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Chara sp.


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#1 Guest_UncleWillie_*

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Posted 20 September 2009 - 09:23 PM

My folks' 3 acre pond has finally had a somewhat normal water level this year after having years of drought. With it came a lot of aquatic veg (I tiny bit of Ludwigia, a bit of Potamageton around the edges), but Chara has gotten a bit out of hand. Most of the shallows are covered in massive beds.

I know this is an algae, but I was wondering if anyone has kept this in aquaria. I am not getting much info on the net, and was wondering if anyone had first-hand experience.
It is quite attractive in the smaller clumps. I may try to harvest some before winter die-off, but don't want it fouling up my tank if it doesn't do well in aquaria.

PS. If anyone wants some, let me know - I'm not in short supply :laugh:
If you like hornwort, but hate that it doesn't anchor, maybe you could try this stuff (if you don't mind the mild odor). Maybe it'd make a great refuge for fry in outdoor tubs? It was covered in all kinds of inverts, esp dragonflys.

Here is how it looks when out of control:
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ADDED: Sorry for no underwater pics. I didn't think about that til after I had mucked up the water while removing it.

Edited by UncleWillie, 20 September 2009 - 09:26 PM.


#2 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 11:22 AM

I was thinking about Chara just the other day! I haven't kept it, but I have read the following: high phosphates are damaging, high pH and alkalinity are preferred, generally prefers low light. It tends to calcify, but I don't know what level of calcium carbonate (if any) is necessary for it to grow.

#3 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 11:51 AM

I was thinking about Chara just the other day! I haven't kept it, but I have read the following: high phosphates are damaging, high pH and alkalinity are preferred, generally prefers low light. It tends to calcify, but I don't know what level of calcium carbonate (if any) is necessary for it to grow.


I was too! How funny... I only know that it needs hard water with calcium. I might take you up on your offer, though, as I've thought about this species off and on for several years.

#4 Guest_Jim_*

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 01:46 PM

Thats not a bad lookin plant to me :) whats its growth rate in an aquarium ?? i dont seem to have any luck with hornwort, it seems to be doing ok the just goes to mush, what a mess, i do know that while that hornwort is doing good the fish love it and my water always seems to be of better quality. Or so it seems :)

#5 Guest_UncleWillie_*

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 04:10 PM

Thanks for the replies! Now that I think about it, it is growing in the places that have light for most of the day, but is the thickest (dense and tall) in the areas that get direct light for only the first half of the daylight hours. This could be because it get a light covering of other types of algae. It doesn't seem too picky of substrates - some is growing on hard mud bottoms, while other places is mostly organic. So it doesn't seem too finicky.

If I had the tank space, I'd try it out, but I have broken down most my tanks since I moved.
So if you'd seriously like some, let me know. I will need advice on how to ship such items. After this workweek, I should have some time on my hands to get some out.

With the week straight of rain, the water level has risen 1.5 feet. Now I hope I can locate where I haven't removed it all - pretty easy with a barefoot shuffle.

ADDED: And interesting tid-bit. I checked on the big piles I have left on the banks (2 weeks since removal) and after stirring it up, every single mound around the lake was crawling with baby crickets. Anyway, I just thought that was strange.

Edited by UncleWillie, 21 September 2009 - 04:15 PM.


#6 Guest_alejandro_*

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Posted 21 September 2009 - 07:43 PM

I had some chara sp. growing in my 55gal with mediocre lighting (shoplights and GE bulbs from the hardware store) for a couple of months in a low tech soil tank. It was doing really well in Atlanta tap water until what looked like an aquatic caterpillar came in on some plants and ate it all. Next time I set up another algae tank I'll definitely include some of this, although I'm not sure how it will do in the long-term if it needs calcium. I guess there's only one way to find out!

-Alejandro

#7 Guest_Clayton_*

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Posted 22 September 2009 - 08:24 AM

I've seen hornwort and anacharis shipped in wet newspaper to hold moisture and plastic bags. I'm not sure how tolerant Chara is of this, but it's definitely cheaper than trying to ship water.

#8 Guest_UncleWillie_*

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Posted 22 September 2009 - 10:42 AM

Thanks Alejandro and Clayton.
I'll have to look into it's tolorance of being kept damp. Since My last post, we have been having constant downpours and the lake is now a reddish chocolate milk color and up another 9 inches. I hope I can locate some once the water clears - it will still be quite deep though (has risen a total of 1'11'' in the last 6 days)!

Alejandro, are you staying dry? Friends who live near Sandy Springs and Roswell are having to pump water out of their basements. The rain has been ridiculous (but needed here in Athens).

#9 Guest_WattaMelon_*

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Posted 22 September 2009 - 07:05 PM

I was pulling up a bunch of chara this past summer while fishing...it was catching on our anchor. When we left the lake, it hit me that I should have grabbed some...it had an interesting smell, and the color was lovely. I love how it felt too. I'd really love some myself.

#10 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 23 September 2009 - 08:17 AM

...it had an interesting smell...


Mmmm... funky garlic...

#11 Guest_Radioguy_*

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Posted 23 September 2009 - 06:48 PM

I have chara in my 2 trout ponds and sure would love to be without it around.

Its slang name is "skunkweed" or also "muskweed" and it gives the flesh of trout that taste which some people describe as being "muddy."

I believe its been responsible for several winterkill cycles in the ponds, as that is a huge amount of decomposition leading to O2 depletion which happens under the ice over the winter, especially when there is heavy snow on the ice and long periods of cloud cover.

Sometimes when ice fishing, I can drill a hole and smell a distinctive "rotten egg smell" and I sure don't like it much.

Radioguy

#12 Guest_UncleWillie_*

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Posted 23 September 2009 - 08:35 PM

That's strange that the Chara gives the trout flesh a funky taste. At first the smell kinda startled me, but I do not find it largely unpleasant.
My fear of oxygen depletion this winter is what got me doing munual removal. But one guy with a steel rake on a cramped schedule can only do so much on a 3 acre pond. It certainly is loaded with inverts.

The lake is now beyond full pool (level with the spillway and water is rushing out of the overflow pipe. So it is nearly 2.5 feet above what it has been since I first posted - so it is doubtful I will be able to rake anymore. I will still be able to go down and gather small bits for sending out if anyone is really interested.

#13 Guest_jdphish_*

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Posted 23 September 2009 - 09:55 PM

I had a fella bring some to me the other day in a bucket. He didn't know what it was. Smell gives it away. I wouldn't want it in a pond of any type. Hard to control. Can't speak to the aquarium aspect.

#14 Guest_alejandro_*

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Posted 25 September 2009 - 09:17 PM

Alejandro, are you staying dry? Friends who live near Sandy Springs and Roswell are having to pump water out of their basements. The rain has been ridiculous (but needed here in Athens).


I've been out of town all week, actually, and just got in. I was kind of nervous having seen the news, but I guess I'm high up enough that nothing seems flooded. Whew!




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