Removing Caulerpa from DT

Indytraveler83 · Apr 8, 2020

In my old system I had Caulerpa in the DT to help with biological filtration. I re-used the live rock and manually removed as much as I could before placing it back in the DT. But this stuff grows like weeds!

I manually remove from the DT on a regular basis, but it still comes back. I don't want to resort to anything drastic, as the system is doing very well overall, but need a way to get this stuff to go away. I use it in my refugium, so I'm only trying to rid it from the tank, not the system as a whole.

I've read that pitho crabs are reef safe and will eat complex algae. Would a few of those with manual removal do the job? Any other suggestions?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 8, 2020

I had a terrible infestation that was totally kept under control by a One Spot Foxface (Siganus unimaculatus).

Indytraveler83 · Apr 8, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I had a terrible infestation that was totally kept under control by a One Spot Foxface (Siganus unimaculatus).

Would this be too big of a fish for a 90 gallon system?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 11, 2020

Indytraveler83 said:
Would this be too big of a fish for a 90 gallon system?

Mine was in a 120. He'd probably be OK in a 90.

Double monti 61 · Apr 11, 2020

Hi I had some in my tank I manually removed them.I had to remove some of the sand along with the visible part they have nasty little roots so you may have to remove the roots along with the visible parts they never grew back but I still hate the bubble algae not bad in my tank as long as I keep ahead of it

ScottB · Apr 11, 2020

+1 on the one spot rabbit fish. Amazing how much caulerpa that one fish can eat.

I just clipped 3 four inch strands to the glass. In the time it took me to dry my hands and shoot this pic, he and a buddy cleared it. Your results may vary, but rabbits are my favorite working fish. I think the Magnificents are better looking, but nobody can touch a one spot for weed whacking work. Just don't forget that the dorsals are venomous so be cautious on the transfer.

Eventually, he may outgrow the 90, but by that time you will be building a 240 so no worries.

sixty_reefer · Apr 11, 2020

What species of caleurpas you trying to remove?

Slawman · Apr 11, 2020

I have found flow rate can discourage some caulurpas. Try re directing some flow towards yours and see, not much to lose. Caulurpa is a great way to export PO4 so there is certainly some upside and it usually looks pretty cool to my eye as well.