Caulerpa or Chaeto?

[wojo]

Hey, i currently have Caulerpa in my fuge per my LPS recommendation but i have seen lots of people using Chaeto.

Whats the difference and which is better?

I'm sure someone asked that before but Search Feature requires premium membership, lol

Thanks!

 

[p4ck37p1mp]

Caulerpa can be a major problem. I had some in my fuge for months, a little piece got through my sump and return, took over the main tank VERY rapidly. Chaeto is much easier to manage.

 

[ste6168]

well first off this search feature doesnt require premium membership, but as for the question. I use cheato for a few reasons

1. Caulerpa has been said to go sexual and try to reproduce sexually, thus killing itself and realesing the toxins back into the tank
2. Caulerpa needs to be lit 24/7 or just about and cheato only needs to be lit 12 hours a day, or opposite your main lighting.
3. Many reefers in the area use cheato so it was easier to get for free than caulerpa is.

HTH, Mike

 

[donfishy76]

I prefer caulerpa because yes, as stated above, it does need to be lit 24/7 so it wont go sexual, and yes it can take over a bit, but if you prune it regularly then it can grown faster and remove your nutrients faster I think, and then you can feed it to your tangs and angels.
I do have some chaeto, and it is good for cultivating pods and worms and such, but I do not know what will eat it, ...

 

[FishhyRen]

I have Cheato in one fuge and leafy Caulerpa in the other fuge-
The Cheato seems much slower growing (does that mean it's eating up less nutrients in the water??? I don't know.

My other tank with the leafy Caulerpa has been up for more than 3 yrs- the only problem I've had is when I thin out the caulerpa it stirs up the bottom and I usually get a algae outbreak for a short time. (I've NEVER had it go sexual).

Both macros are lit 24/7 at this time.

 

[ste6168]

FishyRen, Maybe that is your problem with the cheato, i have heard that it will not grow as fast without a rest period from the lights, maybe you should try to cut down your lighting cycle.

 

[robmacy]

i have to go with chaeto here. i have razor caulerpa that broke off a few pieces and ended up in my display tank. now, I have to keep going in and ripping it out. what a pain in the trunk!

 

[wojo]

So should i mix them up? Also do they denitrify equally?

 

[FishhyRen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6593978#post6593978 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ste6168
FishyRen, Maybe that is your problem with the cheato, i have heard that it will not grow as fast without a rest period from the lights, maybe you should try to cut down your lighting cycle.

Thanks, I'll give that a shot-

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

I had the green colored caulerpa in my 46 gal with no problems, but i had it lit 24/7 too. With my tank now i'm going to go with chaeto, only because i am lighting consious and don't what to have to run the light 24/7 lol

 

[quack]

chaeto rules! Tangs love it (though too much to the tangs defeats the 'export' function). I grow mine in a nonfish tank pinned up high under the m halide with minimal water flow . . . it grows like a weed! I turn it every few days too.

 

[wojo]

gotta ask again, since nobody answered it i can mix them up? Also do they denitrify equally?

 

[Aquaduck]

I'm using Cheato exclusively on a reverse lighting schedule in my fuge. It grows slowly but consistantly. It's small fuge about 20" x 8" x 8" on a 90 gallon SPS tank. I remove a handfull of cheato once a month.

I think it looks like green pubic hair.

 

[Aquaduck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6598271#post6598271 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wojo
gotta ask again, since nobody answered it i can mix them up? Also do they denitrify equally?

You can, but you would need to keep the calurpa pruned back because it can dominate and choke out the cheato. You will also need to run the fuge light 24/7 to prevent the caulerpa from going sexual.

 

[bhdmc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6594003#post6594003 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by robmacy
i have to go with chaeto here. i have razor caulerpa that broke off a few pieces and ended up in my display tank. now, I have to keep going in and ripping it out. what a pain in the trunk!

I have the same problem, The Razor Caulperpa growing everywhere in my tank. My Purple tang, RedSea SailFin and Hippo tangs would not eat it. Does anyone know a fish that would eat this?

 

[Airman]

I have razor caulerpa, grape caulerpa, and cheato in refugium. My hope is that they might take differnet toxins out of the tank. I have no problems with undesired growth.

 

[jasper24]

My Chateo grows very quickly and my "Lights Of America" fuge bulb stays lit 24/7.

 

[rdmpe]

I have both, the caulerpa seems to grow much faster and I think it is doing a good job taking up nutrients. No unwanted growth in the main tank so far... Lights 24/7.