grape caulerpa

[mrscheider]

Hey folks,
Let me first say that I am not having very much success with something that really should be a no-brainer!
I have grape caulerpa growing on a small piece of LR. also have a "shaving brush" which is actually doing really well and just a few scraps of Red Gracilaria. I posted earlier that the Red Gracilaria wasn't doing well. Turning white and such but I wasn't very concerned with it since I was feeding it to my tangs anyway but the grape caulerpa was mainly for nutrient exporting and it too is starting to turn very pale. Does this type of algae vary in color or should it always remain a nice healthy green?
I have a LOA 65W PC light fixture which probably makes thigs a little warm for the algae but would that cause the grape to die or turn a pale green? Does the pale green even imply that the stuff is not doing well or indeed dying? Also, how do I know if it's going sexual? Will my main tank water cloud up? will the plant show signs of going sexual?
I'm not very experienced with Macros, so I don't know what to expect. Can anyone lend some advice?
Thanks

Mike

 

[BigDaddy]

I had the same problem, but dosing Iron, solved it. Now, the stuff grows like mad.

 

[mrscheider]

Really? You know I was thinking about dosing Iron. I read that somewhere elkse too. But I hesitated to do so because I'm using Ecosystems Miracle mus which is supposed to be very high in iron content. Perhaps the iron in the sand (mud) isn't free iron, as doing would put it right into the water column.
I'll give it a try.

 

[piercho]

I know of three things that cause caulerpa to not do well.
1. Not enough light. Grape caulerpa is, IME, pretty tolerant of varied amounts of light. That is, it can grow in very intense to moderate lighting. IME it does much better under intense light.
2. Low nutrients.
3. Inadequit iron. Addion of chelated iron seems to visibly make the plant darker and speed it's growth, IMO. I prefer a chelated iron solution, and add a little daily to my refugia.

If you have plenty of caulerpa, I would certainly trim it back a bit, especially the bits that are going white. This usually inspires some growth. if you can get the refugia light closer to the refugia, this should also help. As a reference, I keep a 250W 6500K iwasaki bulb a few inches above a 15G refugia, and the algaes in there love it, and grow much faster than in the main tank. On the iron, I don't know, since you are already using the iron-rich substrate. But I'd try it, myself.

IME with species of Caulerpa known as "grape" caulerpas, these are pretty easy, durable, and undemanding plants. They are not as likely as other species of caulerpa to suddenly "go sexual". They are also attractive, although i don't let them in my main tank anymore, because they spread so aggressively. I really like red gracilaria, but struggle to grow it. First off, I think it needs elevated nutrients, along with high flow, to do well. Second, it must be pretty dang tasty because so many things will eat it.

 

[dragon_slayer]

helpful suggestion

helpful suggestion

I really like red gracilaria, but struggle to grow it. First off, I think it needs elevated nutrients, along with high flow, to do well. Second, it must be pretty dang tasty because so many things will eat it.

I have seen it best grown in an overhead covered tank that sat outside in direct sunlight. no other algae's formed in the tank at all (none could compete with the gracilaria)so it probably would have done better if some form of nutrient had been added but it was a 55 gal tank and it produced about 2 gallon a week with no problems. but it had a battle with a "rock slinging" lawn mower and the tank lost the battle.

kc

 

[NoFear29]

Tagging on here.... Which type of chleated iron do you guys use. I also need to give my caulerpa a boost.