Why does my Macro go boon and then bust

[wvned]

I posted this pic a few days ago

Next day

The clump on the right turns white.
The clump on the left is fine. This tank has ulva, chaeto, Halimeda and the caulerpa.
I have grown other types of macro in the past that did the same thing.
Is that just what it does or am I missing something?

 

[griss]

That's just what it does. It matures and sexually reproduces, i.e. turns white and releases gametes.

 

[wvned]

The skimmer foamed a bit yesterday

 

[wvned]

That's just what it does. It matures and sexually reproduces, i.e. turns white and releases gametes.

My algae is having more fun than me

 

[kharmaguru]

That's just what it does. It matures and sexually reproduces, i.e. turns white and releases gametes.

While that is true there is still something bottoming out that triggers the response IMO. Iron, iodine, zinc, manganese are potential culprits.

 

[jason2459]

I have been dosing iron for a few years now. Seemed to help thicken up my algae harvesting. Colors on things like my Anemones got richer looking too.

DIY the DIY FE++ Ferrous citrate supplement

So, periodically I'll get into dosing something to see some kind of reaction and want to look at dosing some iron again. I've used Iron gluconate previously from supplement tablets and Seachem's Flourish iron. This time I wanted to make my own and was going to make up some iron(II) citrate...

www.reef2reef.com

You can buy all the ingredients but it is fun making the ferrus sulfate too.

 

[jason2459]

I made this batch when I setup the new tank a few months ago. I also wrote down the amounts on the bottle so it's easier than looking it up every year when I make another batch

 

[wvned]

I have used Brightwell Ferrion a long time
I haven't added any in a while. I did this morning.
I used to add iron and iodine. I guess I need to start again. I wonder if I could put that on a doser from one solution.

 

[jason2459]

I have a BRS 1.1ml/m doser and I set mine to what I thought would last a few years and ended up going through it in a year. Didn't have any negative effects and only positive so I never adjusted. So, I'm assuming there's a fairly good leeway in amounts that can be dosed before negative effects are seen.

 

[wvned]

I have used Tropic Marin A+ and K- for a long time. I have that on 2 doser channels. I used to add additional Brightwell Ferrion and Iodion once a week.

I need to do an ICP test. I have done one in a couple of years.