Chaeto in fuge? Or Gracilaria?

[TexanCanuck]

I am running a FOWLR setup with about 140 gal of actual working volume between my display tank and sump/refugium.

In my 'fuge I have a bunch of Chaeto with a Kessil A360 light on a reverse lighting cycle.

I'm worried my Chaeto is "too effective" ... I have essentially zero nitrates and phosphates, but my Chaeto gets a bunch of pale spots on it that make me think it is starving for nutrients.

I've read a few articles that suggest this may actually be quite common ... that Chaeto has such a fast growth cycle that it needs a lot of nutrients on a constant basis, and that once you bottom out the available nutrients the Chaeto begins to suffer.

I'd rather not start to add back nutrients to keep the Chaeto going strong. Instead, I'm thinking about changing to either Red Ogo or Pom Pom (both different forms of Gracilaria).

Does anyone else have this problem?

Would Gracilaria take up enough nutrients to maintain my water quality in the absence of Chaeto?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tbrown]

You can also try cutting back on your lighting for the chaeto or keep it cut way back.

 

[lelandmarine]

Agree, reduce light cycle is a good option

 

[20LogR]

My Red Ogo completely out completes my chaeto. My chaeto has all but died since adding it

 

[Subsea]

[I've read a few articles that suggest this may actually be quite common ... that Chaeto has such a fast growth cycle that it needs a lot of nutrients on a constant basis, and that once you bottom out the available nutrients the Chaeto begins to suffer.]

@TexanCanuck ,
Reducing light cycle is most efficient way to get the results you desire. A rheostat on light intensity or increasing height of light above water would accomplish the same.

However, since you brought up that constant nutrient uptake by macro not being desirable, from what John Mahoney at ReefCleaners says, you need pulse macro in your refugium.

Stocking a Refugium - Reef Cleaners

A refugium is a safe place in your system. It is usually a tank that is plumbed into your main system where you keep delicate species, or try to grow copepods,

www.reefcleaners.org

Our Philosophy:

You want both consistent nutrient uptake and pulse nutrient uptake macros and saltwater plants in your tank.

Here is what I mean by those terms: (They use similar terminology in phycology by the idea is exactly the same)

Consistent Macros- Macros that need nutrient at a high levels, all the time to thrive. They filter out nutrients quickly and are effective at dealing with established nutrient problems.

Pulse Macros - Can handle periods of low nutrient levels well, and are long lived plants

Middle of the Road Macros - as you may have guessed, these macros and plants are somewhere in the middle. They grow quickly in high nutrient tanks, but can endure longer periods of low nutrition as well.

Consistent Macro Algae and Saltwater Plants: (High nutrient uptake - not in any particular order)

• Cactus Caulerpa
• Caulerpa Mexicana
• Caulerpa Prolifera
• Chaeto
• Dictyota ciliolata
• Fern Caulerpa
• Manatee Grass
• Grape Caulerpa
• Saw Blade Caulerpa
• Spider Algae
• Suction Cup Caulerpa
• Oar Grass

Middle of the Road: (Medium nutrient uptake -grows quickly under high nutrient conditions - not in any particular order)

• Red Mangroves
• Black Mangrove
• Botryocladia (Red Grape)
• Christmas Tree
• Green Gracilaria
• Halimeda (Monile)
• Halimeda scabra (Money Plant)
• Halymenia
• Halymenia duchassaignii
• Red Gracilaria
• Mermaid's Wine Glass
• Mermaid's Shot Glass
• Pencil Cap
• Scroll Algae
• Shaving Brush
• Ulva
• Acanthophora spicifera (Spiny Algae) in

Pulse: (Low nutrient uptake - can store nutrients when they become available - not in any particular order)

• Codium
• Mermaid's Fan
• Laurencia
• Spatula Algae
• Red Titan Algae
• Sargassum
• Fauchea
• Fire Fern
• Flame Algae
• Liagora
• Pink Galaxy

The most ideal refugiums offer a combination of all 3.

 

[TexanCanuck]

[I've read a few articles that suggest this may actually be quite common ... that Chaeto has such a fast growth cycle that it needs a lot of nutrients on a constant basis, and that once you bottom out the available nutrients the Chaeto begins to suffer.]

@TexanCanuck ,
Reducing light cycle is most efficient way to get the results you desire. A rheostat on light intensity or increasing height of light above water would accomplish the same.

However, since you brought up that constant nutrient uptake by macro not being desirable, from what John Mahoney at ReefCleaners says, you need pulse macro in your refugium.

Stocking a Refugium - Reef Cleaners

A refugium is a safe place in your system. It is usually a tank that is plumbed into your main system where you keep delicate species, or try to grow copepods,

www.reefcleaners.org

Our Philosophy:

You want both consistent nutrient uptake and pulse nutrient uptake macros and saltwater plants in your tank.

Here is what I mean by those terms: (They use similar terminology in phycology by the idea is exactly the same)

Consistent Macros- Macros that need nutrient at a high levels, all the time to thrive. They filter out nutrients quickly and are effective at dealing with established nutrient problems.

Pulse Macros - Can handle periods of low nutrient levels well, and are long lived plants

Middle of the Road Macros - as you may have guessed, these macros and plants are somewhere in the middle. They grow quickly in high nutrient tanks, but can endure longer periods of low nutrition as well.

Consistent Macro Algae and Saltwater Plants: (High nutrient uptake - not in any particular order)

• Cactus Caulerpa
• Caulerpa Mexicana
• Caulerpa Prolifera
• Chaeto
• Dictyota ciliolata
• Fern Caulerpa
• Manatee Grass
• Grape Caulerpa
• Saw Blade Caulerpa
• Spider Algae
• Suction Cup Caulerpa
• Oar Grass

Middle of the Road: (Medium nutrient uptake -grows quickly under high nutrient conditions - not in any particular order)

• Red Mangroves
• Black Mangrove
• Botryocladia (Red Grape)
• Christmas Tree
• Green Gracilaria
• Halimeda (Monile)
• Halimeda scabra (Money Plant)
• Halymenia
• Halymenia duchassaignii
• Red Gracilaria
• Mermaid's Wine Glass
• Mermaid's Shot Glass
• Pencil Cap
• Scroll Algae
• Shaving Brush
• Ulva
• Acanthophora spicifera (Spiny Algae) in

Pulse: (Low nutrient uptake - can store nutrients when they become available - not in any particular order)

• Codium
• Mermaid's Fan
• Laurencia
• Spatula Algae
• Red Titan Algae
• Sargassum
• Fauchea
• Fire Fern
• Flame Algae
• Liagora
• Pink Galaxy

The most ideal refugiums offer a combination of all 3.

Thanks! That's a great article ... I like the idea of "pulse" macros - never heard of that!