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Chaeto vs. Caulerpa in a Reef Refugium: Key Differences

 

In reef aquariums, a refugium is often used to support beneficial algae that help absorb nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate. Two popular macroalgae options are chaeto (Chaetomorpha) and caulerpa (Caulerpa). While both can be effective, they differ in how they grow, how they respond to pruning, and the level of attention they require.

At a high level, chaeto is usually favored for refugiums because it grows as a dense, clump-forming “ball&rd ... Read more »

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