Going sexual

[pa reef pig]

no, not me! The caulerpa. Does 24/7 make it go sexual or does the reverse photo make ot go sexual? I run it reverse of my main tank but would run it 24/7 to increase growth if its ok.

 

[pa reef pig]

anyone?

 

[finland]

I just got an answer on the thread"caulerpa question" Less likely to go asexual 24/7. I have read that elsewhere also. Myself , still learning.

 

[j21kickster]

are you using an ecosystem sump/filter?

 

[lettheirberock]

i never had any luck with calerpa until i started running my refugium lights 24/7 now it grows like a weed!

 

[beau24]

they will go asexuall in there growth in order to make eggs its self , dont worry about it

 

[jonthefb]

running your lights 24/7 prevent the caulerpa from going sexual, because they are not able to produce gametophyte plants. All plants and algae have two different lifecycles, a sporophyte and a gametophyte stage. The gametophye stage produces male and female gametes, that when released, can combine and form new gametophyte plants. This is the sexual phase that most are referring to. This phase requires darkness to form, and by keeping the lights on 24/7 the plants never grow sporophyte,and thus all you reproduction is asexual. Asexual just means that the plant cells divide mitotically, and never in fact produce male and female gametes (egg and sperm), therefore you just have a bunch of clones in the fuge!
HTH, good luck
jon