Grape Caulerpa... Yes or No?

[SoKaL ReeFiN]

I'm setting up a 10 gal. fuge for my 29 gal. tank and currently have available to me grape caulerpa and spaghetti macroalgae. I don't want to keep my lights on 24/7 and would rather do a reverse photoperiod. My question is, would this be a problem if I kept grape caulerpa since it does go asexual.. or do I use spaghetti only cause from what I've read, it doesn't go asexual.

One more question.. any chance in hell I could keep the lights on my fuge off from midnight to 6am but on the rest of the time? (So it wouldn't disturb anyone at night while they're trying to sleep..)

Thanks in advance.

[AcroSteve]

Tagging along:D

[CaptainK]

Hi SoKaL ReeFiN,
I have both of these algaes in a CPR Refugium on my 29G tank. Both are growing very well. But just a warning from my experience, keep the Grape caulerpa out of the main tank, or keep it isolated very well. I was unaware at how easily this stuff can take over a tank and grow in the rockwork and throughout the sandbed.
I have not had any problems with the spagetti stuff as I have been able to keep it in the refugium.

HTH,
CaptK

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I grow both as well, neither on 24 h lighting.

[SoKaL ReeFiN]

I had a discussion about lighting on fuges earlier at the LFS and half kept 24/7 lighting while the other kept 12-18 hour lighting. I asked the 12-18 hour reefers if it was okay to turn off the lights from midnight to 6 am and a majority said it wouldn't be a problem at all.

[billsreef]

I've done both 24/7 and the RDP routine. Haven't seen much difference either way. Currently going with 24/7, though just because I don't have a timer on the refugium light :D

[KorbinDallas]

I did a reverse photo period and my caulepera went sexual. It wan't grape, but it was close. I also had spagetthi and it seemed to grow really slowly. At least for me.

[DT's_Reef]

I have both spaghetti and grape caulerpa in my refugium, and the grape caulerpa grows *incredibly* fast.

My fuge is packed top to bottom, side to side with grape caulerpa. I have to pull out a pound or two every couple of weeks. Mine doesn't go sexual.

[johnfaas]

DT's 24 / 7 ?

[Dag]

My grape caulerpa also grows very fast and crowds out other algaes. According to T. Calfo, caulerpas impart many noxious compounds ithat accumulate and harm or kill some fishes and corals. I'm thinking of pulling it out altogether.

[DT's_Reef]

Originally posted by johnfaas
DT's 24 / 7 ?

No, the lighting is on about 18 hours a day.

I just pulled most of the caulerpa out of my sump (filled two large mixing bowls to overflowing -- all that from a 10 gallon refugium!) and just purchased two large portions of chaeto. I'm hoping if I put enough of it in the refugium, it'll outdo the few strands of grape caulerpa left.

Separately, I've had my reef up and running for over a year now and halimeda and another form of caulerpa popped up on my rocks. I don't know how or why it waited so long to appear. The caulpera has tiny short leaves that are flat and round like saucers. Basically like grape, but tiny flat round leaves instead.

[Dag]

The caulpera has tiny short leaves that are flat and round like saucers. Basically like grape, but tiny flat round leaves instead.


Yes, I had this too. Some refer to it as caulerpa racemosa, but I think that's wrong for the designation properly belongs to grape caulerpa.

DT's, what made you decide to get rid of the grape caulerpa?

[DT's_Reef]

Originally posted by Dag
DT's, what made you decide to get rid of the grape caulerpa?

I basically want to try to be successful at growing chaeto. which I've never done. That reminds me, I need to get an incandescent bulb at Home Depot tonight.

No one single reason for getting rid of the caulerpa. It never goes sexual on me, so that's not it.

[DT's_Reef]

Originally posted by Dag
DT's, what made you decide to get rid of the grape caulerpa?

I basically want to try to be successful at growing chaeto. which I've never done. That reminds me, I need to get an incandescent bulb at Home Depot tonight.

No one single reason for getting rid of the caulerpa. It never goes sexual on me, so that's not it.

Chaeto. seems to do better with less light than caulerpa.

[DensityMan]

As another piece of anecdotal advice: thin-stranded Chaet grows MUCH faster for me than the thicker stranded Chaet (at the same elevation and lighting).

[salmon alley]

Caulerpa is a noxious weed! (sorry, too strong?)

Honestly, I despise the stuff. At first I was excited that it was growing so well in my display tank...6 months later I had to pull out the LR and scrub it with a wire brush to try and eliminate all traces of it. So far, so good.
If you do decide to go with Caulerpa...confine it to your refugium

Just my .02.

SA

BTW- Anecdotally, I was having trouble growing Chaet. It just sat in a brillo ball. Once I directed some increased water current at it, it exploded with growth. Something to experiment with.

[Dag]

I'm thinking even if the refugium, grape caulerpa is no good. I think it's killing my SPS corals.

[thereefgeek]

Grape grows so fast! Usually outcompeting the other varieties you try to grow. I just recently erradicated the last of it in my system. It goes sexual and suddenly it's not just in the 'fuge any more.

[DT's_Reef]

My grape caulerpa would go sexual periodically until I put the effluent from my calcium reactor into the refugium, then it never went sexual.

I had no luck growing chaeto. until I replaced the refugium flourescent lighting with a 65w incandescent spot light. Then, the chaeto. went nuts.