Caulerpa vs chaeto ?

[Reeferbadness]

So by being messier, what does it mean, maintenance wise ?

You just need to pay attention to pieces drifting out of the fuge and into things like return pump or skimmer. I do quarterly pump cleaning and regularly find some in there but not enough to do any real harm.

 

[CBonito]

You just need to pay attention to pieces drifting out of the fuge and into things like return pump or skimmer. I do quarterly pump cleaning and regularly find some in there but not enough to do any real harm.

My rock came covered in it. When I set my tank up, I put in a few fish and let it ride for like 3 months knowing that resistance is futile. I filled an entire kalkwasser container with it...and threw it in the refugium where it belongs. LOL It's been harvested several times since. And the tank isnt getting much more at all. I yank it when I see it.

 

[fushi]

I want to set up a refugium in my sump but there isn’t any chaeto readily available around here. And when it is they sell it at 25$ for a baseball and 40$ shipping….

So would caulerpa be a good choice, as good as chaeto ? I don’t want second best. If it’s not ideal, I’ll just wait until I can get chaeto. But I could get some for 10$ a piece tomorrow so that’s a plus.

I’m going to be using the Tunze refugium light. I’ll start with one and if not enough, I’ll add a second one. There is no light spill in my refugium, except on top of course.

Thanks !

I prefer Caulerpa Prolifera over chaeto and have used it for years in different tanks and have never had it go asexual, and even if it did it would bother me because my tangs would munch it down way faster than it could grow. My fish would eat ulva too but it would grow in the overflow out of reach of the fish which bothered me.

 

[Idech]

I prefer Caulerpa Prolifera over chaeto and have used it for years in different tanks and have never had it go asexual, and even if it did it would bother me because my tangs would munch it down way faster than it could grow. My fish would eat ulva too but it would grow in the overflow out of reach of the fish which bothered me.

I’ll probably get some as well in a while. I like variety.

 

[fushi]

I’ll probably get some as well in a while. I like variety.

I think it looks better than chaeto.

 

[Idech]

I think it looks better than chaeto.

Do you need sand for it ? I don‘t want sand in my refugium.

 

[fushi]

Do you need sand for it ? I don‘t want sand in my refugium.

It likes something to root into, it’s basically mini seagrass.

 

[Roadkillstewie]

Do you need sand for it ? I don‘t want sand in my refugium.

I've 'planted' prolifera and racemose in sand... invariably runners come out to the surface and I'm sure it'll hold tighter/better to rock.

 

[JXNATC]

I have both. The Caulerpa hasn't spread beyond it's section but it does choke out the chaeto.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

I want to set up a refugium in my sump but there isn’t any chaeto readily available around here. And when it is they sell it at 25$ for a baseball and 40$ shipping….

So would caulerpa be a good choice, as good as chaeto ? I don’t want second best. If it’s not ideal, I’ll just wait until I can get chaeto. But I could get some for 10$ a piece tomorrow so that’s a plus.

I’m going to be using the Tunze refugium light. I’ll start with one and if not enough, I’ll add a second one. There is no light spill in my refugium, except on top of course.

Thanks !

Many species of macroalgae are used in aquaculture and there is a lot of scientific research available. Not only with regard to cultivation for consumption, but also with regard to use for filtration and, among other things, purifying the water in zero-emission aquaculture systems. The composition and breeding needs of many species are known, and there is a lot of practical experience. The use of Caulerpa requires knowledge and some species are a threat to nature, such as the form of Caulerpa taxifolia bred for the aquarium industry. Know what you are getting.
For example, Halimeda is a harmless Caulerpa species that is easy to keep but has a great need for calcium. There are many other useful species such as sea lettuce (Ulva) and red algae (Gracilaria, Hypnea, Cryptonemia). For example, Cryptonemia crenulata is very decorative and useful in the aquarium, but less suitable for an algae filter as it grows less quickly. An article in Makazi Baharini with data on several useful species and reference to reports of research in English.
Most marine algae are suitable food for both humans and aquarium inhabitants, with the exception of Chaeto.

 

[Idech]

Most marine algae are suitable food for both humans and aquarium inhabitants, with the exception of Chaeto.

Is chaeto suitable for herbivore fish ? If not, what is the preferred one for that purpose, in your opinion ?

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Is chaeto suitable for herbivore fish ? If not, what is the preferred one for that purpose, in your opinion ?

Chaeto is not suitable as a food source for fish.

 

[Mechano]

Nice thing about using caulerpa prolifera is that once it attaches to a few pieces of liverock or sand, you can put a decent powerhead in your refugium and u don’t get the detritus build up like with chaeto. Also you can safely grab caulerpa in most cases and NOT get stung by god dang bristle worms lol

I prefer caulerpa over messy chaeto any day. I also use pulsing Xenia only in the Refugium as a nutrient exporter as well.

Sorry for the crappy pic but it’s nighttime in the Refugium

 

[Idech]

I prefer caulerpa over messy chaeto any day. I also use pulsing Xenia only in the Refugium as a nutrient exporter as well.

I wish I had thought about that before. I foolishly threw away a huge amount of pulsing xenia that was in the tank before doing my tank upgrade. I wanted no more invasive corals… :-(

 

[Mechano]

I wish I had thought about that before. I foolishly threw away a huge amount of pulsing xenia that was in the tank before doing my tank upgrade. I wanted no more invasive corals… :-(

Yeah. It can be a real PITA in the main display for sure.
But I’m sure there is a million people out there willing to give u a drag of it to start up a new colony

 

[Mechano]

Yeah. It can be a real PITA in the main display for sure.
But I’m sure there is a million people out there willing to give u a drag of it to start up a new colony

**frag** not drag lol

 

[AgentCartwright]

For those of you that do have Caulerpa in your sump, what are you mounting it to? Live rock? Sand?

 

[Mechano]

For those of you that do have Caulerpa in your sump, what are you mounting it to? Live rock? Sand?

With caulerpa prolifera I just let it grow in some livesand and pieces of liverock rubble. You can remove it pretty easy from the rubble or even larger pieces of liverock.

Eg, once a week I pull some off the rubble to feed to my tangs in the DT.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

For those of you that do have Caulerpa in your sump, what are you mounting it to? Live rock? Sand?

I don't mount it to anything. Just toss it in and if it grabs on to some rubble, that's not an issue.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

With caulerpa prolifera I just let it grow in some livesand and pieces of liverock rubble. You can remove it pretty easy from the rubble or even larger pieces of liverock.

Eg, once a week I pull some off the rubble to feed to my tangs in the DT.

Most of mine is free floating, like chaeto would be.