Best macro algae...

[ScubaDiver93]

Im in search of a good macro algae for my refugium. I heard caulerpa is great but
i live in Cali so getting it takes some work. Is halimieda (sp) a good nitrate etc. filter. What from experience works well besides cheato?

 

[poppin_fresh]

I have found caulerpa and halimeda to be a problem. They have both moved from my 'fuge to the display. I personally cant keep cheato happy, but most people I know have better luck with it.

 

[fishox]

I've had Caulerpa for 2+ yrs with out it moving into the main tank. My nitrates stay unetectable using Salifert test kits. I was unable to keep chaeto. The caulerpa thrives under a pc light fixture. Doesn't do as well under regular flourescents.

 

[pledosophy]

I have kept many many macro algaes. While in Cali you can't get taxifolia, you can still get prolifera which is a great strain of calupera. Chaeto is good but a distant second to the calupera's IME.

If treated well calurpera does great in systems IME and does well at removing nutrients.

Halmedia is a slow gorwer and not the best.

Red macro's also gorw painfully slow IME.

Since I left Cali I can now get taxifolia and while it has drawbacks in the means of disposal there is not a faster growing more stable macro that I have used. I pruin an 8 oz cup weekly. It is just awesome.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

^ that's pretty much the scoop. also, if you can keep several varieties going, they are less likely to crash vs all one type.



regarding chaeto in the display: it is a total PITA around branchy corals, and I swear strands grow an inch an hour or more as in ?!?, that 6" strand wasn't there this morning" kind of stuff.
So for me, chaeto is nastier to remove from the display than caulerpa


Ironically, in my great valonia purge(as in swap out all the LR in a BB tank degree of purge, purge), I decided to cut the 2nd 50, the algae tank, out of the system and get all algae away from the display, except I saved a Halymenia (big red algae ).
Well, this goober, being lone boss algae in the tank is growing like I've never seen a large red macro grow before. I'll take a pic when the lights are on. in fact it will have to be trimmed for the second time as it encroaches on the stuff around it.