Refugium Plant/Macroalgae Setup

Looking similar to mine now. I bought some Chaeto and Red Gracilaria yesterday and added it to my fuge. I've decided to keep the feather Caluerpa for now, only because I've talked with several people who run it, and even the owners of the three LFS near me use it and say they've never seen serious issues from it. But one did say he runs a 24/7 light schedule just as added security against it going asexual.

 

Wow, good information. I will definitely change my disposal methods now. Did not know it was that hardy. Thanks!

 

it depends on the species of caulerpa...for what it is worth I have never seen a picture from a hobbyist that had taxifolia, nevermind the mediterranean strain. C. taxifolia (not the med. strain) and just about every caluerpa in the hobby - including all of your macro species - are native to florida, so no worries there) taxifolia is so often mislabeled in the hobby that by comparing to someone's pictures is not going to get you far.

If caulerpa is working well for you, then stick with it. It consumes nutrients faster than chaeto. Just prune it when it needs it and you will be fine. The threats caulerpa poses are often stressed to prevent complacency I think, it really isn't all that hard to keep healthy and happy if you take care of it.

 

As of right now I'm still running the three macroalgaes: Chaeto, Caulerpa, and Gracilaria. Caulerpa is growing like crazy, having to trim it back every other week. Chaeto is growing, and is pretty well inhabited by pods. The Gracilaria though seems like its being devoured by pods. Do pods eat Gracilaria? Last night I watched as two rather large amphipods and a bristle worm crawl around in the gracilaria, looking like they were eating it. I got the gracilaria early to grow to feed my future tang, but looks like the pods are getting to it first.

 

gracilaria isn't as easy to grow as many think. I had a chunk in my fuge and it disappeared. I doubt pods ate it, most likely withered away and just died.