity range is maintained have seen these species of algae grow in my aquariums at a rate of .25 inch (.6 cm) per day. It's a good species for aquariums with grazers such as Tangs because the calcareous makeup of the plant helps keep their digestive system free of blockages. H. discoidea is another favorite.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Ulvophyceae
Order: Bryopsidales
Family: Halimedaceae
Genus: Halimeda
FYI: This calcareous species has blades/leaves that look prickly pear cactus-like and many times this 'type' alga is simply called Cactus Algae or Money Plant.
