caulerpa suggestions

[msuzuki126]

Hello, I just bought some caulerpa and have some questions. If it isnt lighted enough ive heard that it can go sexual or something and release deadly chemicals. i can only keep my ref. light on about 15 hours a day. also, my LFS doesnt have chaeto unless i take some from the refugium in their show tank, which i am considering doing .. any suggestions?

 

[davocean]

Get the chaeto from show tank and save yourself a headache!

 

[wpar]

I believe that when caulerpa goes asexual it will spread from your fuge to your main tank. Many people continue to have good success with it, but many more people have switched to chaeto. Check out the sellers forum for chaeto - there are some great deals to be found. If worse comes to worse, get some from your lfs.

Bill

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

Caulerpa = 24/7 light or it will meltdown / go sexual. Ditch it get the chaeto. It's good to have a mix (caulerpa may be better at nitrates, chaeto at phosphates), but 24/7 on the caulerpa or you're asking for it.

 

[REV]

I've hsad caulerpa for about 6 months and it has never had more than 14 hours of light... It's been doing good since day one! It seems pretty unreasonable that a naturally growing macro could require 24/7 light!!! Where on this planet then would it grow!??! The only thing with caulerpa is that you need to prune it back, way back, every two to four months or it will begin on its own to die back. Keep it pruned back 3 or four times a year and it'll do great. Nothing on earth needs 24/7 light or else it would not be on this planet...

 

[RBTA]

I thought caulpera went asexual when it ran out of nutrients, not its lighting schedule..?

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

That may be accurate -- not an expert on macroalgae. Just from experience, my grape caulerpa grew fine for a while on a 16/8 schedule, then melted -- which may or may not have been associated with nutrients in the water. On 24/7, I didn't have any problems. I just avoid the problem now.

After the meltdown, you can end up with caulerpa in the display, which basically only a tang or a teardown can fix. Teardown in my case...

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have been using caulerpa in both of my fuges, I have never had it go sexual on me (1yr, and 2 yrs ) I do keep my fuge light on 24/7 AND I prune it back about once a month.

 

[REV]

I'm not quite sure why anyone says caulerpa is bad in any way?? I have some in my fuge and some in the display tank... I like the green (and have a tang), but if I wanted to get rid of it it is EASILY removed. Light cycle in main tank is about 13.5 hours (actinic period is an hour of that) the fuge is 14 hours and the caulerps in both is doing great...
.02

 

[MI0706]

I think it depends on the type of Caulerpa.

I've only ever had grape Caulerpa in my all three of my fuges (about 3 years now). Never have I had the problem of it going sexual.

All three of my fuges are only lit a maximum of 12 hours a day.

A while back there was a thread here about different types of Caulerpa. There pro's and con's etc. I think people just stereotype Caulerpa as a whole. And think, OMG, I don't want any type of that crap in my system.

Furthermore, I personally know several people who only use Chaeto. From what I've personally seen, Caulerpa is just as good as Chaeto.

HTH