[Mikeman]

What's the fastest growing caulerpa for a refugium?



Thanks

[fishpoo]

i don't have caulerpa in my refugium because i don't have light but my vote would be grape is the fastest growing.

[newreefman1]

Grape grows fast .It actually took over the fast growing razor that I had. I dont have too much razor left nowadays...

My vote goes for grape indeed.

J

[Mikeman]

looks like grape it is, thanks guys

[newreefman1]

Remember though, grape goes sexual more than almost all the others out there. I run mine with 24 hr lighting to prevent this but razor is a great choice for a caulerpa that wont release its nutrients back into the system which can happen with grape and does frequently. THe best choice is a mix IMO of as many as you can find. Just like incomputers, redundancy is best.
J

[scubadude]

Originally posted by Mikeman
What's the fastest growing caulerpa for a refugium?

Definately grape! I pull out atleast a plateful...looks like a big plate of spaghetti once every 2 weeks in my 55g fug. FWIW though im gonna try some other macro....Grape hasnt been the most stable like mentioned above it can go sexual usually turning white and relasing spores which can be very toxic to some corals. I have heard good things about chaetamorpha macro algae, that it has just as good of growth rates as grape but will not go sexual.

[reptilicus]

G'day,
I have a refugium with a number of different species of Caulerpa, including razor and grape, and I must disagree with everyone here. IMO, the fastest growing Caulerpa is actually Caulerpa taxifolia, that stuff is just nuts! Grape does also grow fast, I have a few other types of macro in my 'fuge as well.
I also keep the light on 24/7 to avoid the plants going "sexual", and so far (had my fuge going ~1 year) it has worked no worries.
Cheers,
Tom

[newreefman1]

Sorry Rep but I didnt comment on Taxifolia because it is VERY illegal here.

It also is a Very VERY bad plague Caulerpa that is to blame for the destruction of a TON Of the wildlife in the ocean from Californias Lagoons to the medeterranean sea.

In San diego, They banned ALL species of caulerpa just because of taxifolia.

I suggest not using it if you are in the states but its not very common anymore around here either.

Jason

[Scrooge]

The fastest growing Caulerpa is the kind that gets on my rocks in hard to reach places and spreads like a plague. It doesn't matter which species, if it is somewhere I don't want it to be it is the fastest growing

In my refugium though, Grape seems to grow quickly. I aggree with the post above though that a mixture is probably the best.

[golfish]

If you have a calcium reactor you might think about using Halimeda. I don't think this stuff goes sexual or A sexual (what ever it is they do), It does grow pretty good and when it dies it turns into sand. I think this stuff might need a little stronger light tho. I let it grow in my SPS tank.

[Mikeman]

if i could get a hold of taxifolia that would be great, since im pretty sure its not illegal here, South Dakota.

looks like im going to go with some grape

[reptilicus]

G'day,
Jason, I know taxifolia is a problem in many parts of the world, as far as I'm concerned that's testimony to it's toughness and tenacity, and that makes it a great candidate for a fuge If it's illegal though probably not a good one to get. There are a few other similar sp. which may be OK.
Caulerpa taxifolia is a naturally occurring species here, I just collected some from a bay near my house, it's going great.
Cheers,
Tom

[newreefman1]

I dont know the legalities of it all across the US although in California, taxifolia is banned and in San diego specifically all species of caulerpa are banned. That doesnt mean that I dont keep a few though

Feather caulerpa was seen around here quite a bit(the sci name eludes me) but because of its resemblance to taxifolia as well, it was pulled from stores even before they banned all caulerpas. Grape, Razor, the "spaghetti"(non rooting), and one other grape like but larger "grapes" seems to do the trick for me


J