Caulerpa Prolifera loosing red coloration

[pszemol]

When I purchased a large bunch of Caulerpa Prolifera from some Florida source growing them outdoors it was very dark green with brownish/red coloration on the bottom of the leaves. Over the months this algae was loosing this coloration and all new leaves are rather only green with no red remaining.

I like the original look of this plant and I wonder what could be the problem here. Is this the difference with light ? My pc compared to natural sunlight ? Or could it be a lack of nutrients in the water ? If so, which ions could be lacking ?

 

[billsreef]

Typically it is only a nice bright green. Odds are that coloring had to do with growth conditions at the grower. However, it could have been lighting, nutrient loads, or even some odd trace element peculiar to thier water source. I've had prolifera that's come mixed in with my sea grass order's and it's always been a nice bright green direct from the wild.

 

[hmott]

I've never head of prolifera having any red color in it at all. Are you sure it is prolifera?

 

[pszemol]

I wish I made a picture when it arrived - it was really nice and unique...
Now, it is too ...ordinary

I am not 100% sure it is this species, I am not a biologist
I ordered it as this species and it matches pictures I checked on the net.

Is there any similar looking algae species it could be mixed with ?
I could look up the pictures on google and compare with mine.

 

[Plantbrain]

If it was from a low N environment, it can turn a red color(little chl a which is N rich) from exposure of carotinoids/Chl a ratio.
Embyrophytes get this as well.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[pszemol]

If it was from a low N environment, it can turn a red color(little chl a which is N rich) from exposure of carotinoids/Chl a ratio.
Embyrophytes get this as well.

Ek hem... Tom, could you please translate this to plain English for me? How can I balance the nutriens to simulate this ? Low nitrates but then what ?

Thanks.

 

[Plantbrain]

Chl a has a lot of nitrogen(green)
Carotenoids have none(Red/orange)

If you remove the green which mask the other pigments, then you are left with more Red.

So limiting the N, will allow more red/less green

Regards,
Tom Barr