padgett152
New member
is Grape Caulerpa better than chaeto in a refugium? i have a little of both and it outgrows the chaeto 3:1
Grape Caulerpa
- Thread starter padgett152
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padgett152
New member
what i thought
Aquarist007
New member
Re: Grape Caulerpa
no--stick with the chaeto---you can manipulate its growth by harvesting it regularily and splitting the ends of it. Rotating and spreading out the ball and occasionally adding iron.
I've had grape caulerpa go sexual on me twice in the refugium and been lucky enough to deal with the problem in the refugium before it hit the display tank.
no--stick with the chaeto---you can manipulate its growth by harvesting it regularily and splitting the ends of it. Rotating and spreading out the ball and occasionally adding iron.
I've had grape caulerpa go sexual on me twice in the refugium and been lucky enough to deal with the problem in the refugium before it hit the display tank.
padgett152
New member
what do you mean by splitting the ends? it seems so thin to try and split?
Aquarist007
New member
when you harvest it and spread it apart--tear it away from the rest of the cheato--this splits it--rather then a straight cut if you used scissors or a nice to cut some out. The jagged ends that you leave grow back very quickly.
padgett152
New member
i see, thanks. is it ok to feed to my sailfin tang? i had a few small pices get through to the return pump and back to the DT. he gobbled it up..
Aquarist007
New member
yes and know----I have never had any problems--my tangs eat anything you put in the tank---nori, romaine lettuce, dulce brocolli.
I have read a few cautions in that it can clog up their intestinal systems.
I know when I eat it just goes right through LOL just kidding
These are a dollar --soap dishes--great for keeping chaeto in an active sump/refugium or even hanging on the sides of the display tank
Alaskan Reefer
New member
+1 on chaeto only. The grape caulerpa grows like crazy and IME does a better job with nitrate uptake, but once a tiny piece makes it into your display, it's there forever and will likely spread. Then there's the sexual meltdown that can really make a mess.
I use chaeto only now, the grape caulerpa has been bleached off of my DT live rocks twice -- I really hope it's gone. Healthy chaeto ball + beefy skimmer = undetectable nitrates and phosphates in my bare bottom.
I use chaeto only now, the grape caulerpa has been bleached off of my DT live rocks twice -- I really hope it's gone. Healthy chaeto ball + beefy skimmer = undetectable nitrates and phosphates in my bare bottom.
Aquarist007
New member
just so you know we are not kidding about caulerpa going sexual
http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=278
http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=278
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
I use Caulerpa, but it doesn't grow all that fast --- mainly because of low nutrients. And I have a little bit of it in the main tank (( 58 )), but again it grows really slow. The only time it grew at a decent rate was the month of March, when I couldn't do as many water changes as I normally do. Now that I am somewhat back on schedule it isn't growing back.
BlastoEric1589
New member
caualerpa is illegal here in cali so it makes my choice easy. lol.
its illegal for good reasons. stick with chaeto.
caulerpa will destroy your tank like its destroying the pacific between catalina and hawaii
its illegal for good reasons. stick with chaeto.
caulerpa will destroy your tank like its destroying the pacific between catalina and hawaii
