My macro just died!

BlueAbyss · #1 07-30-2009, 10:18 PM

Hmm, that's interesting, so it was only the Caulerpa... just a single species? If you have more than one species and only one was affected, I'd say most definitely a disease of some kind. I'm leaning that way anyhow, if all other things are equal and because your Chaeto is fine... try checking out the forums at http://www.marineplantedtanks.com, they may have some insight for you there.

hillegom · #2 07-31-2009, 01:59 AM

This happened to me as well. It never happens to cheato and that is why some people never keep caulerpa

I found this :

Caulerpa spread almost entirely by asexual growth from spores and by fragmentation. A spore producing Caulerpa can often times release such large numbers of spores that it turns the aquarium water a milkly-green color. If this occurs the spores will settle out, be removed by filtration, be eaten or die off in a short period of time. The water becomes clear again, but the spore producing alga can leave behind a white soft tissued husk that should be removed.

At this site:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/alg...a/aa112000.htm

Millepora_Maniac · #3 07-31-2009, 02:07 AM

HI Guys,
I had a book by Anthony Calfo, who is I guess some kind of reef Guru

, and in there he warns about the nutrient levels getting too low and the macro algae going A sexual, at that point it realeases all of the nutrients that it has pulled from the water back into the tank at once. Which is not good considering many of us have used macroalgae for nutrient export. test your water for nitrates and phosphates and maybe do a nice water change to be sure. Good luck.

danny zubot · #4 07-31-2009, 03:02 AM

Judging by what I've found in my skimmer cup since this event, I'd say that a whole lot of nutrients were let back into my system. My only hope is that what small bits that were left will eventually re-grow.

Thank you everyone for your help on this. I've learned something new today!

Navarchus · #5 07-31-2009, 03:03 AM

Do you add some iron supplement? If not you might want to consider using one such as Kent Marine Iron & Manganese.
If you have corals it will also help with green color! Don over doss a good indicator of overdosing is when your acro, yellow Blue etc are getting greenish halo.

BlueAbyss · #6 07-31-2009, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillegom

This happened to me as well. It never happens to cheato and that is why some people never keep caulerpa

I found this :

Caulerpa spread almost entirely by asexual growth from spores and by fragmentation. A spore producing Caulerpa can often times release such large numbers of spores that it turns the aquarium water a milkly-green color. If this occurs the spores will settle out, be removed by filtration, be eaten or die off in a short period of time. The water becomes clear again, but the spore producing alga can leave behind a white soft tissued husk that should be removed.

At this site:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/alg...a/aa112000.htm

Yeah, that's why I asked what it looked like when he removed it... I assumed it had 'gone sexual' but wanted to be sure because if it had gone sexual, he would have been removing white stuff instead of brown stuff.

hillegom · #7 07-31-2009, 04:28 AM

Danny: if you ever come down here, I have some feather caulerpa I could give you, if yours dies off.
Also have lots of cheato

danny zubot · #8 07-31-2009, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Do you add some iron supplement? If not you might want to consider using one such as Kent Marine Iron & Manganese.
If you have corals it will also help with green color! Don over doss a good indicator of overdosing is when your acro, yellow Blue etc are getting greenish halo.

I do dose Iron/Manganese from Kent. It's good to know about the green halo in acros. I haven't noticed anything like that in my acros, so I must not be over doing it.

Hillegom - I appreciate the offer, thanks.