macro algae is dying...

[jkleejk]

hi all reefers, i want to know if is it okay to 24hours switch on the light in sump so that macro algae won't go asexual? i use normal "daylight" bulb to do this.

but i found out some of it is turning brown & the question is is this condition the macro algae can grow? btw do macro algae need strong water flow? thanx in advance

[shoelevy]

what algae are you keeping?

i keep caulerpa species, can on 24hrs no problem

[nivlac]

no guarantees it won't turn asexual but the following will help:

1. adequate lighting, 24 hours

2. regular trimming (at least once every 2 weeks). It can be as simple as snipping off a quarter of the new shoots and placing the newly snipped shoots in a new corner. In case the thing turns asexual, the new shoots will bear the next generation. I've survived many crashes this way.

3. You don't need strong current, although it has been said that a light, upwards current can help the growth.

[butteye]

But jsut to add, I did came across the web that mentioned that when caulerpa rot, it actually giveout toxic?? If I recall correctly.

[salivateforme]

But jsut to add, I did came across the web that mentioned that when caulerpa rot, it actually giveout toxic?? If I recall correctly.

When caulerpa turn asexual, it releases enormous amounts of gametes, along with all the nutrients it exported.

You can learn more here:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/caulerpafaqs.htm

Keeping light on 24hr is said to prevent the plant turning asexual. Or, you might want to try other docile species of macroalgae, like Chaetomorpha, Ulva (sea lettuce), and Halimeda (calcified species).

Some things you might want to consider for culturing macroalgae:

1. Have an established, stable environment

2. Adequate nutrient level

3. Full-spectrum lighting for at least 12 hours (most aquarist employ reverse photoperiod to keep stable pH)

4. No medications

5. Moderate. continuous water flow which stimulates algae growth and keep debris off its surface.

[FuEl]

Normal growth is asexual growth. Releasing of gametes by turning white is sexual.

[jkleejk]

Normal growth is asexual growth. Releasing of gametes by turning white is sexual.

so the "gametes" will harm the fishes?

yesterday i off the light for bout 8hrs

when i reach home at 6pm i found my pearlscale butterfly

is dead...(which has been with me for bout a week & started to feed) so i continue to light my refugium (continuosly 24hrs)

& actually i saw some growth with my grapes, spaghetti & others...& found some of them actually became white & didnt bother to filter it out....& worse still this morning i found my racoon butterfly is dead too....(also a week old & start to feed furiously )

is it the dead is cause by the gametes? or butterflies is too fragile (my cause by cynite?) i ve no luck with butterfly!!!

[nivlac]

so the "gametes" will harm the fishes?

yesterday i off the light for bout 8hrs

when i reach home at 6pm i found my pearlscale butterfly

is dead...(which has been with me for bout a week & started to feed) so i continue to light my refugium (continuosly 24hrs)

& actually i saw some growth with my grapes, spaghetti & others...& found some of them actually became white & didnt bother to filter it out....& worse still this morning i found my racoon butterfly is dead too....(also a week old & start to feed furiously )

is it the dead is cause by the gametes? or butterflies is too fragile (my cause by cynite?) i ve no luck with butterfly!!!

the gametes released can die off, causing oxygen depletion and crashing your tank.

[jkleejk]

the gametes released can die off, causing oxygen depletion and crashing your tank.

so cant do anything bout it?

better not to culture macroalgae....

so sad la..2 fish died

but i hv skimmer & air pump running in the sump

so this still cause oxygen depletion?

or maybe cause by pH fluactuation?

cause my tank only hv macroalgae...

when i off the light at the sump then cause

increase of co2 & cause pH to drop & when i on the

light the pH increase?

[steven]

THis is my green algae. seems to turn white. what should i do ?

The fishes and rest of the corals are doing fine.

Any water parameter to look for in particular ?

[steven]

Another view.

Someone pls advise.

[Marineman]

Another view.

Someone pls advise.

This is not a green algae, it is turtle weed, will not last for more than a few months at most. Sometimes the plant will die and regrow a few times before it eventually dies off. Very difficult to keep, not much info on how to keep this plant for long term although it requires strong lighting and water movements.

[ah_d3x]

hm... can i know wat light u use for ur refugium? i'm using a PL and my algeas r doing fine..

[djviper]

i know some 1 kiasu enough to use T5 for refugium so its not a matter of lighting actually its personal peference...

who knows some 1 might use MH for refugium

[jkleejk]

but i ve change to more power light t8 6500k

my fern still turning to white....y?

is it my light is not powerful enuf?

or is it my tank FOWLR so not much nutrien for the macroalgae?

or my temp is too high (32deg celcius)?

[boxfish]

I use those off the self philip bulb 6500K.

Cxxxpa died after bloom like crazy

but luckily the best macro algae bloom

[jkleejk]

I use those off the self philip bulb 6500K.

Cxxxpa died after bloom like crazy

but luckily the best macro algae bloom

so type of caulerpa is dead & which is survive?

so the survive marcos will it turning white?

[FuEl]

so type of caulerpa is dead & which is survive?

so the survive marcos will it turning white?

jkleejk: If its 100% transparent most likely it is dead.

I have ever kept caulerpa with sps and other corals before under normal photoperiod (10-12 hours lighting period). It always looked a little pale after lights off (I turned the lights on a few hours later to check on it). Worried that it might go sexual and die off, affecting my water quality. The puzzling thing is that the following day (a few hours after my lights turned back on), they became fully green again. This happened over a month or so until I decided to sell it off to make space for other corals.

boxfish: Don't think your macro died because of the lights. 6500K would suit them very well.

Different species of caulerpa also fare differently in captivity. I was using a caulerpa sp. which is more thread shaped. These seem hardier compared to species like caulerpa taxifolia which is notorious for going sexual. You can drop by CoralFarm. I got my caulerpa sp.(not taxifolia or grape caulerpa) from them at a very reasonable price. If I did'nt remember wrongly I saw them before at Reborn, on the "algae" rocks or live rocks.

[jkleejk]

jkleejk: If its 100% transparent most likely it is dead.

I have ever kept caulerpa with sps and other corals before under normal photoperiod (10-12 hours lighting period). It always looked a little pale after lights off (I turned the lights on a few hours later to check on it). Worried that it might go sexual and die off, affecting my water quality. The puzzling thing is that the following day (a few hours after my lights turned back on), they became fully green again. This happened over a month or so until I decided to sell it off to make space for other corals.

boxfish: Don't think your macro died because of the lights. 6500K would suit them very well.

Different species of caulerpa also fare differently in captivity. I was using a caulerpa sp. which is more thread shaped. These seem hardier compared to species like caulerpa taxifolia which is notorious for going sexual. You can drop by CoralFarm. I got my caulerpa sp.(not taxifolia or grape caulerpa) from them at a very reasonable price. If I did'nt remember wrongly I saw them before at Reborn, on the "algae" rocks or live rocks.

i weird things happen is that the old branches of my ferns

turn white & transparent the ndie off. but new dark green branches

still sticking out slowly .

seem to be the old folk cant tolearate my water parameter but the

generation seem to adapt new condition & hopefully will thrive v soon.

still waiting the macros to acclimate.