plants in reefs??

[who dey]

so one of my corals had a small plant attached to it's rock and now the plant is growing allover. though i might keep it?? extra oxygen maybe. any negatives on this one???

 

[jb rekit]

Plants definately help your water quality by removing nitrate and other harmful/ nuesance type toxins and minerals.
However, you typically keep them in a separate refugium b.c they will take over a tank pretty quickly. As fast as the caulerpa grows in my refugium, I know I wouldn't want it in my display.

 

[reeffeer]

i totally argree. plants for me have their place. ill let them take root in my display then move them to where they'll be less of a pain. i ve had some of them intrude in the mechanics of my tank and even end up on some of my prized goodies. put them in the ref if youve got one if not...id chuck'em or pass them on to someone that an house them properly.

 

[eoalulavis]

you should prolly move the plant to a place in the aquarium where it will not affect anything else and simply just harvest it as it fills its borders.

 

[eoalulavis]

ah forgot, not only are calerpa good for your water quality but they good competitors and will outcompete/reduce the other more undesirable forms of algae

 

[dmitry]

Do some fish eat the plants? Perhaps they could help keep the growth down by munching on it....