Help, my macroalgae is dying!

[nnewhouse]

Got this unidentified macro a couple of weeks ago, it was growing like a weed, about an inch a day! Now suddenly it is losing its pigment, going limp, and falling apart. I have scoured the internet for info and I think perhaps we need to supplement iron. Can anyone spare some iron supplement until we can get some?? Also, if you know what kind of macro algae this is I'd like to know.. THANKS! Heather

 

[Hoss]

Is it in your display tank? If so I'd say you should count your blessings. It looks like Caulerpa Racemosa, or "Grape" Caulerpa. It can be extremely invasive and difficult to remove as it sends little roots into the pores of the rock which can sprout again. It sounds like it went sexual, which they can do spontaneously or due to stress. "Going sexual" means it released it's gametes into your water. This is not such a big deal when you just have a tiny bit of it, but if it has grown into a gigantic mass and suddenly goes sexual it can cause some serious water quality issues, and even possibly crash your tank.

[undrtkr_00]

I don't think that's grape caulerpa. Doesn't look quite right.

 

Don't know what to tell you about keeping the macro alive, but it does sound like it may have gone sexual on you.

[nnewhouse]

I checked the levels in the tank, my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates all rest at zero. I don't see any sign of spores being released either. At any rate, I'm going to do another water change and keep an eye on the levels just to be safe. I hate to lose that piece, it's one of my favorites. I'm really scratching my head on this one.

 

It is in the display tank, but it's confined to the sand bed, for now..

 

It's not the grape caulerpa, we have some of that too, they look similar, but have some distinct differences in appearance. This once doesn't have spherical bubbles, it's more like mickey mouse ears stacked flat and evenly on top of each other.

[RoseCityAquarium]

Is that the algae you got from me? Ours has been growing like crazy in our refugium. Bryan started that algae from a 2" frag. I have never had any problems with that algae.

Nick

[nnewhouse]

Nick - Yep that's the one. We brought it home, it grew like mad, and suddenly crashed. It could be fighting with our other macro for nutrients... we have a handful of dragons tongue that has quadrupled in size in a matter of weeks. Should I try supplementing with a medley of trace elements? Also, our tank is chilled at 74 deg. Doesn't seem to bother the other algae, but I'm trying to lay all my cards on the table.

[pledosophy]

Take the sand off of the runners.

 

In between each stalk there is a "runner" or vine like thing. Pinch the vines with your fingernail in between each stalk to seperate them. Now if one of those pieces goes sexual you will not loose all of the spieces, just that piece.

 

If the vines are attached everything attached to that vine will go sexual, if you keep them in smaller pieces, you will only loose a small bit at a time.

 

You mention halymenia, and I think I see taxifloria in the picture. Then you also say your nitrates are zero.

 

I would guess the algae is starving for food. It is also theorized that algaes excrete chemicals to kill off other algaes but I have not witnessed this in my planted systems.

 

I would guess the algae is hungry. Clip the runners (you should make this a practice of all vine based algaes IMO) and feed the tank a bit more so there is available nitrate and phospahte. I use bioballs in my overflow boxes since they are known "nitrate factories" and I kinda feed a grip to the system. I am able to keep many species of algae in close quarters this way.

 

The concentration of iron is seawater is very minimal and no tests have been done showing it as a benefit, that I have ever read. If you do dose, stop dosing when you see the slime algae disappear.

 

JME

[nnewhouse]

Thanks for the tips. We have an over sized skimmer in the tank with multiple species of macro. Like you said, maybe they are just running out of food. I will try clipping the "runners" and turning the skimmer off for a day or so and see if it improves. Thanks again for the help.