Chato or calerpa or mangrove?

evolust · #1 08/05/2006, 08:15 PM

If you were setting up a 100g fuge and a 70g fuge which 2 would you go with? Do mangroves really pull out that much neutrients?

marinelife · #2 08/05/2006, 08:23 PM

Cheato and Mangroves

Mangroves pull some stuff out of the water but slowly

Sk8r · #3 08/05/2006, 08:56 PM

No caulerpa. The stuff has roots. It can grow from any root that gets loose, just like Johnson Grass, and if it gets a hold in your display tank, it will be a nightmare. Cheato has no roots.

bureau13 · #4 08/05/2006, 08:58 PM

Plus, with chaeto, you don't have to light the refugium 24/7 to keep it from suddenly dissolving and putting all those nutrients back into your tank.

You can add the mangroves if you want, but they don't seem to have a significant effect in terms of nutrient export.

jds

kfisc · #5 08/05/2006, 09:50 PM

Chaeto can trap detritus; a lot of folks use pumps to keep it rotating. It's the best choice, though.

evolust · #6 08/06/2006, 08:13 PM

So put cheato in both fuges?

kfisc · #7 08/08/2006, 04:47 PM

I would- and if I had to do it over again (and I do), I'd sure avoid getting any caulerpa in my tank; it's funny to think now about how many of us thought it was a decorative element back in the 80's -early 90's.

archie1709 · #8 08/09/2006, 10:17 AM

I don't have a fuge. I am interested, however, in putting some macro in my reef tank. I am not a pro so I only have softees in my 55G and a few LPSs. Would you approve of putting macro in the display for export?

unclereefer · #9 08/09/2006, 10:59 AM

If you knew how many hours i have spent with tweezers pulling caulerpa off my live rock, and the fact that i will never get rid of it completely you wouldn't let it within a mile of your tank.

boxfishpooalot · #10 08/14/2006, 07:47 AM

chaeto-bad detritus trap, goes sexual

caulerpa-not bad on the detritus trap, roots, goes sexual easily.

ulva(sea lettuce) the best choice imo. No dirt to trap, grows easily. favorite tang food.

widefx · #11 08/14/2006, 09:20 AM

Please explain what chaeto going sexual means.
Does it start growing flowers.

mattls · #12 08/14/2006, 09:35 AM

I don't believe Chaeto goes sexual. Thats the reason it is prefered over Caulerpa. Also the reason you don't need to light Chaeto 24/7 I thought was because it doesn't go sexual.

widefx · #13 08/14/2006, 09:44 AM

me too

widefx · #14 08/14/2006, 09:44 AM

When caulerpa goes sexual what happens.

bureau13 · #15 08/14/2006, 10:05 AM

It spews a bunch of itself..I guess like spores or something...into the water column. Basically, returning all those nutrients you thought you were exporting.

jds

Reef_bones · #16 08/14/2006, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by boxfishpooalot
chaeto-bad detritus trap, goes sexual

caulerpa-not bad on the detritus trap, roots, goes sexual easily.

ulva(sea lettuce) the best choice imo. No dirt to trap, grows easily. favorite tang food.

Cheato does not go sexual... And as far as a trap..Yes it can but that is a good thing. When you do a water change just take the ball out and place it in the old water in a bucket, then shake.Then place back in the tank...No more detritus in the cheato and its not still in your tank...Great way of removal of detritus...

Reef_bones · #17 08/14/2006, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by widefx
When caulerpa goes sexual what happens.

It turns clear when it has gone sexual. EVEN if you keep your light on 24/7 the parts that get shaded can still go sexual...

JeffersonReef · #18 08/14/2006, 11:11 AM

Caulerpa is better at exporting nutrients... grows REALLY fast and is hardy. But... like someone else said earlier... get ONE FRIKIN POD in your display, and forget about it. The stuff will take root in some LR or in your sand... and you will have a really hard time getting rid of it. Then when you think youve gotten rid of it.... BAM! It is back. :P

Chaeto has been really good for me. It grows fast... but I dont have to prune weekly like I did with Caulerpa. Every 3 weeks or so, it grows out of the fuge. Yes... it traps detritous. When it does, I actually just shake some of it off into my sump area. There, the detritous gets either goes back to my display or to my protein skimmer. I could shake it into a bucket or something, but then I would lose all those pods, worms, etc that are living in there! Besides, I run 2 skimmers, and have great water flow in my display... have 2 filter socks in my sump... so it really isnt a big deal.

In short, go with CHAETO! If a little piece makes it to your display, doesnt matter! It grows end-to-end, so as it grows, it just gets longer! Either a fish will eat it, or you can just pluck it out when you see it.

Hope this helps.

-Tony

yoboyjdizz · #19 08/14/2006, 11:13 AM

so if you have chaeto in your refuge, do you guys suggest a small powerhead in there as well to help suspend the detritus?

JeffersonReef · #20 08/14/2006, 11:25 AM

i dont.... if there is too much water flow, the water doesnt get enough contact with the chaeto. Mine just kinda "Free floats" or sinks to bottom of the fuge... and thats ok. It grows like fishing line... so you can literally just pick up a ball of it every once in a while and shake it off.

JeffersonReef · #21 08/14/2006, 11:26 AM

Well... on second thought... a really small powerhead might not hurt. I dont use one, and it works well for me. I suppose either might be ok. Just my humble opinion.

evolust · #22 08/14/2006, 11:43 AM

Thanks for the help guys!

The Shrimp X · #23 08/14/2006, 12:25 PM

evolust~ I would reccomend chaeto and a few mangroves. It wont go sexual, and will help you keep a great sized pod population.

archie1709~ For your display tank, I would recomend if you can maybe a few mangroves, though that also depends on if you have an open top and such, but their roots will create a place for fish to hide, and small life to flurish, and will remove stuff from your water.

boxfishpooalot · #24 08/14/2006, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reef_bones
Cheato does not go sexual... And as far as a trap..Yes it can but that is a good thing. When you do a water change just take the ball out and place it in the old water in a bucket, then shake.Then place back in the tank...No more detritus in the cheato and its not still in your tank...Great way of removal of detritus...

I thought chaeto does not go sexual either. But untill recently the stuff under the good top stuff turned white and mushy. Surprised me. First time I seen it.

Although, Im now relating it to low alkalinity maybee. I think my alklainity was about 2meq/l. Or it could be lack of light and current in my sump. Altough I do have a 400 watt halide for it, the bulb is old and just an industrial type. Perhaps the spectrum is poor and I need a good full spectrum lamp? I also run 24/7 but now am experimenting with a 6-8 hour dark period.

Reef_bones · #25 08/14/2006, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by boxfishpooalot
I thought chaeto does not go sexual either. But untill recently the stuff under the good top stuff turned white and mushy. Surprised me. First time I seen it.

Although, Im now relating it to low alkalinity maybee. I think my alklainity was about 2meq/l. Or it could be lack of light and current in my sump. Altough I do have a 400 watt halide for it, the bulb is old and just an industrial type. Perhaps the spectrum is poor and I need a good full spectrum lamp? I also run 24/7 but now am experimenting with a 6-8 hour dark period.

LOL..thats die off. WOW a 400w to grow cheato..Thats insane..