Raising Chaetomorpha

[Dan Norgard]

I'd appreciate any advice on raising Chaetomrpha. I Googled it and only
found a small mention of 'tumbling' and there was mention of not growing it
in a tank with different Macros. Am I to understand it is not to be in the
same system or just separated like Caulerpa in the display and Chaetomorpha
in the sump? I'd like it to grow and thrive, not just sit and rot.

Again, thanks for any advice.

Dan
--
80g Reef tank, 1-1/2 yr old
30g Sump/Refugium w/PS
250w MH, 4-32w T-8s (quit laughing)
65lb LR, 60lb LS
100 Nassarius, 5 Astreas
1 Serpent Star
1 Yellow-tail Damsel
2 Hawaiian Dusters
Assorted Mushrooms
2 Obligatory False Percs (as required by the Grandparents Code)
1 Rose BTA
1 Peppermint Shrimp

[J.S.]

Personally, I wouldn't have any macro in the display. I'd throw some in the
sump, and some in a refugium. Caulerpa is a sexing beast and will spread
wildly in your display, and chaeto doesn't hold itself together good enough.
I tried putting chaeto in my display once and it eventually came loose from
the rocks that held parts of it down and once it hit the powerheads it
bursted into a cloud of green pubic hair-looking particles.

Anyways, its usually best to raise only one type of macro per setup due to
the fact that they are competing for the same resources. I would choose
chaeto, but only because that's all I've ever had. I've heard horror stories
about caulerpa so I stay away from it. I put about a golf-ball size in a
CPR Aquafuge 12" along with some LR rubble and LS, and in about a month it
was bulging on all sides. At first it kinda tumbled on its own, but once it
got bigger I would tumble it myself. I did this usually at every water
change (once a month or so). I keep the light on 24/7 over the fuge, and I
upgraded the powerhead.


Jon


"Dan Norgard" > wrote in message
...
> I'd appreciate any advice on raising Chaetomrpha. I Googled it and only
> found a small mention of 'tumbling' and there was mention of not growing
it
> in a tank with different Macros. Am I to understand it is not to be in
the
> same system or just separated like Caulerpa in the display and
Chaetomorpha
> in the sump? I'd like it to grow and thrive, not just sit and rot.
>
> Again, thanks for any advice.
>
> Dan
> --
> 80g Reef tank, 1-1/2 yr old
> 30g Sump/Refugium w/PS
> 250w MH, 4-32w T-8s (quit laughing)
> 65lb LR, 60lb LS
> 100 Nassarius, 5 Astreas
> 1 Serpent Star
> 1 Yellow-tail Damsel
> 2 Hawaiian Dusters
> Assorted Mushrooms
> 2 Obligatory False Percs (as required by the Grandparents Code)
> 1 Rose BTA
> 1 Peppermint Shrimp
>
>

[kryppy]

On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 16:32:41 -0700, "Dan Norgard"
> wrote:

>I'd appreciate any advice on raising Chaetomrpha. I Googled it and only
>found a small mention of 'tumbling' and there was mention of not growing it
>in a tank with different Macros. Am I to understand it is not to be in the
>same system or just separated like Caulerpa in the display and Chaetomorpha
>in the sump? I'd like it to grow and thrive, not just sit and rot.


It grows best by itself. Caulerpa tends to make a mat on top which
blocks the light and retards the growth.
I have a 10 gallon plumbed in with two of the florescent reflector
energy saver flood lights from home depot, and a small hand full will
fill the entire thing in about two weeks!

[Dan Norgard]

Thanks, all. I'm putting the Caulerpa Prolifera in a "Farm Tank" with a
Damsel to fertilize it and letting the Cheato do it's thing in the Sump.
Dan
--
"kryppy" > wrote in message
...
On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 16:32:41 -0700, "Dan Norgard"
> wrote:

>I'd appreciate any advice on raising Chaetomrpha. I Googled it and only
>found a small mention of 'tumbling' and there was mention of not growing it
>in a tank with different Macros. Am I to understand it is not to be in the
>same system or just separated like Caulerpa in the display and Chaetomorpha
>in the sump? I'd like it to grow and thrive, not just sit and rot.


It grows best by itself. Caulerpa tends to make a mat on top which
blocks the light and retards the growth.
I have a 10 gallon plumbed in with two of the florescent reflector
energy saver flood lights from home depot, and a small hand full will
fill the entire thing in about two weeks!