Chaeto not an option, what would you look for in an alternate?

[Vilas]

Hi!
Chaeto is a declared invasive here. It is illegal. So I need to find a local alternate.
What would you look for? We have local caulerpa, but that sucks up calcium I guess? Some kind of sea grass? Something lettuce y? Red/green/brown?
Im hoping to find a tide pool species, as those tolerate much warmer conditions than the big blue, which is a few degrees cooler than my tank.
Foe the record, local means the indian ocean, if anyone is good with species from here.
Thanks!

 

[Tiki God]

Many caulerpa's aren't calcareous. If you're looking for something quick growing I'd go with grape caulerpa or something similar. But if you don't want it in the display tank, take extreme measures to keep it out. Once established it can be very difficult to get out (I like the look, but others don't).

 

[enchelycore808]

You mentioned something lettuce y? If it's ulva, I've seen it tumbled just like chaeto. To me it grows a bit slower but still pretty fast. Plus you can feed it to your tangs if u have any.

 

[Vilas]

Thanks for the advice! Tank is only 63ish gallons, so no tangs for me. I alao don't have a separate fuge, but do love thw look of macros in a diaplay. Our tide pools are so full of cool macros that I am almost tempted to skip the corals.
I might come back here and bug you guys from time to time. ..

 

[doctor rick]

That's interesting... Chaetognatha banned in South Africa - well I can't say I'm surprised, it is pretty prolific stuff, and whilst many in our community are careful about what they do with harvested algae, I'm sure that a minority (not represented here at reef central of course) are not :eek1: .

I agree with Tiki God ( :wildone: ) that there are many non-calcareous Caulerpa species that would be suitable. Some of these may be native to your area. If you are not sure, then if you crinkle it up in your fingers, the calcareous ones are likely to feel gritty. As you don't have a refugium, then there is no need to worry about it invading your main tank as that is where it will be anyhow. Watch out for small invertebrates hiding in the Caulerpa when you harvest it!

As I understand it, the problem with Caulerpa is more usually said to be its liking for suddenly going sexual and dying (releasing all the captured nutrients back into the tank). It is said that 24/7 lighting of a refugium reduces the risk, but that's not an option for a reef tank (is it?). Other things that trigger it are when there is an excess present (regular harvesting essential) or if it is cut to harvest it (its internal structure means that it 'bleeds' extensively and responds by going sexual - pull it out to harvest rather than cut) or if the water chemistry changes suddenly (which is what we all try and avoid! bigger tanks are easier to keep stable than smaller ones).

good luck!

 

[Vilas]

Very helpful information! Thank you! If you can make it, please join me at the beach this weekend. Im such a novice with macroalgaes and cultivating them, but I've fallen in love with so many of the awesome tidepool flora.
Will try to find some grape caulerpa. I'm working on an in tank refugium to up my pod population, but still may end up with a saltwater planted tank.

 

[doctor rick]

I'd love to join you, but unfortunately I will be about 10,000 km away in Cambridge UK... sigh!

Caulerpa racemosa (and its relatives) grape caulerpa or oval sea grape are found pretty much worldwide in suitable temperature areas. They are not choosy about where they grow and can be found on muddy and sandy substrates as well as on rocks - however you might have to look in a fair number of places before you find any, and they are also very polymorphic (their shape is extremely variable), so I suggest you look on google at a lot of images first to make sure that you know what you are looking for.

 

[Vilas]

No excuse! ;-)

 

[Vilas]

Hm, I may have been given bad information. We seem to have a local chaetomorpha, c. Antennia. My lfs guy insisted it was illegal, but I see local reefkeepers using it. They're all pretty good with the law, we risk our permits otherwise!