Refugium.. Chaeto or caulerpa?

knotsmart · Mar 26, 2015

hey guys(and ladies).. I've just rebuilt my fuge, I went from a 10gl that I had laying around to a 60gl that I scored for free. I rigged 2 pendant lights with 85w 5k bulbs from lowes and threw the caulerpa that I already had in there.. I was just online and read that the caulerpa is meant for the fish to eat .. and that chaeto is meant (better) for the fuge..

I've always used the caulerpa but am well aware that others use the chaeto.. my question is , which is better , meaning which utilizes more phosphate and nitrate in the water column or which cleans the water better? Thanks guys.. I attached a pic of the new setup in the basement.. the DT is a 75gl with LR from top to bottom

Reefing Madness · Mar 27, 2015

Pete polyp · Mar 27, 2015

I feel people aren't using caulerpa for the fear that it will go sexual and end up in the display.

Reefing Madness · Mar 27, 2015

I ran em both in my sump days. But i really couldn't tell you which one eats more faster out of the water column.

diablomaster9045 · Mar 27, 2015

Definitely go with a gracilaria or halymenia family macroalgae for your fuge.

Dragon's breath is an awesome one. Looks cool and grows fast. No risk of it going sexual. The only down side is you can't tumble it. It needs to be affixed to something. Running the light on it opposite of your main tank lights is optimal up to 18 on 6 off.

knotsmart · Mar 27, 2015

diablomaster9045 said:
Definitely go with a gracilaria or halymenia family macroalgae for your fuge.

Dragon's breath is an awesome one. Looks cool and grows fast. No risk of it going sexual. The only down side is you can't tumble it. It needs to be affixed to something. Running the light on it opposite of your main tank lights is optimal up to 18 on 6 off.

Hey Diablo, please explain running lights on an opposite schedule.. I get what what you're saying, when DT lights are on have fuge light off and visa versa.. but explain the chemistry please.. that's interesting

diablomaster9045 · Mar 27, 2015

knotsmart said:
Hey Diablo, please explain running lights on an opposite schedule.. I get what what you're saying, when DT lights are on have fuge light off and visa versa.. but explain the chemistry please.. that's interesting

It helps even out your swings in ph. Adding the light to the algae at night time when your main lights are off causes the Algae to convert co2 over to Oxygen causing the ph to go up some.

I am not sure all the conversions and science behind it, but it is a good option to help make the tank more stable.

Here is the wikipedia link on it. goes a little bit more in depth. Refugium (fishkeeping) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

knotsmart · Mar 27, 2015

Ahh. I know exactly what you're talking about.. in the morning it's normal that your ph is low.. having the fuge lights on counters the swing...

great idea, I wouldn't have thought of that.. god I. Love this forum

Mr E Wrasse · Mar 27, 2015

I noticed you're using PEX pipe. Are those standard plastic barb fittings you used or are there plastic PEX fittings?

trido · Mar 28, 2015

I use feather calurpa. For years I never had luck with cheato (lots of flow and keep it tumbling) my feather calurpa grows in any flow and attaches itself to the refugium walls and also grows in a ball in the high flow.

knotsmart · Mar 28, 2015

Mr E Wrasse said:
I noticed you're using PEX pipe. Are those standard plastic barb fittings you used or are there plastic PEX fittings?

Yeah, I'm a general contractor by trade.. PEX is so much faster, cheaper and easier to work with. You can buy either brass or plastic fittings specific to PEX ( the inside diameter is slightly different to a regular barb fitting). In the tank application you go with plastic(obviously) for years I used to use clear plastic tube but switched to PEX 2 years ago, only because I had it left over from a job.. you can buy the fitting at Lowe's although I buy mine at a plumbing supply. This is important.. you have to buy a special clamp ring and clamp tool.. I've never tried it, but old style screw clamps I don't think will work.. PEX is very stiff.