(Going Sexual?) Reason Vs. Reality

[Phiche Master]

I am experienced in hydroponic and bioponic (water and dirt) growth of plants with synthetic lights. It seems my macros in my main tanks always seems to die(assuming this is going sexual), they turn whitish and blow away sometimes in conjunction with a water clouding(<- def.sexual). What I am wondering is, If you keep the macros under 24/7 light would they still go sexual. This is how you control terestrial plants, lease them under 24/7 for all vegataive, then when you want them to bloom, swtich them to 12 off and 12 on. Flowers pop with in a week. Stands to reason that macros(being plants) would behaev in a similar fashion. Anyone ever had a sexual experience with your lights on 24/7?
Just wondering....Feel free to make jokes as you see fit.........^

 

[kmk2307]

Phiche Master,

At least a handful of reefers seem to believe that a 24/7 light cycle will prevent caulerpalean green algae from going sexual. I run my 'fuge light 24/7 but I use chaetomorpha (a non self-destructive sexual reproducer) so my light cycle wouldn't really matter in that respect. Just curious, what kind of plants do you grow in 24/7 light? I thought vascular plants needed a "rest" period?

On another note, some people seem to think that caulerpa believed to be reproducing sexually may not necessarily be reproducing sexually but just "crashing" from lack of an essential nutrient (or cofactor / whatever). I think this makes sense.

Kevin

 

[Fenix]

Yea if you have the grape celpura, it will go sexual when the lights are out. Chetomorpha is the best stuff if you dont want to light 24/7, but it sounds weird how your tank had a cloudy effect to it. Perhaps something else could be killing it?

I have Grape celpura in my fuge and it is not on a 24/7 lighing schedule and I have never noticed a cloudiness.

 

[Phiche Master]

I assume that that caulerpas that I was growing died from, as you say, lack of an essential nutrient.~As far as the plants, they do not need a rest period unless, as I mentioned b4, they are flowering. They grow in a vegatative state, ie: grow tall, thicken stalks, dense foliage, no flowers. Depriving them of light in this stage would simply halt the photosysthesis, and thus the metabolic processes....slowing growth. When they are in a flowering state the dont grow tall they, dont grow leaves, and they dont grow stronger...only flowers. During this time "rest" is neccesary, primarily so the plant doesnt think its still mid summer and drop the flowers, but secondarily because of the fragility of most flowers and the relative temps they can withstand. O and as far as what kind...all kinds Cacti & other succulents are really my favorite plants, but like I say, Ive grown all kinds of stuff in a bunch of different ways.