Minecraft was released ten years ago and has had 17 updates since then. These range from minor updates such as mob skin changes to major updates containing new biomes. Its popularity is continuously increasing with help from Minecraft YouTubers posting daily gameplay videos.
An update was released in 2018, in version 1.13 of Java edition and 1.4.0 of Bedrock Edition. It was aptly named ‘The Update Aquatic’. It was focused on improving the oceans, creating new ocean biomes, and new mobs. It created a fun new underwater experience and a bunch of new blocks to play around with. Blocks such as Prismarine, Coral, and most importantly, Kelp.
7 Kelp Fuel
Kelp has many uses in Minecraft and the real world. Kelp is considered one of the best biofuels, and this is reflected in Minecraft. When smelted, it turns into dried kelp. Putting 9 dried kelp into a crafting table will create a dried kelp block. 10 dried kelp blocks can be traded in with villagers for one emerald.
Dried kelp blocks help easily compactly store large amounts of dried kelp. This can be used as a fuel source and can smelt up to 20 items. This makes it one of the best fuel sources in Minecraft. 10 dried kelp blocks can also be traded in with villagers for one emerald.
6 Kelp Bubbles
Bubble elevators are a popular creation among players as a way to transport players upwards and downwards, to any place they want. For example, they can put one in a house to get from the bottom floor to the top floor quickly. They are relatively simple to make, but can be quite time-consuming.
Kelp helps reduce the time it takes to build as it turns any water block into a source block. This means you don’t have to repeatedly place a new water source block all the way up. Placing kelp all the way up the elevator and then breaking the bottom kelp block creates a source block up to the top and is a handy tool for making bubble elevators. This example image was posted by user arthur990807 in the subreddit r/Minecraft.
5 Kelp XP Farm
Experience points (XP) are gained through different actions such as mining, smelting, fishing, and killing mobs or players. XP can be useful when enchanting items like armor and weapons. They give no physical abilities but are a great way to show your experience in the game. (pun not intended.)
Kelp gives 0.1 experience per kelp when smelted. Due to it being a renewable source, it’s a good contender for an XP farm. A farm can be created using hoppers, smokers, pistons, chests, and levers.
4 Kelp For Lunch Anyone?
Dried kelp can be used as a food source. Though, it doesn’t add much to your hunger bar, only restoring 1 hunger point. Although it fills barely any of your hunger bar, it can be eaten twice as fast as any other food. This making it a good food source for a quick refill on the go.
An achievement called Castaway can also be gained by your character only eating dried kelp for three in-game days. This rewards you with 20 achievement points and a Shredded Shirt Top.
3 Kelp Composter
Composting is an efficient way of getting bonemeal rather than facing off with a bunch of ruthless skeletons. It requires 7 layers for a player to be able to collect bonemeal. Putting certain food and plants into the composter has a certain percentage of chance that it could add a layer to the compost.
Dried kelp has a 30% chance of becoming a layer in the composter. Dried kelp can sometimes fill up a lot of space when you make too many, so composting is a good way to get rid of your unwanted kelp, whilst also reaping a reward.
2 Underwater Building
Minecraft builders don’t limit themselves to building on land and create amazing builds underwater. However, building underwater can be difficult when you’re in the ocean and don’t want to build straight onto the seafloor. Kelp can help you with that.
Kelp is handy due to its ability to have any block placed on it. Kelp is available at different heights so you can build whatever height you want in the ocean. If you want to build one level above the seafloor or close to the surface, you can! This fabulous underwater build was posted by GeminiTay on Twitter.
1 Home Décor
As any Minecraft builder would know, the small details matter when decorating your house. Plants are a wonderful way of adding a small touch to an open area. There are a wide variety of options and kelp is one you wouldn’t expect. Its appearance allows it to be a small and simple addition to a build.
Kelp is also the first animated plant making it also a more realistic décor for a build. This is a bedroom with kelp placed in the windows by user The_Red _Chicken. It’s a great example of kelp’s versatility as a block.
NEXT: Minecraft: 10 Tips For Safely Building In Survival Mode
