Caulerpa Frustrations

[BWAusTX]

All, I am getting desperate... I have had a 58 Gallon Reef now for over two years. Recently I started seeing an outbreak that is attempting to take over my entire tank. I have been battling the outbreak for nearly 6 months and I am nearing the end of my Salt Water hobby if I can not figure this out.

The "Caulerpa" that I am seeing is a green leafy fern looking growth that grows in concentrated spots around my tank. I have attached a similar picture. This is not hair algae. My crabs will not touch it, my snails have no interest and my Purple Tang has no interest.

I have been running PhosGuard for over two months now. Yes, I am discarding and using fresh PhosGuard every three days. I am unable to detect any Nitrites or Nitrates. I just don't get it.

Below are the details of my tank. Any help is appreciated.

Tank Details
58 Gallon Reef Ready Oceanic Tank
Sump
Skimmer
UV Steralizer
250watt 10,000k Coralife Metal Hailide (8hours a day)
Emperor Hanging Filter (Gets remaining particles our of the water)
100 Pounds of established live rock
KH between 11 - 13
Calcium 450ppm
1 Purple Tang and other non grazing fish

 

[Anonymous]

Hi BW

I have three types of Caulerpa in my system, all of which were deliberately added, including one that appears to be your problem. (2 types in my refugium, one in the display.) The best way to keep it under control is to crop it regularly, I rip it out with tongs every coupla weeks, and at the same time harvest the growth in my fuge. If you keep it from overcrowding the fuge (away from the walls and with space around it to grow) it apparently wont go sexual on you and spawn in the water. It is a very effective bio PO4 remover and reduces NO as well. Hermits wont touch it, although I have seen larger urchins hammer it in my fuge. If you want a fish that will eat it, some people have had some success with foxfaces (i have never tried though) Your system may be a tad small for a foxface though as they grow pretty large, check with the more knowledgeable folks here first, or try and 'borrow' a small one from a friendly LFS. Another possible way of getting it under control is by reducing your display photoperiod, increasing your sump photoperiod to 24/7 and setting up some macroalgae in the sump. That way the sump macro will compete for the nutrients that are feeding the display macro with an unfair advantage.

If you really really hate it that much, you will prolly have to remove the LR and scrub it to remove all traces, bear in mind that the stuff attaches into the rock structure in most cases and you will need to remove all traces of it. Cheer up! I am fighting a derbesia and cyano outbreak caused by a PO4 spike and heat problem, I'd rather deal with rampant macro any day!

 

[DrHank]

I agree with the harvest by hand method. Just keep an eye on it and if any starts to lighten, don't wait to get it out.

 

[saltank]

I too had a caulerpa problem, but mine wasn't the variety you show in the picture. Originally added it to the display before I had a sump and eventually it went crazy

I did something not everyone would agree with on this board, however temporary - added a foxface which has totally wiped the display tank of every bit of caulerpa, I now only grow chaeto in my sump and am going to return the foxface for store credit (they should be kept in a bigger tank), but the other option was to basically tear the tank down

Good luck with your situation

 

[shavo]

I throw calurpa out of my fuge and into the display and my fish tear it up.

it is bubble calerpa though. The hungry algea eaters in my tank are a scopas tang, and orange shoulder tang, and a powder brown tang.

the scopas eats the most of it.

 

[cyro]

It is a very effective bio PO4 remover and reduces NO as well.

is there anything else that caulerpa's nutrient - consume?
like minerals vs..

 

[Anonymous]

It is a very effective bio PO4 remover and reduces NO as well.

is there anything else that caulerpa's nutrient - consume?
like minerals vs..

As far as I know, they consume all the stuff that feeds problem algae- hence the reason for keeping them. Some of the more experienced folk will prolly add to that, but I doubt they consume meaningful amounts of trace, minerals etc.....(?)

Since my last post, some recent observations: If that stuff dies in your tank, get it out sharply!!! That seems to have been a partial cause of my hair outbreak (Now thankfully a thing of the past).

 

[Anonymous]

Something that doesn't get mentioned enough is that Caulerpa releases all sorts of toxins intended a) to deter fish grazing and b) to deter coral growth. It's nasty stuff and doesn't belong in any reef system IMHO.

The method I have had to resort to is just remove it by hand religiously and get something that helps eat it. A Siganus sp. will probably work.

 

[Anonymous]

It is a very effective bio PO4 remover and reduces NO as well.

is there anything else that caulerpa's nutrient - consume?
like minerals vs..

As far as I know, they consume all the stuff that feeds problem algae- hence the reason for keeping them. Some of the more experienced folk will prolly add to that, but I doubt they consume meaningful amounts of trace, minerals etc.....(?)

Since my last post, some recent observations: If that stuff dies in your tank, get it out sharply!!! That seems to have been a partial cause of my hair outbreak (Now thankfully a thing of the past).

FYI Andy37, they do uptake somewhere in the area of 13 different minerals. Some species (not caulerpa per se) can seriously deplete calcium.