Poll: Preferred Macro Algae

[dbl]

Since many of us use macro algae's as method of eliminating nitrates naturally, I'm curious which species folks prefer. It may be a mix so multiple answers are allowed. Feel free to discuss your findings/results.

 

[sebastiaan1985]

No option for choosing multiple?

I run cheato and both caulerpa species.

 

[LadyMac]

I have caulurpa prolifera. I had a small thing of chaeto but it didn’t thrive and I djnt know if any is left as the design of my tank/sump doesn’t allow a good view. I like the look of the caulurpa a lot too. Many years back I saw a nano tank at the lfs and it was full of the stuff. Was really neat seeing the blades sway in the current.

 

[dbl]

No option for choosing multiple?

Corrected...you can change your vote accordingly.

 

[madweazl]

I like caulerpas because they're actually interesting to look at. My refugium has (or had, no telling what all is in there now) prolifera, paspaloids, and sertulariods. Chaeto made it's way in there with something so there is plenty of that now as well.

 

[ChiCity]

Chaeto, hands down.
It doesn’t go sexual like caulerpa can...
It is like it’s own planet, with all the microfauna that lives within it...
And it grows really well for me, to the point that it choked out other macros like dragon’s breath!

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Chaeto, but....

Macro doesn't grow for me despite having nutrients and a H380 grow light. Chaeto has withered and rotted twice. I'm going to try a reactor instead of a fuge and see how that goes.

 

[cumbeje]

Chaeto, but....

Macro doesn't grow for me despite having nutrients and a H380 grow light. Chaeto has withered and rotted twice. I'm going to try a reactor instead of a fuge and see how that goes.

What is your nitrate level?

 

[SashimiTurtle]

What is your nitrate level?

Right now with carbon and gfo, low... 2ppm nitrate and trace phosphate. It was around 10ppm and 0.08 without, and I had algae and cyano in the display soaking up some extra nutrients. The carbon and GFO is working, but I'm out of carbon and about out of GFO. I'd rather use chaeto so I dont have to keep buying media. I feed LRS reef frenzy, pretty heavily for my stock list.

I'm thinking its my sump that's causing the issue with chaeto. It's got a split flow path design where some water goes thru the fuge and some water goes thru the filter sock into the skimmer chamber. I'd wager that 90% of my water goes thru the filter sock as I only see a trickle of flow coming out of the fuge.


This is my sump.
https://www.marinedepot.com/Eshopps...m_Sump_Units-Eshopps-QH15704-FIFRBSCU-vi.html

 

[K. Steven]

Chaeto and Halymenia (dragon's breath) worked really well. Dragon's breath grew really fast and I could sell half buckets for $40 (way under retail). If you have enough dragon's breath biomass to adequately take up your nutrient load, I'd recommend it for the continuous ROI, plus it looks nice.

 

[cumbeje]

Right now with carbon and gfo, low... 2ppm nitrate and trace phosphate. It was around 10ppm and 0.08 without, and I had algae and cyano in the display soaking up some extra nutrients. The carbon and GFO is working, but I'm out of carbon and about out of GFO. I'd rather use chaeto so I dont have to keep buying media. I feed LRS reef frenzy, pretty heavily for my stock list.

I'm thinking its my sump that's causing the issue with chaeto. It's got a split flow path design where some water goes thru the fuge and some water goes thru the filter sock into the skimmer chamber. I'd wager that 90% of my water goes thru the filter sock as I only see a trickle of flow coming out of the fuge.


This is my sump.
https://www.marinedepot.com/Eshopps...m_Sump_Units-Eshopps-QH15704-FIFRBSCU-vi.html

Yeah seems like not doing well because of how low your nitrates are. I finally got some nitrates in my tank now that it has been running for a year. I am going to start a fuge. My nitrates around 12 ppm now so think it is finally time. Also see a little bit of GHA in some small spots here and there. Very little but think it's time to start my fuge up.

 

[cracker]

K steven , does your dragon have some kind of anchor or just free floating?

 

[Labridaedicted]

Oooooo, Ya'll are going to looooove this.......

That's my little tank of horrors. That's all hair algae and bryopsis. My chaeto never took off, but these guys (who plagued my tank early on) have thrived here and remained out of the DT. Very low maintenance and I can throw out handfuls weekly.

 

[vlangel]

I love them all! In my seahorse display I have all the mentioned except mangrove and I wouldn't mind trying it. My sump has cheato, caulerpa prolifera, gracilaria, and red grape caulerpa.

 

[cracker]

My refugium on the 180 has a small ball of chaeto hasn't grown in a year. However it likes to grow hair algae . So much in fact I added a screen like one used in a scrubber. it's working !

 

[ca1ore]

Chaeto mainly; some dragons breath. I would not let caulerpa anywhere near my tank. Plus it's so 1995 LOL.

 

[Mark Gray]

I have 2 Cheato and Caulerpa - Grape but I have to keep the cheato down or it will just tank over

 

[Merv49]

Chaeto, but....

Macro doesn't grow for me despite having nutrients and a H380 grow light. Chaeto has withered and rotted twice. I'm going to try a reactor instead of a fuge and see how that goes.[/QUOT

Same thing happens to me. H380 and cheating thrives at first and then begins to die/rot in my sump. Can’t figure why.

 

[Salt1972]

I started with chaeto, but it was growing slowly and not impacting nutrients enough. We added caleurpa and it grew, but still not very quickly despite having 10-12 NO3 and .16 PO4. We dosed 2mL of Iron (Fergon tablet dissolved in 30mL RO/DI) 2x per week for 2 weeks and all hell broke loose. Heaps of caleurpa now.

Question -- if I'm not derailing -- our nitrates are holding steady at 3-4ppm, but our phosphates are holding at .1 -- Should we continue on the caleurpa / chaeto path and monitor? or ... I really don't want to start GFO.

 

[Cubano32]

My refugium on the 180 has a small ball of chaeto hasn't grown in a year. However it likes to grow hair algae . So much in fact I added a screen like one used in a scrubber. it's working !

Hmm that's a really good idea I have a marine pure block in my fuge with a ball chaeto and it does t grow either but my marine pure block grows green hair alage like it's no one business