Refugium lighting: 24/7 or RDP

[Joaco]

1Floyd,
I didn't get a word from what you said last
Do you think caulerpa will prevent from going sexual with 24/7 photoperiod? yes, no, why?

The only thing I got was 'genetic evolution'


leo,
yes, I will be using a pump for the refugium under the main tank, I'm working on a interesting design with some friends, no blades will hit the pods at all.
And as Snailman told me from one of Rob Toonen's posts, the problem wouldn't be suction itself since water has a slime-like property (how about that for scientific, I forgot the exact term ). I don't think it was capilarity, this would sound to simple...but sometimes the best answers are simple!

Joaco

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My webpage Updated 3rd July 2000

 

[JohnL]

Tagged for the archives

 

[smpolyp]

To eliminate the possability of the caulerpa going sexual on you why not ditch the caulerpa and go with an algae that won't?

 

[Snailman]

Knowing from FW planted tanks how they love CO2 I got this cool idea this week to let the effulent line from the calcium reactor drip in the algae tank/refugia and maybe the macro algae will consume the excess CO in the effulant and that will help the tank PH. Am I crazy or is this a good idea.

 

[smpolyp]

I was just thinking about that today just before I hooked up my refugium. I thinkit would be the best place to place it.

 

[PerryinCA]

Sorry this is such late reply Snailman, but yes that would be an excellent idea. Cutting back on circulating CO2 (which the CAR effluent going into the caulerpa tank would do) would allow a higher (more basic) pH. From what I've read, CA reactors can be tough on pH. Not only that, but I'm guessing the caulerpa would grow much faster (increased metabolism=increased nutrient consumption/export). At least its been my experience that photosynthetic plants in a hydroponic environment grow at an extremely accelerated rate. I'm sure that would apply to caulerpa as well. JM .02

-Perry

 

[morty]

Hey RWD - For my 180 gal tank I have a 10 gal tank set up as a scrubber/refugium and I run it in a hybrid between 24/7 and RDP. That is, I have six 15W florescent grow bulbs built in a "cage" around the tank: two above, and two along each long side (About 9-10 watts/gal). The two above the scrubber are on 24/7, and the remaining four come on at night. Thus, the rate of photosynthesis should be greater at night to help stabilize pH, but the fact that the scrubber sees no completely dark period helps with preventing die-off. So far so good -