Q for Johnny re: Maiden's Hair Caluerpa

[ShirleyM]

Hi Johnny,
Didn't you say Pat had this kind of caluerpa in the tank? If so, is it a nuisance in a reef tank in your opinion? Is it spreading too quickly? Does it help keep your nitrates down? (or do you also run a refugium?)

Thanks so much,
Shirley

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Hey Shirley! Pat has a rock about 3" across with maiden hair and it seems to stay on that rock. The top of the maiden hair gets really dark color and then disappears and small new clumps appear on the rock in a very beautiful light green color.
She has a 55ww PC light on her 20 gallon tank so maybe that keeps it from spreading! Her water quality is fine! HTH

P.S. If I can find the pic of it that I have I will post it so you can see!!

[ShirleyM]

Super! Thank, Johnny!
Shirley

[Geoff]

it looks like that stuff i had before the crash, and as far as algae go it is a real cool customer. it seemed to only grow where it can establish itself. it also grew very slowly compared to others in the tank, so much so that for a while there it apparantly could not get hold because of some other faster growing algae would cover it up and kill it. i found it a very attractive algae. it seems to only establish itself in holes in the rock that would get just enough light for it to grow yet not enough for the coraline algae to grow. it would then slowly bush out with its nice dark green colour. Culling it was a little difficult when i had to because it was so tough, i would sometimes need a pair of scissors to trim it down. a trim of a only an inch would last several months.

i like it, and i hope it gets reestablished in the new tank. it was a nice contrast to all of the pinks and purples in the tank.

G~

[ShirleyM]

Well, it's real pretty, and I guess it's not the monster I was afraid it would be. Yes, it grows out of holes. It's in more than a couple places, but mostly on this one large rock. Have no clue how it got there b/c this is a recent occurrance - last 4 months or so.

Thanks,
Shirley

[cyberchef]

Originally posted by ShirleyM
Have no clue how it got there b/c this is a recent occurrance - last 4 months or so.

Shirley it was probably already there... lol I have LR that I've had for almost a year now that is suddenly sprouting algae I've never seen before, but it's in my refugium so I don't care... But it will grow out and then come loose and die off. Then a few months later it will grow back again or a new one will pop up.