help w/lighting a caluerpa only tank???

[goes4ever]

I am setting up a small tank to grow caluerpa in, will it grow faster if I light the tank 24/7? is this ok to do?

[Green Mariner]

That depends what you are trying to accomplish. Some people do a reverse lighting schedule, which is supposed to help keep the Ph constant after lights out. After lights out carbon dioxide levels rise and Ph drops, with the lights on a reverse schedule the caulerpa takes up the additional cO2, helping to keep the Ph steady.

Doing a 24x7 will help keep the caulerpa from going sexual(depending on the type) and sporilating(sp?) in the tank which can cause problems depending on the size of the tank and the amount of caulerpa. Personally I do a 24x7, but i don't have to worry about the caulerpa giong sexual because I have a sump full of green wire algae which doesn't go sexual.

HTH

[Doug1]

I run my algae sump on reverse daylight photosynthesis principal. Right now I have crummy lighting so I get a lot of yucky hair algae. I have had various calurpa in my main tank but I really cant say about the going sexual aspect, I have heard alot of arguments either way. An algae refugium is a good thing but I think in order to offset pH drop at night in main tank you need at least half the display tank volume in heavily planted macro growth. Itty bitty 5 gal and less tanks with macro arent going to cut it in my opinion(which is just that) all in all its a good thing but I dont feel it is necessarily a cure all, there are way to many variables to consider,FWIW

[nobby]

hi all
im also considering doing a 24/7 lighting thing on my sump with calrupa that ive been growing in my main tank, the only thing is whats the minimum lighting needed for growth, as the tank only came with a small crappy 15w light, atm they are under halides.
so i dont want to shock em too much