halimeda turning white

[kenyacat]

I have halimeda growing quite fast and nice in my tank. Some are turning white though. Should I trim those pieces out?

Not sure what turning white might mean. I know that is bad with the caulerpa type. What about halimeda?

Thanks

 

[Subliminal]

I'd trim it. I know it can go sexual, and that you don't want it to.

 

[Janice12]

Halimeda can go sexual? I'm not sure I've heard of that before.

 

[bob124578]

I don't think it's going sexual -- it should decay into reefsand. You need Calicum !

 

[kenyacat]

Don't say calcium to me. I just went through another post on another board that I should not use kalkwasser. It raised my Ph up to 8.4 or 8.8. Apparently my tank is too small to handle. 29 gallon cube. After the Ph went up I had a major ammonia spike that I still don't know what caused it.

My calcium at the moment is either 360 or 380. Now I am afraid to dose again.

 

[bob124578]

You can add CA without Kalk --- just a CA additive (Kent's is good)
380 should be ok though for the plant not to be turning white.
Good luck

 

[mrme]

Kent's Liquid Calcium is great !
Two thumbs up for Kent.

 

[mastou]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10835440#post10835440 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Janice12
Halimeda can go sexual? I'm not sure I've heard of that before.

You are right, there was a thread with some amazing pictures of halimeda going sexual. I can not make a search (guess the server is too busy) so sorry can't give you a link.

/Magnus

 

[jimmyray]

Pieces of my halimeda do this all the time. Just leave them, they'll eventually break down into some of the whitest reef sand you've ever seen.

If the entire colony has bleached, then perhaps something is wrong. But a piece here or there is normal.

 

[mano]

Here's the post:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1017542

Christine

 

[mastou]

Thanks Christine, I actually hadn't seen that thread

The one I thought of was this one:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=983670&highlight=halimeda

It has some amazing pictures taken by Mike4284m:

/Magnus

 

[kenyacat]

Well, mine doesn't seem to have spores. Some of the green has come back. I did add some kalk. Even though I said I wasn't going to. No ill effects yet. Added so slow, I can't see how it helps.

 

[mano]

Oh wow, those are better than mine!

I have had my halimeda go all white, no spores, and just crumble and become part of the substrate. Other pieces sprouted out and it came back.

Christine

 

[kenyacat]

That must be what mine is doing. One piece does look like it is starting to crumble. I guess this is normal then?