spyderreef
Member
I just received some caulerpa that a friend took out of a tank. What do I need to do to acclimate it? What about lights, should I turn them on 24/7 right away or should I slowly increase?
acclimate grape caulerpa
- Thread starter spyderreef
- Start date
spyderreef
Member
Do I try and get it to attach to a rock?
krishj39
Active Member
If it isn't too late already, it is actually pretty sensitive to water changes. I had mine die i think three times before I finally got some that stayed alive. Acclimate it slowly just like a fish. I'd start out right away with 24/7 light. And, it will attatch itself, but you can always stick a small rock over it somewhere to help it get anchored. It will do so very fast, if it decides not to die. When I finally got it to make it through acclimation (and hard shipping), it took root in about 3 days.
spyderreef
Member
Yes, a refugium. I've been waiting to find some grape caulerpa and just was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. Do you light yours 24/7 and how many watts per gal.? I have a 55 watt PC and a 15 watt aquarium light. Mine is a 29 bow. Do you think I need more light? I use a Mag 5 from my sump to my refugium and an overflow box back to the sump.
goldrush
Member
If you are putting Caulerpa in you main tank,be careful.It will either attach to rock or sandbed and over run your tank. Yes,it needs to be accIimated just like any living thing. If it IS going in a refugium,I've been successful with 24/7 lighting.This keeps it from going asexual and leeching all the phosphates it has absorbed back into your system.
spyderreef
Member
What does it look like when it goes asexual?
spyderreef
Member
Thanks for the info. This is my first attempt at doing this and it is because of this board. How much iron for a 29 gal and do you think what I have for lighting is enough? 55 watt PC and 15 watt regular aquarium light. I have a glass top on my fuge. Any advantage to leaving it open? I have it on because my lights sit on it. If I need more light I will have to hang it.
jferrier
Member
I wouldn't worry about acclimating it personally. Like the one guy said it would probably grow in the toilet. I took some out of my roomates refugium and washed the hair algae off with tap water and threw it straight into the refuge and its growing like wildfire.
I just have a plain old flourescent light on the refuge 24/7.
I just have a plain old flourescent light on the refuge 24/7.
goldrush
Member
Spyder, 15-20 drops of Iron once a week should do it. As for some of the other advice given here- Yes you CAN wash it off with tap water, yes you CAN just toss it in you tank with no acclimation. Should you? Of course not! If it ever does go asexual wouldn't you be more comfortable knowing you did everything you could to avoid it? Remember the words--"your tank,your choice".