Cheato vs. Caulerapra

H

Hookem2006

Premium Member
What are the mean differences? I am using caulerpra in my 12 gal Nano cube. I have read about it "getting sexual". Should I worry?
 
Run your lights over it at least 18 hours a day and you should be fine. Some run it 24 as a precaution but it's unnecessary. I've used it for the past 5 years and only had it go sexual once in a smaller tank because I did not harvest it properly. Chaeto will work just as well if you are worried about it, I just like calerpa better.
 
We have been using caulerpa in our tanks for over 12 years now and never had it go sexual. Caulerpa is more efficient in pulling our nutrients from the water compared to cheato. We do keep the sump light on 24/7 and you must keep it trimmed back. Remember trimming is what is exports the nutrients from the tank.
 
@washingtond wrote:
We have been using caulerpa in our tanks for over 12 years now and never had it go sexual. Caulerpa is more efficient in pulling our nutrients from the water compared to cheato. We do keep the sump light on 24/7 and you must keep it trimmed back. Remember trimming is what is exports the nutrients from the tank. said:
I literally JUST set up my refugium yesterday. I have a little 12 gallon Nanocube. I took all the sponges outta of the first chamber, and the bio-balls, carbon and bio-rings out of chamber 2. I then cut the vinyl on the back to let my light through and plus a small handful of live rock rubble in chamber one and a couple in chamber 2. On top of the LR rubble in chamber 2, I have a small handful of caulerpra, with a small piece of sponge blocking strands from going to the return pump chamber. Does that sound right? Also, do I just rim when ever it looks like it needs to be trimmed? How often do you expect that to be?
Click to expand...
 
That should be okay. Many people us a sand bed or mud in their sumps but rubble rock should work. How much nutrients are in your water will determine how often you will have to trim the algae. The more nutrients the faster it will grow.

Post a picture of you setup if you can.
 
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Intank with a small piece of sponge to filter out any debris. Also a small amount of LR Rubble in there. Heater is also in there.
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Middle chamber with LR Rubble and Culerpra. Sponge on righthand side of outflow to block culerapra from going it to the pump
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Over all view from top.
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Rear of tank.
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Full Tank shot!
There are my pictures. You can probably figure out what is going on there.
 
24/7 lighting only works if you keep it trimmed & in check. Just ask the guy at Fish2morro LOL.
As long as you're not out of town when it goes sexual and can do cleanup if it happens, you'll be fine. If you're out of town like I was, with a wimpy skimmer & nothing else, it'll nuke your tank. That was what killed everything in my last tank when I got out of the hobby.
Right now, our dragon's breath is outgrowing both our feather caulerpa and our chaeto.
 
I've used both and both are good for nutrient management. Caulerpa does need to be carefully managed though or it will cause problems. Like people have already mentioned: Keep it thinned out . My experience suggests that letting it get even a little thick will cause it to blow out. If caulerpa gets a foothold somewhere you don't want, it can be very difficult to remove it permanently. Just stay on top of maintenance and you'll be ok.

Cheato is much more fail safe and only slightly less capable, IME.
 
I have filter floss on the outflow of the second chamber now. I don't want that stuff flowing there my pump and grabbing a hold of my tank.
 
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