2 Questions!

lebloom

lebloom

AC Members
Oct 4, 2001
345
0
16
Illinois
Ist question, will my caulerpa on my LR choke put my tank? Just finished talking to my LFS about how thick its growing in my tank and he also said I should cut it back and get rid of the dead and not let it sit in the sand. Someone here, don't remember who, told me not to clean up the dead because the nitrogen is good for my water. Come on people I read too many contradictive stories here. I know the LFS don't know everything but I have a feeling they are not always wrong.:confused: :confused:

2nd question, what star out there is best for the reef? I read somewhere that a Fromia milleporella was probably one of them. My LFS also had doubts about that. Who has experience with the stars and has an answer?
 
It may help to do some of your own reading and research instead of just relying on anonymous board members and LFS employees.
This is a hobby with very few set-in-stone rules. Ask 10 people, get 10 opinions (and they could all be correct). We're all learning as we go.

Perfect example is your question on sea stars. Yes, Fromia stars are widely considered reef safe. What you read is correct. But they can and have gone after and killed other reef animals, so your LFS is also correct. No star is 100% "reef safe." But Fromia and Linkia genera, if kept well fed, seem to behave themselves for the most part.

I don't know who told you to let dead macroalgae sit in the tank. Nitrogeneous products are what we're trying to get rid of. Allowing dead macro to decay and release all the nutrients it has absorbed as it grew completely defeates the purpose. You should be harvesting it periodically. This is a means of nutrient export. It will also prevent other hazards such as sexual reproduction and the complete depletion of available nutrients.
 
Originally posted by Satchmo
I don't know who told you to let dead macroalgae sit in the tank. Nitrogeneous products are what we're trying to get rid of. Allowing dead macro to decay and release all the nutrients it has absorbed as it grew completely defeates the purpose. You should be harvesting it periodically. This is a means of nutrient export. It will also prevent other hazards such as sexual reproduction and the complete depletion of available nutrients.
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Depends on your water parameters. If you have very low nitrate, phosphate, and iron in your water, it's not always bad to let some dead caulerpa sit in the tank as it will re-release these nutrients to fertilize further growth. Of course, this is assuming that you WANT further growth. I wind up removing more than I leave, but some stays as a food source for detritivores and to keep suitable nitrate levels. (I also had clams that needed trace levels of nitrate, and letting some dead caulerpa go to rot in the tank can help achieve this). If you have macros that utilize calcium to grow, like halimeda or penicillus, I always suggest letting dead growths sit so that you don't export calcium unnecessarily.
 
Very good points Boog. My nitrates are always near zero, but I've gotten good clam and decent macro growth. I figured there must be sufficient nitrate, albeit undetectable. Maybe I would benefit from letting some macro break down to get my nutrient levels a little higher.

What about toxins? I've always yanked macro when it looks like it's on its way out to avoid them. Should I not be as concerned about this?
 
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