Let's talk Caulerpa Solutions

[smorrismi]

Does anyone have a proven method of getting rid of it outside of having to cook your rock?

 

I've read what seems like "everything" but nobody seems to have an actual proven technique. Can anyone tell me what they have used, that works? Either mowing it down or completely getting rid of it.

 

Here's the topics I've covered but I want to know what actually works:

1. FoxFace /Tang or similar fish that like to eat it?

2. Sea Hare (has anyone actually bought one that did eat through all of it? If so, what exact name and do you know of a place to get one) I see the links people put up, "get this" but then you never hear anything more from anyone that ever had one that did eat it?

3. Emerald Crabs (I've had them in the past and they did not work)

4. Messing with the phosphates etc... not a proven way IMO and let's be honest... more work then it's worth to hope on it.

 

If anything, let this forum string be a location people can go to in order to actually see or hear results, not opinions. Just actual end results that worked or failed completely would be great.

[skimlessinseattle]

Manual removal while using a phosphate reducing media is probably your best bet. Do regular water changes with good RO/DI water to reduce nitrates and phosphates, and get in there everyday and remove by hand. It works, it's just hard work.

[???? ???????]

I've gotten rid of grape caulerpa before without cooking, my sister had some that at least partially covered 4 grapefruit sized rocks in a 20h and I had actually probably given her the rock that started the mess so I went over every 3 or 4 days for a couple weeks and worked on it.

 

Basically just separate the infected rocks and clean rocks (if any) into separate piles in the tank for the time being and siphon a gallon or two of tank water into a couple buckets. Now take the rocks out, pick off as much loose caulerpa as you can with your fingers and tweezers, then scrub with a fingernail scrubber and toothbrush to get whatever is left in one bucket, rinse off in the other bucket and return them to the tank.

 

If you repeat this process every time you see any visible caulerpa growth, cut down on nutrients and get some chaeto growing then after several treatments it should just stop coming back.

 

Or you can just skip all this mess and cook your rock. You know it only kills algae right?

[ebroesicke]

i tried several things, but ended up with a foxface. Took about a week to clear up a HEAVILY infested tank.

[FishStrings]

I do the manual removal and the phosphate/silicate reducer pad + instant ocean nitrate reducer. Changing the water a little more often helps too until the problem is under control.

[Monochrome5]

i tried several things, but ended up with a foxface. Took about a week to clear up a HEAVILY infested tank.

 

I had a foxface in my 115 and it never touched it. Best thing I found was a pair of pink pincushion urchins (though be warned - anything not glued down firmly will be moved!)