loosing colors and cohesion

[Basile]

This is my refugium , i bought $307 worth of algae all parameters are fine, these two macro algae;

Halymenia ; Dragon's breath

Ulva , sea letuce

Both pictures were taken when the algaes wrere healthy, now they've become like tissue paper, almost transparent and have disapeared nothing to shoot really. i still have healthy ones, thats my mystery , why some and not all at the same time.


Are both loosing cohesion and color. Both are in my opinion being given a shalack by my pods, who are just going crazy over them , because non of the other red algae have lost their colors , so that eliminates trace elements , the same for my other green algaes . Any other explanation you might have. that i don't see. Thanks for your time.​

 

[PSU4ME]

they could be dying and thats why the pods are eating them. What is/are the lighting requirements and nutrient requirements for those 2 types of algae?

Tekite on here is a master at algae, might want to message him

 

[Kongor]

macros turning white usually means lights are too strong, or atleast thats what I was told

 

[DaveK]

The other question that comes to mind is how long have you had the algaes? Unless they are transferred very carefully and the SG is an exact match, large parts of them often die off. They can be a lot more delicate than they would appear, especially after you have fought more than a few battles to get rid of unwanted algae. Temp can be a critical factor also, especially if you just got them with all this winter weather. A bad chill can easily kill them, even though there is no obvious damage at first. Letting them dry out just a little can have similar effects.

The algaes in original pictures don't look too good. They seem to be a bit white or transparent even there.

 

[kyle4201]

What comes to my mind is they are starving to death? Im sure you are running 0 everything and I would think, since its algae and they consume all the bad stuff maybe your water is to clean 4 them? btw, if thats the case,, good job!! and you can send them my way, prob will out grow my fuge, lol.

 

[Basile]

The other question that comes to mind is how long have you had the algaes? Unless they are transferred very carefully and the SG is an exact match, large parts of them often die off. They can be a lot more delicate than they would appear, especially after you have fought more than a few battles to get rid of unwanted algae. Temp can be a critical factor also, especially if you just got them with all this winter weather. A bad chill can easily kill them, even though there is no obvious damage at first. Letting them dry out just a little can have similar effects.



The algaes in original pictures don't look too good. They seem to be a bit white or transparent even there.

Actually long story short i did fight anything i jumpstarted my tank with a startup product and i'm in a diatom stage right now and my phosban reactor is OFF. I'm still cycling but with this product i used you can put fish and corals in after 24 hours, you can check my thread and see whats its about if you want ,but i'm sure it has nothing to do with the algae being eaten like this and why one ulva in one corner and not the other one next to it. Doesn't make sense to me. And the Dragon's breath i'd say maybe an element or the pods are hungry for that particular because she's very delicate, almost like paper just like the ulva. The others are more calcified . The question is how can i stop this. I've put a bit more Phyto in , but don't want to over do it. The light well Ulva likes strong light if an extra load of phosphate i think it can go wild. You could be right about the temperature but their was 5 heat packs in the transfer styrofoam box

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/85155-ok-two-new-75-starfire-tanks-way-lots-possibilities-money-6.html#post1223713

What comes to my mind is they are starving to death? Im sure you are running 0 everything and I would think, since its algae and they consume all the bad stuff maybe your water is to clean 4 them? btw, if thats the case,, good job!! and you can send them my way, prob will out grow my fuge, lol.

So what's the parameters you would recommend for them, how much nitrates, phosphate , calcium, mag, and the rest. Thanks.

 

[Basile]

I just found the reason guys here in the sticky ; http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=2102


Also seems to be susceptible to iodine levels in the aquarium, as without minor additions of this element, my specimen seemed to be less colorful and began to dissipate.


And this is exactly what happened in less than a week. As for the ulva i have to find what it needs and fast .

 

[slfcaptain]

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels?

steve

 

[Basile]

What are your nitrate and phosphate levels?

steve

ph 8
amonia <0.25
nitrates 2.5
Hanna,Phospahte; 0.00

i've turned OFF my GFO

 

[PSU4ME]

well i wouldn't think ammonia would be a good thing for you macros eh?

