Macro algae question

[polarbear]

I have noticed that the new macro algae that I got about 2 weeks ago has started to die off. I have a fairly old bulb over the refugium that I have been meaning to replace. Could this be the cause of the problem? The cheato and dragons breath are doing ok so far but the Caulerpa algae has dissolved and had to be taken out. This is the same thing that happened before when I was using the algae fix. I thought that was the reason for the macro dying then but it’s still happening and I haven’t used the algae fix in a long time.

[Scutterborn]

Could it be that there just isn't enough nutrients in the water? If you've hot pretty clean water, your macro will not thrive.


- Ben -

[allan]

yeah, you're caulerpa is competing with the dragon's breath and chaeto... both of which seem to be very good at pulling out nutrients. My dragon's breath seems to grow very well, and so is my chaeto... I've got two other types of macro in there, neither fare well.

[polarbear]

My nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates are 0 or really close to that. I run a carbon and GRO reactor as well. I like having the macro in the refugium for pods and the look. Not saying I want more nutrients but what type of macros will work good in the refugium if there are low nutrients?

[allan]

I'd continue what you're doing. I'm fixing to change around my sump/fuge area as a buddy alerted me to excessive detritus build up due to rock. So I will have one section where I hope to grow dragon's breath and razor culerpra and the other will strickly be chaeto.

[polarbear]

Ya. I cleaned my fuge about a month ago. I got rid of the sandbed I had in there becuase of detritus build up. All I have is live rock now which makes cleaning out the detritus in there very easy when I use my shop vac.

[polarbear]

Hey Allan. Do you have a power head in your refugium? I have seen several members that use them but last time I tried it stired up a lot of stuff. Not sure if I should be using one.

[allan]

No, I don't. I used to have one in my old sump because of the shape presented a possibility of dead areas. This one flows from one side to the other.

SHOP VAC... sheesh, I was trying to figure out how to create a siphon to remove the detritus... Now if I can just tone down the vacume a bit.

[polarbear]

I have a small 5 gallon shop vac. I use it to suck the detritus out of the middle chamber about once a month when I do a water change. It works great.

[allan]

I've got 20 gallons of RODI just begging for a water change. I think I will attempt it today.