Caulerpa or chaeto refugium

[muggle0981]

Believe i have always had maybe some form of caulerpa in my refugium-should i yank tbis and get chaeto from my lfs?

 

[TX_REEF]

if it is growing and easy for you to manage/harvest, I'd leave it be. Whatever grows well and consumes nutrients is doing its job.

 

[MoshJosh]

If it's working I see no reason to switch. People say calurpa can "go sexual" and die as part of reproduction/it's life cylce unless you run a fuge light 24/7. I ran a 12 hour fuge light schedule without issue though so I am not sure how true that is/what the actual risk is. Also, switching and introducing chaeto does expose you to the risk of introducing pests (guess that is true of most things you add to the tank haha)

. . . so if it's working I would leave it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Caulerpa racemosa will outcompete chaeto, and is thus more effective, but risks getting growing in the display tank. I'd use chaeto.

Happened to me. i dealt with it using a one spot foxface to eat it, but a small tank will have no such luck.

 

[Dkmoo]

I could never keep chaeto long term even with a powerful kessil fuge light. Nutrient was never the issue - heavily stocked. Maybe something about iron/mineral deficiency that chaeto sucks up?

Had much better run and longer term with caleurpa.

 

[muggle0981]

Probably over thinking this