Green Algae Bloom advice please!
- Thread starter cek1313
- Start date
captbunzo
Premium Member
Caulerpa is a very chemically noxious algae. It releases all sorts of toxins into the water that will negatively effect our corals, etc. Furthermore, it is very aggressive and difficult to eradicate in a tank, should one desire to do so. It also runs risks of going sexual, etc. This can be mitigated, or just avoided completely by using other algae.
Of course, it depends what you are using the algae for. If it is for vegetable scrubbing (i.e. in a refugium, for nutrient uptake), then Chaetomorpha is HANDS DOWN a better choice just about every time.
Now. If you are using an algae for more decorative effect in a tank, or for hitching posts in the case of seahorses & pipefish, then caulerpa might be a more reasonable choice.
That is, of course, just my opinion.
nIx_tank
New member
I had quite a bit of Caulerpa in my main display early in my tank's history.
It would definitely out compete the 3-4 other macros I had in there. It did finally outcompete all other macros, just grew right over them.
The only way I finally got it out, was when the whole bloody mess (And mess it was) went sexual.
Turned my whole tank white, and all the caulerpa turned a clearish, spagetti noodle like.
Needless to say, it was not fun.
It would definitely out compete the 3-4 other macros I had in there. It did finally outcompete all other macros, just grew right over them.
The only way I finally got it out, was when the whole bloody mess (And mess it was) went sexual.
Turned my whole tank white, and all the caulerpa turned a clearish, spagetti noodle like.
Needless to say, it was not fun.
cek1313
Member
My tank stays well within temp paramters of 77-80 throughout the day and night. I have added some phosphate sponges, changed another 20-30% of the water, will add a UV tomorrow (if I finally have time) and just wait patiently....
My personal feelings on Caulerpa are most definately yes, it can be "dangerous" in a reef setting due its liklelyhood of going sexual however, I have kept it for many years and as long as it is pruned on a regular basis and the fish load/animal load (i.e. NO3) is kept low to zero, I've never had a problem. Once I went out of town and it grow like crazy, went sexual but even then, the worse thing with that is the necessity of large water changes and skimmer watching!
Still awaiting the demise of my green plague...
My personal feelings on Caulerpa are most definately yes, it can be "dangerous" in a reef setting due its liklelyhood of going sexual however, I have kept it for many years and as long as it is pruned on a regular basis and the fish load/animal load (i.e. NO3) is kept low to zero, I've never had a problem. Once I went out of town and it grow like crazy, went sexual but even then, the worse thing with that is the necessity of large water changes and skimmer watching!
Still awaiting the demise of my green plague...
captbunzo
Premium Member
Thanks for the reports of your experiences with Caulerpa, schlecht13. It is good to hear other perspectives and other sides of the story.
Funny thing, with all my anti-caulerpa-ism.... I got home last Friday and was checking out my 20g tank. Well, whatdoyaknow, I have some strange new macroalgae growing in it. Tank has been setup for 8 months or so and I've never seen this before.
It is dangling sort of runner stems across the tank about 3 inches, and have branches coming up from the main stems every little bit. At the tip of those branches are little flat discs. The main stems and branches are, at this point, no more then a good 1/16 to 1/8 inch (max) diameter. The short branches are about 3/8 inch long. And the little discs are about 1/8 inch in diameter.
Of course, I assume all of the above dimensions will increase as the algae grows. And, last point of description, the thing is a medium to pale green in color.
I am not sure what it is, even though I have checked my (very exhaustive) marine plants book. I suspect it may be some variety of caulerpa, but am not sure. I will definately get a picture next weekend and post it for a hopeful ID.
Funny thing, with all my anti-caulerpa-ism.... I got home last Friday and was checking out my 20g tank. Well, whatdoyaknow, I have some strange new macroalgae growing in it. Tank has been setup for 8 months or so and I've never seen this before.
It is dangling sort of runner stems across the tank about 3 inches, and have branches coming up from the main stems every little bit. At the tip of those branches are little flat discs. The main stems and branches are, at this point, no more then a good 1/16 to 1/8 inch (max) diameter. The short branches are about 3/8 inch long. And the little discs are about 1/8 inch in diameter.
Of course, I assume all of the above dimensions will increase as the algae grows. And, last point of description, the thing is a medium to pale green in color.
I am not sure what it is, even though I have checked my (very exhaustive) marine plants book. I suspect it may be some variety of caulerpa, but am not sure. I will definately get a picture next weekend and post it for a hopeful ID.
cek1313
Member
If you could get a picture--that would be great--I have a species of macro also that just started growing on a piece of live rock that I purchased over a year ago for the yellow polyps. It grows very slowly and seem to fit the description you are mentioning--I'll post a picture on the next thread reply and lets see if it matches
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