 

[slfcaptain]

I dont know anything about the particular bacteria product you are using but they can cause nitrates and possibly phosphates to bottom out. I dont know what effect they nay have on the macro algea but if the bottled bacteria are competing for the same nutrients then the algea may lose. Keep in mind this is just speculation on my part.

steve

 

[Basile]

well i wouldn't think ammonia would be a good thing for you macros eh?

Not sure all i know is that my water is a bit too prestine lol. I've turned off the gfo for now and i wnt chage my socks every 2 days from now on maybe every week now to see if it'll hep. I'll add a bit of iodine for the red Macro algae since it seems to be a comomn trait.

I dont know anything about the particular bacteria product you are using but they can cause nitrates and possibly phosphates to bottom out. I dont know what effect they nay have on the macro algea but if the bottled bacteria are competing for the same nutrients then the algea may lose. Keep in mind this is just speculation on my part.

steve

Yep no idea there. But the bacteria are for cycling and for filtration it may accelerate the process of methabolising these chemical yes who knows. I have to find out from the sellers what are the parameters they keep their algae growing too and match them somehow. I'm calling them.

 

[Basile]

Two products

Well i found these 2 products that are specific to macro's , helpfull to corals as well in some fashion but one is design for macroalgae.


This one contains, Manganese, not Magnesium as i had to tell the clerk 25 times and still couldn't spell it....Probably left high school too fast... Manganese for algae ( Mn) on the periodic table a transition metal, Magnesium for corals, (Mg) an Alki earth metal,

Well my research has brought me to these two components, their were others but over dosing is not a good idea. I've contacted the seller of my macroalgae and they're sending their parameters at which they keep their stocks to help me keep mine. Imagine that having water too clean lol.




And iodine and iodide for your red macroalgaes before they loose their bright red colors.

 

[Willie McDaries]

Basile, even though you used a product to jump start your cycle process and it seems to be working, I think there's just some things that are best to wait until the tank has aged some, maybe those macros are just such items, but it seems odd that it could grow fine on one side of the tank and not the other, sounds more like a water flow or lighting issue to me but I'm clueless with macros...I can grow nuisance algae just fine though LOL

 

[tektite]

I know I answered a few of your questions on another forum, but I don't think you posted your phosphate level there. If its 0, that's a big problem for delicate macroalgae. They at least need some phosphate. Could be your problem here. Adding some iodide and iron could help, but I would also try dosing a TINY amount of phosphate and see how the macros react. No running phosban/GFO.

To give it a try, go to a pharmacy and buy an enema...yes, I did just write that...Fleet enema extra to be exact The main ingredients are mono and dibasic sodium phosphate.

I can't remember where I put the calculations for dosing, they're kinda complex, but if I remember correctly 0.13 ml of enema raises my 40B by 0.1 ppm phosphate. You can use that to figure how much to dose in your tank. You won't be dosing much. Do not go over that level, try for 0.05 first to see how the macros respond.

 

[PSU4ME]

Tektite is the master so follow his advice......

Is feeding more a good way to increase "macro food"?

 

[DianaKay]

Hey Tek
Just wanted to tell you that my Dragon's Breath has done well!
I can tell it's growing in my refugium. But, I have a red cayno problem in there & wondered your thoughts on if it could kill my Dragon's breath? I'm adding more flow (will get a 2nd gentle flow powerhead tomorrow via UPS) and am going to try that before adding any chemicals. I think the light is good because Cheato is really staring to get more than doubled in size also. I can see one ball of Cheato has red cayno on it but it's hard to tell if the red has red on it. Sorry about butting in but I wanted to ask ya.

 

[tektite]

I'm a her, actually

It can help, if what the macros need is nutrients like nitrate (through bacteria) or even a little phosphate (often in food). If what the macros are lacking is elements in the water like iron, then no.

 

[PSU4ME]

Haha, my apologies...... The mean tiger avatar tricked me!

 

[Basile]

Hi guys thanks for your info, i did a bit of research as well , i got the iodine and iodide, dosed and the red colors came back for most, the iron and maganese bottle contains minute quatyties of potash instead of phosphates, so that is actually better from what i've red. In any case, take a look


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