Grape Caulpera Marcoalgae?

[ocellaris06]

Could anybody let me know something about Grape Caulpera Marcoalgae? Is it good or bad to put it in display tank/sump. Apart from decoration, any benefit to put it in display tank/sump?

 

[dc_909]

If you have a sump, put it in there. The problem with grape caulerpa is that it ends to go sexual every so often.

 

[sunfish11]

It grows quickly and needs to be harvested regulary. A 24 hour lighting schedule seems to prevent it going sexual. When it goes sexual it starts to look clear and releases all kinds of stuff into the water. This can reduce the oxygen levels and suffocate your tank. So, if you are going to have it put it in the sump and leave the lights on.

Lisa

 

[drummereef]

Chaeto or halimeda is a better choice, imo.

 

[ocellaris06]

I have Chaeto and grape caulerpa on hand. If I forgot to trim them........! Thanks!

But do you guys know which one is more efficiency to remove nitrate...etc??!!

 

[dc_909]

Just use both

 

[danch]

From what I've read, caulerpa is more efficient at absorbing nitrate, until it goes sexual. Then it's _very_ efficient at releasing nitrate (and phosphate, and a host of organic compounds...)

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

to maintain a colony of caulerpa, keep it well pruned so the overall plant mass doesn't get too big. That's why it crashes(and goes to spore), because it limits out.
Halimeda also goes to spore when it crashes, so only keep a token amount of that too.(related to caulerpa believe it or not)

really, anything crashes when it runs out of nutrients. My entire tank of chaeto, which I've had for years finally crashed back to a one-good-handful sized wad down from a whole salt bucket full.
The thing about chaeto is it fizzles out cleanly, and you can pull the dying stuff from the healthy stuff as it goes rather than the whole population tanking at once.