My Pod Factory

Obliduty · 06/27/2008, 06:50 PM

I've read from various places that mixing your macros will help in making them not go sexual.

I have about a basketball size of macros in the upper right hand corner of my tank. It basically grew on the head of a HOB filter on that side then grew up to the top of the tank to the light, then covered my Koralia on that side aswell. You might think Im crazy for keeping it in there but I have no sump or refugium so its great for my nitrate export etc. Its literally in its own corner and not on my rocks/corals at all.

Its about 70% sawblade caulerpa, 20% seagrape 10% cheato. I also have some "kale" looking macro on the other side of my tank anchored to my skimmer air inlet. Now i want to keep it in the display but i need to "trim" it. I want to do this without it going sexual but its literally a "thatch" almost like a briarpatch. How can I do this without screwing it up. Or do I not need to worry since I have such a mix of macro? I was thinking about rubber-banding a section of it tight, then cutting off that with scissors and keeping the rubber band on for a few days to pinch it.

And btw you will not believe how big of a POD factory it is, I'm sure its part of the reason my tank is thriving. So should I worry, or take it as a blessing b/c of the ridiculous amount of pods its producing.

Here is an older pic. Its grown about 1/3 bigger since this pic

http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/...nt=IMG_0040.jpg

kfisc · 06/27/2008, 07:05 PM

Can't see your photo, but I don't think a rubberband will stop the process. Mixing macros usually means they battle it out for dominance.

Obliduty · 06/27/2008, 07:18 PM

whoops, still new with photobucket sry.

http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn78/Obliduty/

So theres no solid way to trim it without risking the green bloom of death.

aslavatortin · 06/27/2008, 07:25 PM

I'd be afraid to do it too. I use only chaeto, so I don't really have to worry about that. When I had my sumpless tank up, I had 3 basketball size clumps stuffed behind and in the rockwork. Maybe you should consider doing something like that; it grew like mad and was hidden. You might have to get some more rock, though, I guess it just depends on the size of your macro clump.

Obliduty · 06/27/2008, 07:45 PM

I usually only use cheato aswell. This sawblade caulerpa came on a rock with some GSP and I never saw it till it was already attached to my HOB intake. Funny though that a little bit the size of golf ball has turned into a 12"x12" cube of destiny. Maybe the pod population explains why my non-photosynthetic gorgonians have done well.

sabbath · 06/27/2008, 07:52 PM

To post from photobucket just past "img code" in post.

Obliduty · 06/27/2008, 08:10 PM

theres another pic.

SantaMonica · 07/27/2008, 01:59 AM

Another new option is available in pod factories / macros, it's a turf algae filter in-a-bucket (kinda like a DSB in a bucket). It will export your nitrate and phosphate down to zero, while producing copepods and amphipods. If you hang the bucket above your tank, they will drain right in to your dispay, all alive.
For more info, go here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...6#post12931276

06/27/2008, 06:50 PM	#1
Obliduty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 30	My Pod Factory I've read from various places that mixing your macros will help in making them not go sexual. I have about a basketball size of macros in the upper right hand corner of my tank. It basically grew on the head of a HOB filter on that side then grew up to the top of the tank to the light, then covered my Koralia on that side aswell. You might think Im crazy for keeping it in there but I have no sump or refugium so its great for my nitrate export etc. Its literally in its own corner and not on my rocks/corals at all. Its about 70% sawblade caulerpa, 20% seagrape 10% cheato. I also have some "kale" looking macro on the other side of my tank anchored to my skimmer air inlet. Now i want to keep it in the display but i need to "trim" it. I want to do this without it going sexual but its literally a "thatch" almost like a briarpatch. How can I do this without screwing it up. Or do I not need to worry since I have such a mix of macro? I was thinking about rubber-banding a section of it tight, then cutting off that with scissors and keeping the rubber band on for a few days to pinch it. And btw you will not believe how big of a POD factory it is, I'm sure its part of the reason my tank is thriving. So should I worry, or take it as a blessing b/c of the ridiculous amount of pods its producing. Here is an older pic. Its grown about 1/3 bigger since this pic http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/...nt=IMG_0040.jpg __________________ Save the Cheerleader, Save the World Current Tank Info: 90g "bar" community tank with EBJackDemp as king, 55g reef tank next to bed. 30g aggressive fowlr being setup.

06/27/2008, 07:18 PM	#3
Obliduty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 30	whoops, still new with photobucket sry. http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn78/Obliduty/ So theres no solid way to trim it without risking the green bloom of death. __________________ Save the Cheerleader, Save the World Current Tank Info: 90g "bar" community tank with EBJackDemp as king, 55g reef tank next to bed. 30g aggressive fowlr being setup.

06/27/2008, 07:45 PM	#5
Obliduty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 30	I usually only use cheato aswell. This sawblade caulerpa came on a rock with some GSP and I never saw it till it was already attached to my HOB intake. Funny though that a little bit the size of golf ball has turned into a 12"x12" cube of destiny. Maybe the pod population explains why my non-photosynthetic gorgonians have done well. __________________ Save the Cheerleader, Save the World Current Tank Info: 90g "bar" community tank with EBJackDemp as king, 55g reef tank next to bed. 30g aggressive fowlr being setup.

06/27/2008, 08:10 PM	#7
Obliduty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 30	theres another pic. __________________ Save the Cheerleader, Save the World Current Tank Info: 90g "bar" community tank with EBJackDemp as king, 55g reef tank next to bed. 30g aggressive fowlr being setup.

07/27/2008, 01:59 AM	#8
SantaMonica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Santa Monica, California, USA Posts: 2,511	Another new option is available in pod factories / macros, it's a turf algae filter in-a-bucket (kinda like a DSB in a bucket). It will export your nitrate and phosphate down to zero, while producing copepods and amphipods. If you hang the bucket above your tank, they will drain right in to your dispay, all alive. For more info, go here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...6#post12931276 __________________ Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843

06/27/2008, 07:05 PM	#2
kfisc Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,020	Can't see your photo, but I don't think a rubberband will stop the process. Mixing macros usually means they battle it out for dominance.

06/27/2008, 07:25 PM	#4
aslavatortin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Lakeland, TN Posts: 430	I'd be afraid to do it too. I use only chaeto, so I don't really have to worry about that. When I had my sumpless tank up, I had 3 basketball size clumps stuffed behind and in the rockwork. Maybe you should consider doing something like that; it grew like mad and was hidden. You might have to get some more rock, though, I guess it just depends on the size of your macro clump.

06/27/2008, 07:52 PM	#6
sabbath Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Twin City's Mn. Posts: 1,771	To post from photobucket just past "img code" in post.