Caulerpa going sexual

If you have caulerpa in your sump, and it goes sexual ... will caulerpa start growing everywhere in your main display?

I plan on putting it in the fuge for nutrient export, with a 24 hour photo period. if it goes sexual regardless of the light, will it start to grow in the main display?

Whats the worst that could happen?

I'd love to go with chaeto, but just don't have any access to any.

thoughts?

 

Is there potential that it could migrate that way....yes. Is it likely.....absolutely not.

The main reason that Caulera spp go sexual is because people aren't trimming it often enough. I've never had it go sexual before and I have never used a 24/7 lighting schedule on it. The main harm of Caulerpa going sexual is the SPS growth inhibitors in it (primarily Caulerpenyne in certain species of Caulerpa, but there are others). If you don't keep SPS corals, this is obviously less of an issue. The other issue is that all of the Ammonium and Nitrates it previously held is released all at once.

 

Curt- Doesn't it also release a lot of carbon dioxide?

 

I just stay away from it personally, yes im afraid of it, ive seen many tanks over run with the stuff and have heard way too many horro stories !

 

It can. If one doesn't have a way to off-gas the CO2, pH will drop quickly. A well setup tank will have proper flow to offgas CO2 (I.e. powerheads rippling the water surface, a skimmer or overflow removing dissolved organics from the water surface, etc).