fuge macroalgae

[Agnate80700]

I have calerpa algae in my 29gal tank's fuge but the more i read the more i think I dont want calerpa in my 150gal's fuge when it gets set up.

If I understand correctly, calerpa goes sexual at some point? My fuge has yet to do that, and its just fowlr so i dont -think- anything would be hurt if it did between now and next month or 2 when everything starts to get transfered to the 150gal. I dont have lights on the angae 24/7 but maybe i should? i thought i read thats what helps keep it from going sexual?

And as far as the fuge for the 150gal, what is the best macroalgae? Or I guess, what are your preferred types?

[Hara]

keeping lights on 24/7 and regular pruning will help avoid the situation. Caulerpa is IMO, the best nutrient export out there, albeit with risk. That risk can be minimized greatly by the two things mentioned above. If you want to be 100% certain, then go with mangroves or chaetomorpha.

[KurtsReef]

I have never had a problem but always trim it down and put the "extra" into my main tank where the tang and snails go to town wiping it out in under a day.

[Ziggy953]

I agree with Hara on Caulerpa being probably the best for nutirent export. I took my fuge a step further and put a few different kinds of Macro in. I have mostly Caulerpa though and it I would say takes care of most of the work. I also feed it to my tang and to another tank I have with a naughty damsel in it he seems to like it. I give my fuge a 2 hour lights out period a day and that has taken care of a bit of cyano I had growing in there. Also took the advice of Mike and reduced the flow through the fuge and that has made a big difference!

[melosu58]

I have kept grape calerpa in my fuge for almost 10 yrs now and I`ve never seen it go sexual. I`m knocking on my head right now. The reason I believe it has not is because of the two things that Lisa said about lights being on 24/7 and regular pruning. I take a baseball size clump out every week for my tang. IMO grape calerpa is the best but as Lisa also said with some risk.

[Agnate80700]

Thanks for the advice guys, I plan to house (a) tang(s?) in the 150 so it seems as they will appreciate the snack.

How do you know when you need to prune though? Are we talking... when every cubic inch of avalible space is used, or before that point? Is there any special care that needs to be taken when removing a clump (im not a plant guy so I dont know of pruning means something in peticular or if I can just randomly rip a clump out)

[melosu58]

I just randomly rip a clump out. I try to keep my fuge no more than half full. That is just what I do.