Making your own seaweed

[SantaMonica]

Hi... first post :)

Does anyone have any information on growing your own seaweed at home? Finding this info is much harder than I thought it would be.

Thanks

[Daffodil]

good grief, i didn't know that you could. I would be interested in info on this too :-)

[SantaMonica]

Well it's just saltwater, so yes you can, but I thought there would be some experience on the different types, etc.

[SantaMonica]

Actually I guess "Growing your own seaweed" is more accurate.

No one?

[harpy]

I would think it's quite hard to create the right conditions, unless you cian grow it actually in the sea, if you see what I mean. Don't you like the dried stuff?

[SantaMonica]

Not so much for me, but for others who prefer "fresh". Also for those who are/were afraid of the Japanese contamination.

I don't mean in the sea; I mean in your house. Just like with an aquarium, but just to grow seaweed.

[SantaMonica]

If you could grow it relatively easily, do you see some uses for it?

[pat sommer]

Seaweed is an algae. You would certainly get algae growth if you attempt to grow some at home :bigsmile2:

Producers have a tricky time of it in the structures floating on the sea, getting the right variety to latch and grow from the microscopic level. Wikipedia?

[harpy]

I like seaweed but I'm happy to buy the dried stuff - I think the kind we get is grown somewhere off the coast of Europe rather than in Japan but will check the packet.

If you google there are a few sites about growing it in a fish tank (mainly for people who keep saltwater fish) but I would think it would be difficult to make it nutritionally equivalent to the stuff from the sea which is meant to have various trace elements etc I think.

[SantaMonica]

I would think that if it grew, it would contain what trace elements it would need to grow.

[harpy]

You mean if you didn't put the right trace elements in the water it wouldn't grow at all? That's possible, I don't know.

It seems you can buy "preparations" containing the minerals found in seawater to add to salt water aquariums (for the benefit of the fish I imagine) as mentioned here http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=75 Whether growing seaweed in that would result in something fit for human consumption I don't know.

[SantaMonica]

Well I plan to make a DIY unit to grow a batch. Will post the results.

[harpy]

Please do - sounds an interesting project

[SantaMonica]

Is there a preferred species that most people want?

[harpy]

Nori is handy for sushi! Dulse also seems popular. I have bought mixes like http://www.clearspring.co.uk/japanese/sea_veg/sea_salads

[khadagan]

very interesting, i never thought that it was possible to grow your own seaweed. im very interested in just harvesting my own seaweed, but im too far from the sea for that at the moment. i hope growing it will work for you!