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View Full Version : What's a good low matinence plant for main tank?


Teremei
04/14/2005, 11:29 PM
And I mean a plant not micro. Something I can plant into the sand around the base of my live rock. I'm looking at shaving brush and maidens hair. The larger it gets the better.

Anything else that doesn't pose problems like going sexual or calcium absorbers?

xahx
04/15/2005, 03:20 AM
Purple grape caleurpa, or the green caleurpa

bluenassarius
04/15/2005, 04:32 PM
don't put the green calurpa unless you don't mind pruning it very often. it grows like vines and will overtake your tank quick.

Teremei
04/16/2005, 09:54 PM
I e-mailed John at floridapets.com and he reccomended Caulerpa prolifera.

I will be getting a hang on Refugium, so you guys can keep that in mind. I would like to get one that is the absolutely least likely to release the nutrients back into the tank, and if it did, it wouldn't be something that would require a 30% water change or more. Do you think if I just kept 1 pound of Caulerpa in my fuge along with some chaeto that it wouldn't even be enough Caulerpa to cause a problem even if it did "go sexual"?

Anyway, I want to make sure I get a vareity. I want plants that will absorb Nitrates, but also plants that will use Phosphates. Because I want them to outcompete any Cayano, Diatoms, green slime algae, etc. Because I'm still having minor problems with those.

Does anyone know what Chaeto mainly uses, and what about Caulerpa prolifera? I also want to get a few plants for my main tank that just look nice, they don't need to do much of a job. But I don't want anything "bad" like something that would use calcium, or would possibly harm the tank by releasing too many nutrients back into the tank.

SaveOurReefs
04/19/2005, 01:27 PM
I think the prolifera is harmful to fish if they ingest it, so I would keep it out of your display tank.

Teremei
04/19/2005, 10:08 PM
That's good advice. Any advice which is the most popularly used type of caulerpa. Which is considered the "safest" for example?

I wouldn't keep it in the main tank anyway. I just need advice on which is the easiest plant to keep in the main tank. I would like something like shaving brush, angel hair, or grass. But don't know which is the best choice?

Triterium
04/20/2005, 10:41 PM
shaving brush needs high calcium.

Caulerpa prolifera would be my choice. I have it in my display.

Teremei
04/21/2005, 03:15 PM
Thanks for your advice. So prolifera (in moderation) is safe for your fish? I was going to put it in my fuge but maybe I'll replace my fake plants with it instead.

Triterium
04/21/2005, 03:37 PM
Ive never heard of C. prolifera causing problems with fish. I have heard that it produces a chemical which prevents fish from eating it though.