Section of Galaxaura turning white

[Newms118]

So I have a galaxaura macroalgae and a small section of the plant seems to be turning white. The rest of the plant looks fine, so I dont know if this is from bleaching and if this area will continue to grow.


If needed, can I cut up the galaxaura so that it continues to grow? How best to frag these macroalgae?

 

[Newms118]

So here are some pics.


This is what it looked like when I first got it last Friday. The coloring is because its with my daytime lights. You can see there is one section that is slightly pink, that section is where the white part started.

Here it is at night. I have a flashlight on it bc the iphone goes to crap with actinic lighting. You can see the white sections , some of it deeper inside the structure, and some on the outside.

Here is a close up.

Id really hate to lose this guy, so is this photo shock? I tested my parameters and there is plenty of nitrate in the water, plus lots of phosphate bc I had terrible hair algae growing earlier before I got the new batch of macros in. Calcium is about 480 and the Alk should be close to 10 dKh.


Can I just frag off a branch of the good colored pink part and glue that to a rock, just in case?

 

[Newms118]

So I can update this a bit.

I moved the galaxaura to the middle of the tank where its getting much more flow and light, and that seems to have stopped the death. I also took a few bits off of it and placed it around the tank to see what would live/die. So far, having the bits practically right next to my lights didn't cause bleaching so its likely this guy was starving for light.

For signs of growth, some of the tips that are still pink have extended with a little bit of lighter coloring at the tips. These tips aren't bleaching though, its just further extension as best I can tell.

Im also dosing Kents Iron and Manganese supplements, Kents Iodine supplement, and even bought some Seachem flourish phosphorus supplement bc I can't tell what my level is yet. I don't want to have any limiting components. Ill know my phosphate levels once my hanna reagent finally gets here.

 

[Subsea]

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookgalaxaura.htm

Intense light, moderate to high circulation and add calcium as required. Sounds like you are taking care of business. Curious as to how this compares with Gracilaria Hayi.

 

[Newms118]

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookgalaxaura.htm

Intense light, moderate to high circulation and add calcium as required. Sounds like you are taking care of business. Curious as to how this compares with Gracilaria Hayi.

Exactly what seems to be doing the trick. Ill take a pic of it this weekend. Its definitely a slow grower so I wish I would have given it a good spot earlier on.

So far my G. Hayi isnt growing that fast either. Same as my Bryothamnion triquetrum, but that was likely too bright of light. Ive since moved the Bryothamnion triquetrum to the bottom of my tank and though I dont see growth, the tips are no longer turning white.