Chaeto v. Calurpa

[PirateFish52]

I currently have Chaeto in my refugium.

What's everyone's opinion about going with Calurpa instead? Any difference? Which one is better?

Thanks.

 

[bennyd]

I've been doing some research myself on this subject, here is what I have tended to find...

The grape calurpa has a chemical that doesnt get along with a lot of corals, when it turns sexual or whatever it can become toxic and doesn't extrude the elements enough that most desire.

chaetomorpha extrudes extremely well and its chemical composition doesn't interfere with corals. chaetomorpha is a better choice than grape. another macro I have been seeing a ton is mangroves.

From reading I believe that Mangroves are a big Magnesium user, but the rewards of the mangroves are worth dosing Mg from what i understand.

 

[the2ofus]

Caulerpa is like a weed, once you have it, it's a long time to get rid of if you don't want it any more.

I pull it out every other week, by the hand fulls, two weeks the tank,10g is full and backing up water flow.

Go with the mangrove, I don't know which is better,White, Red or Black

 

[Tonycip]

If your going to use the algae for nutrient export forget the mangroves they grow way to slowly to be effective in this regard, but they look nice.Chaeto is the best chose imo. it grows fast(for most people under the right conditions) and that's the point,it uses up excess nitrate phosphate etc. that nuisance algae need to grow. and then you can post you have all this cool algae to give away at the meetings to vary appetitive algae grubbing people who cant seem to grow it like me!