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View Full Version : Caulerpa Trellis


Osprey
Apr 20th 2007, 11:02 PM
Traded in some apple snails at the LFS for some macroalgae... Chaeto for my sump, and some grape caulerpa, which I've always liked the look of. However, knowing its tendency to get weedy and the possibility of the stuff going sexual and killing everything in the tank, I'm not willing to put it in my main display tank.
On the other hand, I have a bare-bottomed QT tank that could use some decoration... Here's the tank as it was:
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w7/ospreypatronus/100_0930.jpg
I couldn't just dump the stuff into the tank; it needs something to grow on. But I don't want to add rocks to the tank either, because they will absorb any medications I have to add. So I decided to attempt to grow the caulerpa on a plastic trellis. I had some random pieces of eggcrating left over from other projects, and I put these together to make a trellis to grow the stuff on:
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w7/ospreypatronus/100_0925.jpg
Then I wound the caulerpa through!
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w7/ospreypatronus/100_0933.jpg
I hope that the caulerpa will grow well on the plastic lattice; I don't know if anyone has attempted this before. I'm hoping it will grow in nice and thick so that there's something to look at in the tank and make the fish feel more sheltered. PVC pipes and bare-bottomed tanks always look so cold. I'll have to keep a careful eye on the caulerpa; the lighting isn't going to be on 24/7, so the odds of the stuff going sexual are increased.

Melody
Apr 21st 2007, 12:01 AM
I can picture that filled in and I think you're going to have a nice, unique look when you're done. I've often thought of doing something similar with Java Moss, since it otherwise just kinda sits there. I'll look forward to seeing how it progresses. Good thinking!

thegrandpoohbah
Apr 22nd 2007, 07:56 PM
Without any LR how do you keep the QT tank cycled?

Osprey
Apr 23rd 2007, 01:09 PM
It has a wet/dry filter (overflow visible on the left), and I feed it every day. It's actually been empty for a while. I haven't finished stocking my 90g, but I'm waiting for current stock to settle in before I buy any more fish (current occupants are just a pair of occelaris clowns, some simple corals, and some inverts). Just taking things nice and slow.

Pamelajo
Apr 23rd 2007, 06:04 PM
Good idea keep us posted with pics. Would really like to see the outcome.