Keeping macroalgae out of the display tank

[pseudorand]

I'm about to set up my fuge. I was going to keep it simple and just use Chaeto, which seems to be the standard advice for "what type of macroalgae?", but Aquabarn seems to be out. So I had to start doing research, and there seems to be some conflicting advice.

Chaeto seems to be recommended because it supposedly doesn't "go sexual" and therefore won't get in the display tank. Caulerpa seems to be out of favor because it does go sexual. But a more reputable source says that "All marine macro algae produce what is known as gametes".

Ideally what I'm looking for is a list of macroalgae's that I can dump in my fuge that, for lack of gametes or otherwise, won't end up in my display tank. I suspect biology is not that simple, but does anyone have recommendations for something effective and easy other than Chaeto in case I can't find another source that has it in stock? Ulva, Red Ogo and Blue Hypnea all seem to be in stock, but I can't find much info about how to keep those specific species out of my DT.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

I'm about to set up my fuge. I was going to keep it simple and just use Chaeto, which seems to be the standard advice for "what type of macroalgae?", but Aquabarn seems to be out. So I had to start doing research, and there seems to be some conflicting advice.

Chaeto seems to be recommended because it supposedly doesn't "go sexual" and therefore won't get in the display tank. Caulerpa seems to be out of favor because it does go sexual. But a more reputable source says that "All marine macro algae produce what is known as gametes".

Ideally what I'm looking for is a list of macroalgae's that I can dump in my fuge that, for lack of gametes or otherwise, won't end up in my display tank. I suspect biology is not that simple, but does anyone have recommendations for something effective and easy other than Chaeto in case I can't find another source that has it in stock? Ulva, Red Ogo and Blue Hypnea all seem to be in stock, but I can't find much info about how to keep those specific species out of my DT.

Excellent set of questions. Im finishing up some coding changes as we are annoucing the release of CADE aquariums for preorders, but I should be able to respond within an hour.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

• We have never seen or have had a reported case of Chaeto going sexual. It's main method of reproduction is fragmentation.
• We will be releasing some chaeto stock near the end of next week. We ran through our safety stock quicker than expected, so we have been doing a bit of hoarding
• Blue hypnea is more of a "designer" macroalgae, It is much slower growing and I would not recommend it as a primary macro for nutrient control.
• Ulva/Sea lettuce is fantastic, but has a very slight chance of getting into the display tank. This tends to be a bigger issue when you dont have any tangs, foxfaces, or urchins in the display.
• We have never had or heard of any issues with red ogo, mocha ogo or pompom going sexual or making their way to the display tank.

 

[pseudorand]

Sea Lettuce - where did it go?

The sold out of cheato again, so I got some pom-pom and sea lettuce and put them in my sump. Things were great for 4 days. But this evening my sea lettuce was...gone. Not all of it, but I had a tennis-ball size chunk and now there are only a few scraps left. The sump is 20g and flows about 400gph, so I'm sure it just got beat to pieces. But I don't see the pieces. They would have to get through a ball of pom-pom, a sponge filter and the inlet cover on my Sicce Syncra 350 to end up in the tank. There a bits and pieces here and there, but nothing that looks like it could account for what's missing. Very strange.

I'm loving my red tuxedo urchin though. Man he leaves one clean trail of rock behind him. Gotta get me a few more of those. The peppermint shrimp I got were tiny, half the size of the ones you see in the store, and I haven't seem them in a week. I expect they're in there somewhere (hopefully fat and full of aptasia).