Help with inherited reef tank

The better option is to have your macro algae in a refugium, out of the display
tank.

Marc


Teri G wrote:

Are you saying you don't want any Caulerpas in your display tank?

There are some macros that I would consider for a reef - Halimeda is
very nice looking, but will deplete calcium levels. "Shaving brush"
algae is nice looking, Chaetomorpha is okay, not invasive or rooting.
Caulerpa, absolutely not (more below).


I know several people (including myself) who have had horrible
experiences with Caulerpa in the display. Given available nutrients,
and sufficient lighting, many caulerpas can literally take over a tank
in a couple weeks - even less time. It is almost impossible to
eradicate once established, and, in many cases, grows much more quickly
than it can be controlled. Caulerpas also have a tendency to release
toxins, as well as all of the nutrients they have absorbed (nitrates,
phosphates, etc.), back into the water column.

We recenly had a war with some Caulerpa prolifera that was somehow (no
clue how) introduced into our tank. It took hold on a piece of LR, and
rooted itself deep into one my favorite sps's - an Anacropora sp.
Within only a few days, it had literally grown totally through the
coral. I had to remove the entire rock from the tank, and tear apart
the coral into several dozen pieces to remove the Caulerpa. Nasty
stuff. We have three different Tangs in the tank - none of which would
touch the stuff.


Most that I know of do not have Caulerpa, but may have one or two other
macros, as mentioned above. The problem with macro algaes is this --
either no fish will touch it, and it will quickly take over a tank,
*or*, the fish will love it, and will have a quick and tasty $20.00
snack. :-)

Teri
http://www.reefsanctuary.com

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