caulerpa in my fuge turning white

[o2bnh20]

I've had my fuge going about a month and a half now.
ph=8.5
sg=1.25
phosphate>0.05ppm
NO3=0.2ppp
NA=0

The growth is all root systems, not a lot of leafy material. I prunned it back pretty hard about 3 weeks about and the leafy portion just hasn't come back. I'm trying to prune the roots in parts of the fuge because I want to plant some other plants and want to have some open room.
But what worries me is there are a lot of little white bug like things all over the plants and the tank. Some of the caulerpa is white and I'm wondering if the bugs are eating the plant. Also I stlll have regular algea in my main tank and on the glass in my fuge. I thought the caulerpa would stop this growth. And I have one red mangraove that's growing fairly well.
I have one 60w PC for lighting and about 300-400gph as best as I can guesstimate. I put one of my peppermint Shrimps down in the fuge to eat some of the bugs.

 

[o2bnh20]

Oh. the ph 8.2
and sg=1.025
oops....

 

[mellen]

If the Caulerpa (what species?) macro was added after your mangrove and the establishment of micro algae and coraline algae, it will struggle at first for nutrients, at least until your animal load grows/increases providing it with more nutrients (which it will lock up like the other green stuff/coraline, but faster, and will out-compete slime algae eventually). I suggest you physically remove - not just scrub - the hair or slime algae using an airline syphon and a new toothbrush or bigger new brush. This will take away an unwanted competitor for nutrients. Make sure your refugium macro gets intense light to thrive on; they'll hang on for a while with lousy light, but need intense full spectrum to thrive, just like the zooxanthellae algae in coral tissue does.

I'd recommend Chaetomorpha as a refugium algae. 'Fuges tend to be hidden away from view, and hard to keep an eye on, so it's better to have a hardy macro with no issues like sexual sporulation and toxic cytoplasm, which is the case for some of the commoner Caulerpa species offered in the hobby.

As to the little white bugs all over the place? See if they look like anything in Dr. Shimeks rogue's gallery using a magnifying glass. They could be something harmless, too, but there are tons of different possibilities like 'pods, larval crustaceans, etc.
etc.
Also, pinch off Caulerpas to thin at one point in the runner. They do not have true roots, because they are not like regular vascular plants; it's just one wall of multi cell tissue with holdfast structures - not real roots - so when you cut or break them at a lot of places, all the fluid in the habitus leaks out and the macro may die. The macro is turning slowly clear/white because it is starving for nutrients and light, too, most likely. It is not going "sexual" unless it all turns white very suddenly, in which case just remove it quickly.

 

[o2bnh20]

Mellen
Where can you get the algea, you mentioned "Chaetomorpha". I like your ideas about removing other algea off the glass, less compition

 

[MiddletonMark]

Chaetomorpha can be found in the trading/selling forums here, often found in reef clubs.

If it wasn't so hot, I'd Priority Mail you some [have had great success with that ... plus it turns out cheap]. But given temps around 90 here this week ... maybe a little hot.

Check around here ... at worst put a `looking for' in one of the Carolina reef clubs + someone will be close and hook you up.

 

[beaslbob]

My grape caulpera spreads out runners then has solid "white spots" where the new "grapes" from. sounds to my like yours may be doing that, and that is just normal growth.

If runners start turning clear some tell me that it may be going sexual. And of course, if it is release a "cloud" then it probably is going sexual.

But from what you describe it just sound like normal growth. And very siiliar to my caulpera profilera also. runners (white) then leaves next.

I also have numerous white bug like things which make no difference in the macros present.

 

[o2bnh20]

Unless I can pick some up locally I'll have to wait to overnight anything because it is getting too hot. I'm not shure what type culerpa I have. Some of the leaves are long and slim and others are like saw teeth.

 

[mellen]

http://www.seaslugforum.net/display.cfm?base=caultaxi2&id=6526

Scroll down page a little...

Did it look similar to this when you got it? I ask because this is a common species in the trade, and unfortunately, one better kept where it can be monitored and thinned frequently - not so good for hidden 'fuge use, just because of Murphy's Law...:rollface: Also, very illegal now in CA to flush it, so dry it out and place in trash when you thin it or if your decide not to keep it at all. Taxifolia and some other macros like to wage chemical warfare against competitor macro species, much the way corals and anemones are wont to do; this can be quite problematic if you want to keep other species of macros.

There are several other species of Caulerpa with a very similar appearance that are less problematic, though, so it could be one of them, still, err on the side of caution since this division/family of macros is somewhat new in your experience.

 

[o2bnh20]

No, That's not the species I have. Mine has some long leaves and others that look like a saw

 

[o2bnh20]

Anyone in the Charlotte NC area want to sell/give me some Chaetomorpha?