Triton phosphorus - odd P result!

[madweazl]

For what it's worth, I have three different caulerpa sp. in my refurium on a 14 hour photo period, I've had zero issues in the last year.

 

[dankreef]

All in the glass bro. Goes a few days no film low low p.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wow really? I like the look of it but thought every so often it exploded lol. Had no clue you could just keep it trimmed. Thanks

IMO, that is rare if ever taking place in normal reef tanks with good aeration. I've been following forums for more than 20 years and I do not recall ever hearing from someone who that actually happened to.

I grew caulerpa racemosa for many years. One type (the petatta variant) would periodically sporulate and die, with no apparent issues.

IT is a BAD pest though.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I took a Hanna test at 0.28ppm at exactly the same time I took a sample to go off to Triton. Triton came back at 0.13ppm. No idea which to believe to be honest.

You sure you were comparing phosphate, not phosphate to P?

 

[tdileo]

IMO, that is rare if ever taking place in normal reef tanks with good aeration. I've been following forums for more than 20 years and I do not recall ever hearing from someone who that actually happened to.

I grew caulerpa racemosa for many years. One type (the petatta variant) would periodically sporulate and die, with no apparent issues.

IT is a BAD pest though.

I wanted some for my sump but was nervous once it got established and began to reproduce it would kill my livestock. I thought at some point it happens no matter what, not just if it wasn't healthy or something

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I wanted some for my sump but was nervous once it got established and began to reproduce it would kill my livestock. I thought at some point it happens no matter what, not just if it wasn't healthy or something

The problem is that it gets into the main tank and will overrun everything unless you have certain fish that eat it. I got a foxface for that purpose and it worked great to keep it in check.

 

[tdileo]

The problem is that it gets into the main tank and will overrun everything unless you have certain fish that eat it. I got a foxface for that purpose and it worked great to keep it in check.

Oh, I only have a 46 so no fish that will touch it unless I get a temporary fish. Guess I will avoid it then

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Oh, I only have a 46 so no fish that will touch it unless I get a temporary fish. Guess I will avoid it then

I would, in retrospect, even though it is more efficient than chaetomorpha.

 

[BCSreef]

Caulerpa racemosa was an accidental introduction via live rock 22 years ago. I can't get rid of it in the refugium. It is evil if left unchecked and will smother your corals! It easily out grows chaetomorpha. It is efficient for a refugium.

Yellow and purple tangs keep it out of the display tank. I can't see any there unless I move live rock around and look real hard.

I would not suggest intentionally adding it unless you plan to always have the right herbivores - certain tangs and/or rabbit fish.

 

[tdileo]

Caulerpa racemosa was an accidental introduction via live rock 22 years ago. I can't get rid of it in the refugium. It is evil if left unchecked and will smother your corals! It easily out grows chaetomorpha. It is efficient for a refugium.

Yellow and purple tangs keep it out of the display tank. I can't see any there unless I move live rock around and look real hard.

I would not suggest intentionally adding it unless you plan to always have the right herbivores - certain tangs and/or rabbit fish.

Wow, so if you want this stuff for nutrient control your best but is probably to set up a seperate tank plumbed into your main one with really small mesh on every exit to keep it in there? Crazy you can't get rid of it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wow, so if you want this stuff for nutrient control your best but is probably to set up a seperate tank plumbed into your main one with really small mesh on every exit to keep it in there? Crazy you can't get rid of it

Spores may get through even a mesh.

 

[tdileo]

Spores may get through even a mesh.

Man thats insane. So seems like your best bet really is to not get any at all unless its a FOWLR and you love the stuff..

 

[madweazl]

Man thats insane. So seems like your best bet really is to not get any at all unless its a FOWLR and you love the stuff..

It's a food source for some fish so it all becomes part of the system. Awesome if you have the above mentioned tangs (not sure how many actually eat it) or rabbit fish.

 

[tdileo]

It's a food source for some fish so it all becomes part of the system. Awesome if you have the above mentioned tangs (not sure how many actually eat it) or rabbit fish.

Well I have a small tank so no rabbitfish or tangs here lol. But some day I will have a tank big enough for a clown tang and he will live in macroalgae paradise [emoji23]

 

[Damien Buckley]

You sure you were comparing phosphate, not phosphate to P?

P was 42ug/l
PO4 was 0.12852mg/l (which I think is equivalent to ppm, right?)

 

[BCSreef]

Wow, so if you want this stuff for nutrient control your best but is probably to set up a seperate tank plumbed into your main one with really small mesh on every exit to keep it in there? Crazy you can't get rid of it

The Caulerpa is in a separate 40 gallon illuminated tank. The water then flows to another 4o gallon dark tank full of live rock & live sponges before being pumped upstairs to the DT to minimize big pieces from ending up in the DT. Little bits and "spores" will occasionally make their way up to the DT. The tangs keep the DT totally free of any Caulerpa.

In my experience blue hippo tangs and brush mouth species of tang won't eat it, but fox faces, yellow tangss and purple tangs love it.