Chaeto Alternatives for Refugium

[dangles]

I’ve tried searching here but didn’t have much luck.

What are a couple of alternative macro algaes to chaeto for a refugium?

Is there something else that’s similarly effective at nutrient uptake and has similar care requirements?

 

[Boehmtown]

I switched to calerpa. But my favorite has just been hair algae.

 

[VintageReefer]

I just put a floating algae scrubber in my refugium section.

It’s way more effective at nutrient control. It killed off all my cheato and all my tanks hair algae. Empty it every 5-10 days

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Dragons breath

 

[vanguard]

My LFS says that codium is the best. They claim it doesn't melt down like chaeto can.

I've only been running it for three days so I don't have a lot of personal experience to share. However, maybe it's something you can google and see if it lights your fire or not.

 

[nosduj]

Unpopular opinion warning; pulsing xenia. It's great at pulling nutrients out and grows like weeds in most tanks. Just a thought

 

[WheatToast]

My LFS says that codium is the best. They claim it doesn't melt down like chaeto can.

I've only been running it for three days so I don't have a lot of personal experience to share. However, maybe it's something you can google and see if it lights your fire or not.

Melting/going sexual is a trait shared by Codium and other green macroalgae. However, I have found Codium to be what I call a very "stable" macroalgae. I have never seen it go sexual, excluding the time I obtained an already dying individual in the surf, although it grows very slowly and would not be my number one choice for nutrient export.
IMO Ulva (sea lettuce) is the best Chaetomorpha alternative. It also grows very quickly, does not reaadily go sexual, and has the added benefit of being highly palatable to herbivorous fish and invertebrates.

 

[bradreef]

Dont run ulva. It can spread throught your system. Calerpa is super effective and what most people used in 2000's . It was banned in California and fell out of favor. It can go sexual and cause issues so you do want to thin it our regularly.

Why are you staying away from cheato?

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Tried the thick-strand chaeto. Didn't grow much and got covered in algae. I've just been stuffing large pieces of hair algae into the refeugium, and while a slimy green mat isn't the most visually appealing it works great. My ball of chaeto is in there, somewhere....

 

[WheatToast]

Dont run ulva. It can spread throught your system.

I actually had the exactly opposite problem with the popular Chaetomorpha linum (fine chaeto). It just broke apart and became a mess. On the other hand, Chaetomorpha spiralis (curly chaeto) and Ulva (sea lettuce) always stayed put in my refugium.

 

[bradreef]

Need help with getting rid of ULVA

So I have a nuvo 25 black (drilled with a sump vs AOI). The tank is doing great but I’m starting to get ulva growing and getting a little out of hand. If I had a larger tank a couple fangs and the issue would be taken care of but with this smaller tank my herbivore options are limited. I believe...

www.reef2reef.com

Help getting rid of ulva

My 20g long mixed reef has ulva that has been spreading at a good pace, but has not really taken over the rock or anything. I do have a good amount of corals to that help to keep attention away from it and not let it appear as if its spreading badly. The tank is only 3 months old and the ulva...

www.reef2reef.com

Ulva in my DT?

Algae Barn was out of Chaeto for a long time so I went with Ulva instead in my refugium. The Ulva is growing well, but noticed that the small pieces were clogging my sump bubble filter so I put a piece of egg crate and screen in my refugium to prevent this from happening. This is working fairly...

www.reef2reef.com

Major ulva outbreak. Looking for solutions

I have a 90 gallon tank with a large ulva outbreak. It is covering several rocks and is all over the sand as well. the rock work I have is too large and connected to remove and treat with peroxide. None of my fish or inverts seem to touch the stuff. I started dosing vibrant this week 2 doses...

www.reef2reef.com

And on and on.

 

[WheatToast]

Need help with getting rid of ULVA

So I have a nuvo 25 black (drilled with a sump vs AOI). The tank is doing great but I’m starting to get ulva growing and getting a little out of hand. If I had a larger tank a couple fangs and the issue would be taken care of but with this smaller tank my herbivore options are limited. I believe...

www.reef2reef.com

Help getting rid of ulva

My 20g long mixed reef has ulva that has been spreading at a good pace, but has not really taken over the rock or anything. I do have a good amount of corals to that help to keep attention away from it and not let it appear as if its spreading badly. The tank is only 3 months old and the ulva...

www.reef2reef.com

Ulva in my DT?

Algae Barn was out of Chaeto for a long time so I went with Ulva instead in my refugium. The Ulva is growing well, but noticed that the small pieces were clogging my sump bubble filter so I put a piece of egg crate and screen in my refugium to prevent this from happening. This is working fairly...

www.reef2reef.com

Major ulva outbreak. Looking for solutions

I have a 90 gallon tank with a large ulva outbreak. It is covering several rocks and is all over the sand as well. the rock work I have is too large and connected to remove and treat with peroxide. None of my fish or inverts seem to touch the stuff. I started dosing vibrant this week 2 doses...

www.reef2reef.com

And on and on.

I don’t want to hijack the thread, but I have to say, if I had an extreme Ulva outbreak and was willing enough to throw caution to the wind, I would totally just scoop it out of my tank and eat it. No kidding

 

[dangles]

Dont run ulva. It can spread throught your system. Calerpa is super effective and what most people used in 2000's . It was banned in California and fell out of favor. It can go sexual and cause issues so you do want to thin it our regularly.

Why are you staying away from cheato?

I don't really have anything against chaeto. Just curious what else is out there. I'm starting a new tank and figured now is a good time to find out.

 

[Spare time]

Gracilaria are good.

 

[WheatToast]

I don't really have anything against chaeto. Just curious what else is out there. I'm starting a new tank and figured now is a good time to find out.

Another less efficient option would be a display refugium filled with countless different species of macroalgae. It would require careful trimming/trace element dosing, but look spectacular.

 

[dangles]

Another less efficient option would be a display refugium filled with countless different species of macroalgae. It would require careful trimming/trace element dosing, but look spectacular.

Definitely beautiful, but I'm not looking for any more work than I absolutely have to lol

 

[dpfriedman]

I’ve tried searching here but didn’t have much luck.

What are a couple of alternative macro algaes to chaeto for a refugium?

Is there something else that’s similarly effective at nutrient uptake and has similar care requirements?

LFS only had caulerpa so started using it. Keep the light on 24/7 so it doesn’t go sexual and watch everything drop. Stuff grows like crazy

 

[FrugalReefer]

Unpopular opinion warning; pulsing xenia. It's great at pulling nutrients out and grows like weeds in most tanks. Just a thought

Not unpopular at all. It’s what I use in my refugium.

 

[ctopherl]

I just put a floating algae scrubber in my refugium section.

It’s way more effective at nutrient control. It killed off all my cheato and all my tanks hair algae. Empty it every 5-10 days

What brand/model? Would you recommend this specific one?

 

[Philip Chin]

I may try hair algae