Chaeto vs Caulerpa for nutrient export, what's your choice?

cody6766 · 12/07/2012, 06:02 PM

I'm adding macro to my middle chamber in the back of my solana and have a little of both in my tank. Flow will be moderate at best, lighting will be 24hrs. I can provide the caulerpa some LR rubble for an anchor point.

What do you recommend and why?

mdbannister · 12/07/2012, 07:21 PM

I've read that chaeto is better because it doesn't tend to go "sexual" which is better for nutrient export.

RyanSweatt2004 · 12/07/2012, 07:28 PM

I've used both. Chaeto is a fine choice if you have any worry about it going asexual. I prefer to use green grape caulerpa in my sump. It grows twice as fast as chaeto. I keep it on a 24/7 light cycle and harvest about 50% of it once a month. Never had any issues with it.

Wills612 · 12/07/2012, 07:28 PM

Chaeto for sure. It doesn't attach to anything, and as stated before wont reproduce into ur display

Palting · 12/07/2012, 07:32 PM

Not sure, but it's whatever this is:

LOL!! Of course it's Caulerpa racemosa. Hardy and fast growing, loves to eat up all those phosphates and nitrates. Have had it for almost 3 years in my refugium, never had it go sexual. IMO, going sexual is not the issue. The issue is that it is so fast growing and so hardy that if you do not have herbivores in your DT, it can take root in your DT and take over the rocks. So, the best thing to do is get a herbivore in your tank (like a tang or angel) and use caulerpa in the refugium.

Or, if you have a FOWLR and don't have coral to worry about, get C. toxifolia, even more hardy and fast growing.

Never did like chaetomorpha. Very finicky, needs to tumble to grow, grows slow..... However, does not take over the tank nor go sexual. Poor performer for nitrate/phosphate export IMO, though.

mdbannister · 12/07/2012, 07:34 PM

I didn't know about it needing to tumble... hmm... anybody know where is a good place to get grape calerpa...I've been wanting to try it as I've heard it's great food for tangs.

thegrun · 12/07/2012, 08:00 PM

You do not need to tumble chaeto but if you don't you need to flip over the chaeto ball once or twice a week to get light to the bottom of the ball.

Driver13 · 12/07/2012, 08:01 PM

I've used Chaeto for years, has always done great for my reef tanks.

Palting · 12/07/2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdbannister

I didn't know about it needing to tumble... hmm... anybody know where is a good place to get grape calerpa...I've been wanting to try it as I've heard it's great food for tangs.

Oh, yeah, tangs love it. I have 4 tangs, plus a coral beauty. No algae can survive in the DT, they get decimated by the above 5 fish. I take caulerpa trimmings from the refugium, put a fistful or so in a clip, and it's gone in less than a minute.

You can get them from most lfs, or a fellow reefer in your neighborhood. If not, they are available on-line. Here's one source: http://live-plants.com/ . Or, if you want, I can bag enough to fill a pint next time I trim it, and give it to you. Where in these united states are you?

Sk8r · 12/07/2012, 09:24 PM

Caulerpa is a plague: it repros by fragmentation, spores, and runners, is toxic to most fish, can get through your pumps, and if it embeds in your rock, you have a problem that can require a total redo.

JaYbIrD1969 · 12/07/2012, 09:30 PM

Caulerpa. I cringe at the very word. It is a time bomb. Chaeto all the way

12/07/2012, 06:02 PM	#1
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	Chaeto vs Caulerpa for nutrient export, what's your choice? I'm adding macro to my middle chamber in the back of my solana and have a little of both in my tank. Flow will be moderate at best, lighting will be 24hrs. I can provide the caulerpa some LR rubble for an anchor point. What do you recommend and why? __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

12/07/2012, 07:32 PM	#5
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Not sure, but it's whatever this is: LOL!! Of course it's Caulerpa racemosa. Hardy and fast growing, loves to eat up all those phosphates and nitrates. Have had it for almost 3 years in my refugium, never had it go sexual. IMO, going sexual is not the issue. The issue is that it is so fast growing and so hardy that if you do not have herbivores in your DT, it can take root in your DT and take over the rocks. So, the best thing to do is get a herbivore in your tank (like a tang or angel) and use caulerpa in the refugium. Or, if you have a FOWLR and don't have coral to worry about, get C. toxifolia, even more hardy and fast growing. Never did like chaetomorpha. Very finicky, needs to tumble to grow, grows slow..... However, does not take over the tank nor go sexual. Poor performer for nitrate/phosphate export IMO, though. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

12/07/2012, 09:24 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Caulerpa is a plague: it repros by fragmentation, spores, and runners, is toxic to most fish, can get through your pumps, and if it embeds in your rock, you have a problem that can require a total redo. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/07/2012, 07:21 PM	#2
mdbannister Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Ontario, California Posts: 79	I've read that chaeto is better because it doesn't tend to go "sexual" which is better for nutrient export.

12/07/2012, 07:28 PM	#3
RyanSweatt2004 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: maine Posts: 590	I've used both. Chaeto is a fine choice if you have any worry about it going asexual. I prefer to use green grape caulerpa in my sump. It grows twice as fast as chaeto. I keep it on a 24/7 light cycle and harvest about 50% of it once a month. Never had any issues with it.

12/07/2012, 07:28 PM	#4
Wills612 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 1,130	Chaeto for sure. It doesn't attach to anything, and as stated before wont reproduce into ur display

12/07/2012, 07:34 PM	#6
mdbannister Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Ontario, California Posts: 79	I didn't know about it needing to tumble... hmm... anybody know where is a good place to get grape calerpa...I've been wanting to try it as I've heard it's great food for tangs.

12/07/2012, 08:00 PM	#7
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	You do not need to tumble chaeto but if you don't you need to flip over the chaeto ball once or twice a week to get light to the bottom of the ball.

12/07/2012, 08:01 PM	#8
Driver13 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 53	I've used Chaeto for years, has always done great for my reef tanks.

12/07/2012, 09:30 PM	#11
JaYbIrD1969 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 608	Caulerpa. I cringe at the very word. It is a time bomb. Chaeto all the way