how bad are caluerpas?

[Sloth]

I have a refuge full of caleurpas and a little chaeto. Caleurpa grows like mad and the chaeto just kind of withers away. I've heard of caluerpas causing alelopathic affects on things, but does anyone know if it inhibits chaeto growth?

I'm about to set up a new system and I can't decide if I should use caluerpa in the 'fuge or not. If you could re-do your setup, would you use caluerpa? Why?

Thanks in advance....

 

[o2bnh20]

From what i had heard from this forum and others caleupra wasn't the best choice. Since it can turn "asexual" and mess up your tank if you don't keep it pruned back and have the lights on all the time. I had my fuge full of the caleupra. So i decided to switch to the chaeto. I pulled up all but a little of the caleupra and bought a handfull of the chaeto. Now the caluepra grows about twice it's original size in about two weeks, and I still have some caluepra but can't compete with the chaeto. I this the chaeto is the better one to use.

 

[Sloth]

Thanks for the response.

Luckily, my caluerpa hasn't done any funnybusiness. It seems pretty stable.

Have you noticed any corals growing faster since you made the switch to chaeto?

 

[kmk2307]

I have never experienced problems with caulerpa though a quite large patch of serrulata and sertularoides have both gone sexual (or possibly non sexually "self destructed") in my 75 skimmerless reef tank at separate times. Also, FWIW the destructive reproduction of Caulerpa is sexual, asexual reproduction in this genus is achieved by fragmentation.

Kevin

 

[Plantbrain]

As long as you keep the tank stable(eg add similar amounts of food etc) and you keep the Caulpera biomass stable, the Caulerpa will not melt, good sexual etc generally, temp , Ca, Alk and Traces also play a big role.

Caulpera and other macros will remove a lot of Ca++ from the water column.

Take care of the Caulpera, and you will not have issues with it.
I think the Cheato is havin g trouble mainly with lack of nutrients but perhaps allelopathic effects, not aware of any with these two species particularly although it may occur.

Keep the Caulpera pruned well and frequently and it should do well otherwise.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Sloth]

Caulpera and other macros will remove a lot of Ca++ from the water column.

That's news to me. Does that mean they also use a lot of alkalinity? That could explain some of my ca/alk problems.

 

[Plantbrain]

Yes, KH(alkalinity, the HCO3/CO3) and Ca++ are both used to make CaCO3.

Many macros use a lot of both Ca and the CO3(most is HCO3 at this pH).

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Sloth]

Are you referring to halmedia and algae like that which build a skeleton, or regular old squishy caleurpa?