my second clump

[laurabolyard]

Hey, I recently bought a piece of live rock with a lot of green grape culerpa and some halimeda (cant remember if that name is exactly right). The grape is growing like a weed, practically in front of my eyes. I know that I need to keep it under control, but here is my question. It sends out the new anchors (roots) like crazy, I have long tendrils full of anchors. Can I snip it and place it elsewhere? Will it attach and continue to grow? Thanx for the help!
Laura

[poppin_fresh]

unless you have a refugium, you will want to yank it off and get rid of it. I had some Caulerpa completely take over my nano tank. It is pretty persistant...like a weed.

[laurabolyard]

BUT,BUT,But...
WILL IT ATTACH and continue to grow????

[poppin_fresh]

most likely it will attach and grow....like I said the stuff grows like a weed(if its needs are met).

[laurabolyard]

Thanx, it wont hurt to try. Ill know in a day or two if it works, I just didnt know if it must be attached to its original plant or not. I forgot to mention that the macro was the reason I chose that live rock. I really like macro, and I want to experiment. I appreciate your warnings! I will have to closely moniter where it goes, its already crawling (and attached to) up my overflow! I always wanted a way to cover that thing! Ive heard of people growing it up, and covering the back of the tank, CRAZY STUFF!

By the way, have you always lived in VT?

[CarmieJo]

Laura, it will attach to anything. I grow it in my sump/fuge and have to pull it off my LR on occasion. I was at the LFS the other day and they had a piece of driftwood that was covered in a leafy type of caluerpa. It looked pretty but I also thought about it taking over the tank.

[laurabolyard]

I'll just have to be diligent! It does grow fast! I really like some of the different varieties, still investigating. Slower growers will probably be a good idea!

[CarmieJo]

Keep us posted. I'd like to see pix of what you do. Please guard and discard it carefully. Caulerpa is considered an invasive species.

[Amphibious]

One of the benefits of growing macro algae is nutrient export. The algae consumes the nutrient and when it gets out of hand, and it will, you trim it back removing the nutrients. If you allow it to die back it releases the nutrient back into the system. When you trim it back, you can give it to other reefers looking for macro or throw it away. But of course never throw it into our waterways. Like Carmie mentioned, it is an invasive species.

[laurabolyard]

J just love the way nature works!! I didnt try to cut a piece and place it somewhere else yet, anyone else care to chime in on whether the roots will 'take' if I snip and move?

[lReef lKeeper]

it is pretty much guarantied that it will root and grow out of control. that is what happens when you trim it back and give it to others for their tanks.

[Bobby2]

be careful..... if it runs out of nutrients it will go sexual.
mine went sexual and died off because I put some cheato in my tank and was dosing Fe+. The cheato would not let me obtain a No3 value no matter how much I dumped in. I went through 250ml of seachem’s nitrogen in 4 days and never got a reading.

Test for No3 and try to maintain at least 5ppm I would not go over 10ppm. If your loaded I would use seachem’s nitrogen for planted tanks. If your not I would use green light stump remover. I would also do large water changes and mix the No3 into your makeup water. Not sure of the impurities in the stump remover but many others have used it without a problem. I used grants stump remover with good luck for about 6 months until the heat issue came up. So the jury is still out on that one. The chances of it not ( rooting ) are very slim. If you use a stump remover of some sort. I would also invest in potassium and copper test kits.

( disclaimer ) they are not really roots they jest hold the plant in place. Caulerpa Is a true aquatic plant and takes in nutrients through the leaves.
:sailing:

[poppin_fresh]

By the way, have you always lived in VT?

Only since I was born. :D

[Small Fry]

this is why you dont want calerpa

compliments of phurst

Reef Central Online Community - Quiksilver's Ultimate 29g Tank Thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11719087#post11719087)

[CarmieJo]

I pull it out whenever I see it in my DT but I have grown it in my fuge with no problems for nearly 2 years.