calepera

[supermarvin76]

I have 2 "balls' of chateo in my refug right now. I still have excess alage growth in my display. I would like to keep calepera , but am EXTREAMLY worried about it releasing its toxins. I know that I should keep the light on for 24/7 but what about when I take the light off to do maintenace on the sump? Or when power goes out, or the bulb burn out?
What are the risk-benefit ratio? ANy more advice about calepera would be great too.
Thanks!!!

 

[fernzpat]

It seems to me be observation you can tell when Calepera is going sexual or through a die-off. Just remove it then.

I kept mine on a 12 hour light cycle for two years and rarely had any problems...

 

[seaham358]

IMO with cheato this is not an issue. It will help the tank more then ever hurt it.
Not sure why everyone keeps saying caluerpa releases toxins, what I have read about them is they release stored up nutrients back into the tank and or spores. Is this good not really but should not harm the tank IMO. I say this having first hand experiance with grape caluerpa going sexual in my reef tank 3 times and mexicana in my fowlr once (yesterday) it harmed NOTHING. So do not worry...
If the tank is small then there is a posibility that there could be issues with the health of fish because the spores a consume the O2 in the water.

 

[Phyl]

Caluerpa goes sexual for survival. Mostly happens when it gets crowded and more likely to happen if you have your lights on off cycle from your main. I don't worry that it will go sexual while I'm doing fuge maintenance, I think it is an over time thing.

Keep it pruned and keep your lights on and they say you shouldn't have a problem. I'm keeping watch over mine too. I was a little worried about it, but it seems fine so far.

 

[JPloman]

My culerpa is all over my main tank and refuge... I am not sure why. I keep the lights on the refuge all the time, but it still spread. Now that it is in my main tank, it has on and off light cycles. It has been in there for like 6 months and I have had no toxins released. I wouldnt worry about it too much.

 

[aquanaut]

JP Could you post a pic of the Culerpa in your main tank please. Is that the Brillo pad like algae?

 

[Phyl]

Chaeto is the brillo pad stuff. The calerpa I have looks like little bunches of grapes.

 

[seaham358]

Is it the Green Grape Caluerpa? That stuff went sexual in my tank/fuge 3 times. i tossed it after the 3rd time. It was great at reducing NO3 but it would foul the water up for hours after it went sexual.