Chaetomorpha or Gracilaria?

goodfortune · 07-05-2004, 02:43 PM

I would like to use either Chaetomorpha or Gracilaria for a refuigum that I am planning to set up. I will be using a small Rubbermaid container for the 'fuge, placed in a Rubbermaid sump under the stand. From what I understand, either macroalgae would stand a much lower chance of going sexual than Caulerpa, and their fast growth rates would indicate that they are effective at taking excess nutrients out of the water.

- Does any one have any experiences, or impressions that they can share using either macro algae?

- What in the way of lighting and water flow works well for you in terms of growing either macroalgae?
- Is it possible, or are there any advantages/disadvantages in using them together in the same 'fuge?

I look forward to your responses. Thanks in advance!

Toadfish · 07-05-2004, 06:03 PM

Cheato is great! It is a good refuge for pods and most, it absorbs both nitrate and phospahte, and mot importantly it doesn't go sexual. Gracilaria is good too, but it is a slow grower and doesn't give the same refuge to pods and such. Also I don't believe it does much in the way of phosphate removal. My .02

Phishnoob · 07-05-2004, 07:22 PM

Wow looked at the title and thought you were referring to some diseases that come from girls of ill repute....ummm...I had a friend that caught them.

We have a little in tank CPR refugium and some cheato that came over from a great fellow TRT person and it is a little snail egg and pod farm. Plus goby likes to live in there.

Most everything else is not allowed in California.

goodfortune · 07-05-2004, 11:52 PM

Phishnoob, that's funny...if one didn't know any better, you would think that Chaetomorpha and Gracilaria were one of those diseases!

Phishnoob and Toadstool, what size is your 'fuge in relation to your tanks? I'm going to be using a rubbermaid 19 qt (4.75 gal) container for my 'fuge. From what I have read, a refugium should be anywhere from 20-40% of the show tank's volume. I have an Oceanic 58, so the 'fuge will be much smaller than the recommended minimum.

Do you think it will still do me some good to set this 'fuge up despite it's size?

salt creepette · 07-06-2004, 02:18 PM

i use chaeto and 'dragon's tongue' (its a little thicker, flatter, and slimier than the thinner gracillaria, but I believe they are still from the same family) in my tank, as well as the green ulva (its like a flat yet wavy green algae), but i dont care for the ulva so I dont recommend it (it doesnt grow much at all for me). the dragons tongue grows much quicker than the chaeto IME but thats probably because the chaeto is in my sump further away from the light source, and the red stuff is IN my tank. I dont have a dedicated refugium. If you can get multiple algaes in there, I dont see why to limit it to just one.

Phishnoob · 07-06-2004, 11:01 PM

Our fuge is itty bitty..sort of the reef tank equivalent of a hobby farm. Some pods and the yellow watchman goby are it. I don't think it does much.

Mrs_Phishnoob · 07-06-2004, 11:09 PM

It's not that tiny :P It's about 12" x 6" x 4" or something. Our's takes up just about a corner of my 29g tank...can't put much under it cause they don't get enough light so it makes that area useless.