Plants going sexual?????

[Flsprophet2]

I have read about plants in a refugium going sexual. Which I heard was bad. How do you know when it happens? How does that happen? Why is it bad? and How do you prevent it from happening? I have calupera in my refugium.

Any bit of knowledge from the great people at AA is much appreciated.

 

[JPloman]

What do you mean going "sexual"? You mean like they pollinate and reproduce? How could that be bad?

 

[BDAWG]

From what I've heard they can release toxins into the water that can totally fowl your tank. I've also heard this is remedied by leaving the light on the refugium on 24/7.

 

[lando]

They can also multiply at alarming rates.

 

[billy302]

keep going to the AA meetings, They Work!!!!

 

[BDAWG]

keep going to the AA meetings, They Work!!!!

I don't get it. :?

 

[JamesR]

Bad because it may cause a cloud in the display tank and then spread rapidly in the main. I use chaeto, as it does not go sexual and is great at nitrate removal. you can also leave the lights on 24/7 to keep other macros from going sexual.

Jim

 

[PatM]

When grape caulerpa is going sexual it grows small hairs on the grapes and becomes almost transparent. I saw this coming recently and removed all but a small amount. Since then half of that went but the other half is growing back and thriving. I do leave my lights on 24/7 but some other things that cause it to go are too much growth resulting in shading of alot of the colony, bad pruning practices, and 0 nitrates. I heard from the LFS (take with a grain of salt) that caulerpa will crash if there are no detectable nitrates and therefore very little for it to thrive on. Caulerpa, from what I've been told and have been doing, should be pruned regularly. I must say after that close one I'm thinking of trying the cheato myself.

 

[Flsprophet2]

Is there a possibility of the calupera spreading into my main tank from the fuge?????

 

[Flsprophet2]

I also noticed that the little grapes have started to open up. Is this good or bad? Is this a sign of my calurpea going sexual?

 

[JamesR]

Flsprophet2

Yes, it can spread to the main.

Jim

 

[PatM]

You definitely want to use caution and make sure it doesn't get in the main tank. I have seen it grown in main tanks but it will probably be a headache keeping it pruned reasonably imo.

 

[austinsdad]

Caleurpa taxifolia I think it's called, does go asexual (I think that's the term) - as opposed to "sexual". I think it can be from too much lighting or unpruned reproduction.

Look into chaetomorpha, commonly called chaeto. The better of the macro-algaes so I've read. Won't go asexual and cause problems. Somebody with some energy this time of night should do a google and find some good info to back me up. I'm too sleepy.

Nite nite.

 

[seaham358]

What type of cauluerpa do you have?
It releases nutrients/spores back into the tank when it goes sexual, not sure I would consider it toxic... Is it good- No.
I had my grape go sexual in my 125 reef 3 times and it looked like someone just dumped a carton of milk into my tank... Did it kill, harm anything, No. I just put some fresh carbon in the tank and took out the now limp, white/clear colored grape caulerpa and tossed it.
I was not running my lights 24/7 and it always went sexual about an hour after the lights came on.
I now have taken all the grape out and run cheto and mexicana and have my lights run 24/7 with no issues.
IMO I would get some new type of macroalgae and toss the grape caulerpa.
no issue spreading to the main tank if it goes sexual. Like I said it happened to me 3 times with no problems... Just a bad looking tank for half a day.