something is going on "dragons breath "

[zaquanh_09]

i have some dragons breath macro algea and a fairy dust paly , the paly is doing good , but the macro seems to be falling aparts , i had a nice piece put it in the crevis one one of the rocks , but it is turning green and kinda falling apart , now i have 3 pieces and it has be come very delicate to where if i move it , small pieces come off ,

it is in a low flow area , my tang likes it but isnt picking at it or anything bad

any input on what i can do

[rrasco]

Do you have other algae in the tank? I'm wondering if the macro has anything to feed on.

[zaquanh_09]

nope , just a small amount of diatoms some purple algae , i did have green hair algae about 2 weeks ago but already cleared up . only macro in the tank is the dragons breath . good amount of CUC nothing messes with the macro it just seems like its dying , plenty of light

[rrasco]

I mean, maybe you don't have any phosphates or nitrates for it to consume. Do you run GFO or any other phosphate removal methods?

[zaquanh_09]

I mean, maybe you don't have any phosphates or nitrates for it to consume. Do you run GFO or any other phosphate removal methods?

i was just looking into this , no GFO or phosphate removal , just / blue filter pads ,and carbon filter pads in 3 different places. not sure if i can to much filtering is bad, and skimmer . lights on 8 hours vho and MH untill i get a separate timer just for vhos.

i think 5 fish 1 paly frag , looked like i may have seen some green algea on one of the rocks but not sure .

how can i introduce more nitrates without stressing the fish

[ElChicano]

How long has the tank been running ?

[allan]

It's probably not the light... But in case it is, try putting some 65k on it. And a bit of flow. A little bit.

[zaquanh_09]

How long has the tank been running ?
id say more than a couple months now

[zaquanh_09]

It's probably not the light... But in case it is, try putting some 65k on it. And a bit of flow. A little bit.

they have flow , just not directly in the path , imo its not blowing hard enough to tear them ,

i run
MHs 175w x 2
VHOs 110w x 2

[350gt]

Mine went down hill in my frag tank but took off in my display tank's fuge and is growing like weeds in there..

Only difference is lighting..... And I feed alot in my display, never feed my frag tank..

[zaquanh_09]

mine is in the DT no fuge setup , just LR

[350gt]

Well something is up, just as it was in frag tank...


Set up a fuge if you have extra room one day..... They are cool to look at and IMO so beneficial.... Might be better off dumping the dragons breath for now...

[ElChicano]

How large is the dragons breath ? You might want to cut it down and start with a small piece. Thats what im going in my tank. Seems to be doing good.

[Scutterborn]

Dude, my DB loves flow. It sits right at the powerhead nozzle and is growing like a weed. You seem to have plenty of light. Don't think that's a issue. I'm willing to be you may of somehow created an ULNS. How often do you feed? And what do you feed?

http://img.tapatalk.com/a6937b91-144f-77a5.jpg


- Ben -

[rrasco]

My chaeto never seems to grow. I can grow dinos just fine, but I think those feed on silicates. I don't feed very much so I'm thinking that is my problem too, ULNS. Just a stab in the dark though.

[zaquanh_09]

Dude, my DB loves flow. It sits right at the powerhead nozzle and is growing like a weed. You seem to have plenty of light. Don't think that's a issue. I'm willing to be you may of somehow created an ULNS. How often do you feed? And what do you feed?

http://img.tapatalk.com/a6937b91-144f-77a5.jpg


- Ben -


nice hope mine will grow like that , and since some has broken off i put it in 3 places in the tank and hope it will grow some ,

and i feed mysis twice aday . a good amount too

should i take out some of my carbon pads

[Kimi]

I have some dragon's breath in my display tank under 10K T5's, and it's pale and sickly looking. I threw some my 10 gallon which just has Marineland double bright LED's running (not the reef ones), and within one day, it was already getting MUCH more red. Soooo... in my case anyway, it does not seem to like very bright light. Ben, what kind of lights do you have running on your tank? And how did you attach your dragons breath to the rock? thanks!

[allan]

That's what I was alluding too. My chaeto grows very well under an incandescent lamp. I've grown it under reef lights, but not effectively.

[Scutterborn]

It's under the stock quad CFL JBJ light. Not sure of the spectrum. It grows equally well in my JBJ 14k LED light as well though. You should try feeding a little liquid coral food. If that doesn't work I dunno what will. You definitely have the light for it. Maybe too much, actually.


- Ben -

[tebstan]

Dragon's breath can handle high flow. Mine is right in front of the outputs and next to a K3. It grows faster in the DT, under 6 T5s, but grows in the fuge under a cruddy T8 as well. I used to have some in a pico with a 7w pc... it was about the only thing that grew in that tank.

I think nutrients might be the issue. Mine grows super fast because I feed a ton of food. The color of the macro seems to be effected by the light spectrum, but I don't think lighting is the issue for it dying off.

[zaquanh_09]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/zaquanh/CAM00087.jpg

[zaquanh_09]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/zaquanh/CAM00088.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/zaquanh/CAM00089.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/zaquanh/CAM00098.jpg

i used photofeast will see if that helps . i hope so , i like this stuff ,

[zaquanh_09]

im going to see if i can put some in my sump and let it float on the return side since i have my small led fixture down there

[tebstan]

Hmm. How/where did you have it hooked to rock? That's weird that it has lost color in distinct spots... the only time I ever saw that on mine is when it was hooked into a feed clip - it discolored and broke off where it was connected. That's why I switched to feed rings.

Someone (Ace?) recommended taking two slightly curved rocks and gluing them together into a doughnut, then loop the macro through that. My dragons breath quickly outgrew that setup, so I got a bunch of these:

http://www.homefishaquariums.com/img/hagen-nutrafin-max-feeding-ring-with-suction-cup_179754_500.jpg

Oce the macro gets bushy you don't even notice the ring.

[zaquanh_09]

Hmm. How/where did you have it hooked to rock? That's weird that it has lost color in distinct spots... the only time I ever saw that on mine is when it was hooked into a feed clip - it discolored and broke off where it was connected. That's why I switched to feed rings.

Someone (Ace?) recommended taking two slightly curved rocks and gluing them together into a doughnut, then loop the macro through that. My dragons breath quickly outgrew that setup, so I got a bunch of these:

http://www.homefishaquariums.com/img/hagen-nutrafin-max-feeding-ring-with-suction-cup_179754_500.jpg

Oce the macro gets bushy you don't even notice the ring.


thats the thing i was going to glue 2 rocks together but i only have epoxy which hasnt worked that well , i have lots of crevices in the rocks so i put it inbetween those and layed it onto another rock , so that it wont just float away

it works for purposes of holding it but theres no pressure or anything that should make it turn colors

[zaquanh_09]

i put some in my some and floating it , and i have a small led fixture , mabye that will help it grow some

[tebstan]

If you want to try the feed ring, theyre $2 at Petsmart. I've got 7 of them now, so I know who's got the best price :)

If it doesn't recuperate and you want to try again, I prune mine about once a month

[zaquanh_09]

If you want to try the feed ring, theyre $2 at Petsmart. I've got 7 of them now, so I know who's got the best price :)

If it doesn't recuperate and you want to try again, I prune mine about once a month


ill try that when i get some more , yes please let me know when you start