Red Smooth Leaf Kelp

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Moderate   • Lighting: Moderate to High   • Placement: Any
• Maximum Size: 12"   • Water Conditions: 70-80° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
• Propagation: Clipping   • Coloration: Dark Pink, Red, Purple   • Supplements: Calcium, Trace Elements, Iron
• Origin: Indo-Pacific   • Family: Grateloupiaceae   • Species: Tropical Kelp

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Red Smooth Leaf Kelp makes for an attractive marine plant species in aquariums that do not have large plant eating fish species present. It is also extremely useful in refugiums as a form of filtration and to provide habitat for copepods and amphipods. It is important to provide intense lighting (4 watts per gallon or more) and a good amount of indirect water flow in order to stimulate a good growth rate.

Once well established in the refugium, Red Smooth Leaf Kelp can be harvested and placed into the main display aquarium as a food source for marine herbivores. This effectively removes the nutrients that the plant has absorbed from the water column once the fish consume them. Red Smooth Leaf Kelp can attached to live rock, live rock rubble or planted in the substrate. Once established and thriving, the Red Smooth Leaf Kelp will grow upwards of 12 inches in height. Mature plants can be cut down and replanted in order to propagate the plant.

Red Smooth Leaf Kelp should be grown in aquariums with low nutrient levels so that it is not beat out by faster growing microalgae. However, when provided intense lighting, low nutrient (phosphate & nitrate) levels and good water flow, the Red Smooth Leaf Kelp will grow quite large.

Well established Red Smooth Leaf Kelp will grow upwards more than outwards, and can be pruned and re-planted in order to propagate the plant. Red Smooth Leaf Kelp (Haliptilon sp.) is a form of macroalgae or otherwise known as the "good kind of algae" as opposed to microalgae ie. hair algae. Unlike the aggressively fast grow hair algae that can overrun an aquarium, the Red Smooth Leaf Kelp is a peaceful form of macroalgae that has a controlled growth rate and beautiful appearance.

Red Smooth Leaf Kelp has a very attractive dark pink to red coloration and interesting shape and overall appearance. While Red Smooth Leaf Kelp can be grown in the reef aquarium where nutrients like phosphates and nitrates are kept low, it is most often grown in the refugium environment in order to protect it from grazing fish species like Tangs and Angelfish who will readily consume it.

Red Smooth Leaf Kelp provides multiple benefits to the marine aquarium or marine aquarium refugium as it looks beautiful, removes nutrients from the water column, provides habitat and breeding grounds for copepods and amphipods and can be a food source for many fish species.

Under the correct conditions Red Smooth Leaf Kelp can grow quite tall, which allows it to be harvested as a food source for marine herbivore fish species. It is not uncommon for a well designed refugium with Red Smooth Leaf Kelp growing in it to serve as both a main component of the filtration system via nutrient removal and an excellent source of nutrition for herbivorous marine fish species.

Red Smooth Leaf Kelp should be grown in aquariums with low nutrient levels so that it is not beat out by faster growing micro algae. However, when provided intense lighting, low nutrient (phosphate & nitrate) levels and good water flow, the Red Smooth Leaf Kelp will grow quite large. Well established Red Smooth Leaf Kelp will grow upwards more than outwards, and can be pruned and re-planted in order to propagate the plant.

Red Smooth Leaf Kelp makes for an attractive marine plant species in aquariums that do not have large plant eating fish species present. It is also extremely useful in refugiums as a form of filtration and to provide habitat for copepods and amphipods. It is important to provide intense lighting (4 watts per gallon or more) and a good amount of indirect water flow in order to stimulate a good growth rate.

After well established in the refugium, Red Smooth Leaf Kelp can be harvested and placed into the main display aquarium as a food source for marine herbivores. This effectively removes the nutrients that the plant has absorbed from the water column once the fish consume them. Red Smooth Leaf Kelp can attached to live rock, live rock rubble or planted in the substrate.

Once established and thriving, the Red Smooth Leaf Kelp will grow upwards of 12 inches in height. Mature plants can be cut down and replanted in order to propagate the plant.