Caulerpa disolving

[Manon]

I used to grow some caulerpa in my tanks but took them out after a couple of "disolving" experience. Those of you who grow this stuff knows what I'm talking about. Suddenly the algea turns white, all at the same time and totally polutes the water.

Well.... I replace it with a different sort of algea, a flat kind, can't remember the name right now, but anyways, thinking it would not "blow up" anymore!!! To my surprise, the same thing happen to me again. What the heck am I doing wrong??? All of my parameters, calcium, nitrate, ph... appears to be under control!!

:rolleye1: :mad2:

Help

Mia

 

[PAR5]

is this in a refugium or main tank.

 

[kmk2307]

What kind of lighting does your algae get? How much water flow does it get? What are your nitrates and phosphates? Do you have pictures of your setup?

Kevin

 

[Manon]

The algea was growing in my main tank. I don't have a refugium.

In one tank have two 175-watt MH and two 10,000K florescent lights. My other tank is a coralife Canopy with 10,000K and Actinic Blue florescents.

This problem occured in both tanks.

I have been able to keep my nitrate to an average of 20 with weekly water change.

I have not tested my phosphate in a while but I know that last time I did it was at .5

Why would you ask about Nitrate and phosphate?? My understanding is that algea absorbs Nitrate which is good for the plant correct?? I don't know how the phosphate affect the plants!!!

I have a 75 gal and a 65 gal and both have two power head for water flow.

I do have pictures of my set up but not on CD. Maybe in the futur!!

Mia

 

[kmk2307]

Mia,

If you had zero detectable nitrates and phosphates the algae would could be nutrient starved and more likely to attempt sexual reproduction (which results in the death of the prental plant). I do not know what the problem is.

Kevin

 

[Manon]

Thanks Kevin, I don't know either why it keeps happening??? I threw them out b/c they all turn white and I did not want them to totally pollute the water. I have another kind of algea which I will keep a close eye on. Thanks for your help

Mia

 

[starmanron]

Hi Manon,

I think I have an answer, but .....? I have had real success with Caulerpa racemosa. It filled up a refugeum. I introduced it into my main tank and it also took off and, to me looked just beautiful.

I then had a baffle in my refugeum break. To make a long story short, the level of water, through evaporation, was able to reach a much lower level than it normally did. This occurred at a time when I was busier than normal and didn't top off the level. So what happened is the salinity increased to 1.026. I had been keeping the salinity at 1.024 and because I have such a small water volume, (29 g. main / 15 g. refugeum with a lof of LR) the salinity change really surprised me. I really noticed nothing wierd with my fish, and it took me a while to put 2+2 together, but at least in my case, I blame the rise in salinity in just a few days as the reason for almost all my caulerpa to jellify.

The interesting thing to note is that the new sprigs survived. I believe these endured the lowest amount of rate of change of salinity than the rest of the plant.

I'm not sure what your situation is, and there are many factors that would cause caulerpa to jellify, but is it possible the salinity changed at a faster than normal rate recently preceding the caulerpa reaction?

-Ron

 

[Lrgclasper]

I actually have experienced this problem and it doesn't have anything to do with "poor" water quality. The caulerpa is going sexual. The clouds you see are actually gametes. It seems like this is triggered by a few factors: 1) rapid change in salinity; 2) temperature change; 3) moon phases. The only method I have found to reduce the asexual behaviour is to maintain consisten salt levels and/or keep the stuff trimmed up well. I have found that significant trimming will also set it off.

 

[Lrgclasper]

Ohh and another note, I have never lost any animals (including sponges, corals, and fish) do to an explosion of reproduction. In a few cases the tank actually went snow white with about an inch of visability. The filters took care of it after about 5 hours.

 

[Lrgclasper]

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/Bot480/2005 lecture8.pdf

 

[Manon]

Interesting, I had read about sexual reproduction. The tank that held the caulerpa is usually kept very stable as far as salt and temperature so my guess is that maybe i did not trim it enough!!

Thanks anyway but I removed the bubble algea for now. I still have different algea and will keep an eye on it!

Mia