How to get rid of feather caulerpa??

[tubsy3]

Hi all,
When i got my rock from tbs I had a little bit of feather caulerpa. Lol my dad even said it looks nice you should keep it. A month later, seemingly out of nowhere they caulerpa has like doubled or tripled and moved to other places in the tank.

I spent all last night pulling out rocks and pulling everything I could out. I am pretty sure it will grow back since this stuff goes into the smallest holes and breaks off when you try to take it off the rock. I got 99% of the visible stuff. Is there something that can keep it in check? I know its good for nitrate but how can people want this stuff? I would even trade my caulerpa rocks for some without it lol.


I have a 29Gtank with 10g sump. I am also in the process of setting up a 46bow with 20g sump. Is it true that yellow tangs will eat this stuff? But would he be ok in my 46 when its set up? Guess I wont be seeding from this rock....dammed TBS, I think it has been more headaches than anything.

Thanks
Chris

 

[~Flighty~]

Manually removing it seems to work well for me. Now that you have most of it out you will probably have an easy time getting rid of the tiny bits that pop up. Be aware that your setup has probably adjusted itself to all of the nutrient control that the macro was doing (if it was growing quickly) and you will need to adjust your feeding or skimming or something to prevent nusence algea like bryopsis from becoming a problem in the calupera's place.

 

[ReeferDude]

ill trade you for rocks my seahare eats it like crazy and hes hungry

 

[Greg Hiller]

Now that you've got the Caulerpa cut way back, I suggest you get a fish that will keep it down to near zero. Many fishes will eat a little bit of it at a time, and therefore will control it if you only have a little bit to start. If it gets really bad though, adding a fish later may not help much. Caulerpa has some toxicity to it, so most fish can only eat a little bit of it.

A buddy of mine eventually tore down his 90 gallon tank becuase he could never stop the Caulerpa, and he had a Foxface and a tang of some type in his tank. IMO, Caulerpa really has no place in a display reef tank, unless you are trying to simulate some type of grass system. Caulerpa is okay in a refugium if you keep it pruned back.

 

[tubsy3]

I am in the middle of also getting a 46 started up. Is it dangerous to start this new tank with water from the 29 since it had the caulerpa problem? Should I jsut start the new one from scratch?

What fish would be good to munch on some of this caulterpa that would be good ina 29 or 46?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Greg Hiller]

I think as long as you have some type of algae eating fish you can use the water. Most tangs will eat some Caulerpa.

 

[tubsy3]

will a yellow tang work? Once he clears the 29 he can go in the 46? Or too small? Any other fish?

 

[Greg Hiller]

Good chance the yellow tang will work. 46 G is kinda on the small side if it's full grown. A lawnmower blenny might work, though I don't have much experience with that fish.