Best type of Macro?

[pennrj430]

Good Evening everyone. This weekend I am building a 20 gal long Fuge for my 55 gal reef tank. I know it might be a personal choice type question, but I was just wondering what people on this forum generally thought was the best type or types (I think I can have a few things in there) of Macro? The Fuge will only get 12 hours or so of lighting ( I was thinking of doing reverse lighting), so I don't want anything that will go "sexual" if I don't have 24/7 lights. And I plan to have about 2" of Miracle Mud, and some Live rock. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[ViciousFishes]

chaeto

 

[bogg]

here here

 

[hmott]

I say caulerpa prolifera more likely to melt down and die then go sexual and both are very unlikely it seems to me, and it outgrows chaetomorpha.

 

[pennrj430]

Ok, thanks guys. Is it good to have a vareity of a few types? Or better to just stick with one kind? Could I put Cheato with something else?

 

[billsreef]

Cheat's definatley one of the best. Gracilaria and Ulva (sea lettuce) are also good. The Caulepa's, while fast growers, are just too unstable for my tastes. Mixing species is certainly exceptable.

 

[pennrj430]

Thanks billsreef. I'm on Long Island too, do you sell Cheato, Gracilaria and Ulva at your store? Thanks again.

 

[billsreef]

They are some of my main products

Just noticed your on the Island. Have you been to any of the Long Isand Reefer's Association meetings?

 

[Quiet1]

Take the stock approach...Diversify(sp)!! The more species the better. Each one uses different nuitrients and in different amounts.

Quiet1

 

[pennrj430]

billsreef, no I haven't. I really don't know much about the meetings. When are they held, is anyone invited?
And Quiet1, I think you're right. I'm going to try to put a few types of macro in there, as much filtration plants as I can.

 

[ReefDweller13]

cheato is the best grows the quickest and dose the best job.

 

[ReefDweller13]

variety is better

 

[hmott]

I can agree with variety. I keep about 5 different kinds in my fuge. prolifera, razor, gracillaria, cheatomorpha and ulva. In my fuge the prolifera outgrows them all combined by at least 2 to 1. More growth = more nutrients removed, which is why I suggest it. Plus I hear of just as many people with cheato crashes as caulerpa crashes on this website so I don't think the risks are even much different between them.

 

[pennrj430]

And cheatomorpha only needs about 12 hours or so of light, right?

 

[hmott]

yeah it will do fine on 12 hrs lighting

 

[mgillman]

Chaetomorpha

Chaetomorpha

I use Chaetomorpha in my fuge - it gets about 14 hours of light on basically a reverse lighting period (I have a little overlap). It grows rapidly and is a GREAT home to pods, micro brittlestars and such. It is so easy to maintain - I've never seen any die off - none. I even maintain a clump in my nano reef as well - it doesn't grow much there but it has never died off even one little bit.

The only negative to Chaeto is that my Tang won't even consider eating it! So I keep some gracilaria in my fuge, as well, to feed him.

Tip - you don't need to buy a lot. Mine grows by at least 50% every month. I've run out of people to give it to so I "donate" it to the LFS.

 

[enitnelaVeyaF]

I wouldnt mix anything with a Caulerpa species. They are noxious and will out-compete other macros, as already stated. If you are willing to prune the batches frequently, very frequently, sure, try it out. But Caulerpa is unicellular, one cell, and it will resease a lot of 'goodies' into the tank when you rip it apart, which you have to do to prune it.
If you want to mix the genre, I wouldnt mix Caulerpa with it. I personaly don't use Caulerpa at all. I'm a big fan of Chaetomorpha. It doesnt grow nearly as fast as Caulerpa, but it's a good deal faster than most other easy to obtain genres.
Chaetomorpha's structure doesn't lend itself to be a good food for herbivorious fish, which I would deem a good trait.

Caulerpa is noxious enough that if you were to eat it, you would get sick. I have a friend who can attest to that...

 

[scottk]

Chaeto and caulerpa racemosa. Racemosa tends to trap less detritus than prolifera in its leaves and seems to allow better sump circulation (no dead spots). Just started using chaeto. Not sure if what I'm doing is right, but it is growing fast.......