PDA

View Full Version : Grape Calerpa going sexual or dieing? already did a bit of research...still not sure


SYS7EMATIC
04/27/2008, 11:41 PM
Ok, so I came home tonight and noticed that something was amiss. The water was slightly cloudy. I opened the door to the stand to take a look at the refugium, and noticed that the water there was even more murky. In particular, water near the surface was very cloudy. I reached down to feel the algae, and it was soft. Not it's usual texture. The mat was less dense, and it was almost mushy.

I did a bit of research, and found that usually when macro goes sexual, it turns white. The algae is still green. Also, I read that usually they will not go sexual as long as you keep the refugium lit 24/7 which I do. I tested the water, and there is a bit of ammonia, and nitrite (.25 or so) which I suspect is a result of whatever is happening with the plants rather than the vice versa.

Any ideas as to what is going on?

As a precaution, I went ahead and pulled all the algae out and have it sitting in a bucket with light over it.

SYS7EMATIC
04/27/2008, 11:42 PM
btw, not all of it is mushy yet. I'd say about half. Once again, even the mushy stuff still has all it's color...

SYS7EMATIC
04/28/2008, 02:30 AM
again, this all happened in a matter of hours. Any idea as to what's going on?

SYS7EMATIC
04/28/2008, 04:05 PM
does anybody check these forums? lol...

lulaface
04/28/2008, 07:11 PM
I've only had my caulerpa go sexual once, and it was a small bit, so it didn't turn the water cloudy. Mine turned light green and got soft. It sounds like that is happening to your's. The 24/7 light helps, but I don't think there is anything that can definitely prevent the sexual reproduction phase. I add iron once a week or so. That is supposed to help too.

3D-Reef
04/29/2008, 08:25 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12421824#post12421824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SYS7EMATIC
I reached down to feel the algae, and it was soft. Not it's usual texture. The mat was less dense, and it was almost mushy.

I read that usually they will not go sexual as long as you keep the refugium lit 24/7 which I do.Any ideas as to what is going on?

As a precaution, I went ahead and pulled all the algae out and have it sitting in a bucket with light over it.

Sounds like it did go sexual,at least the parts that are mushy.If there is some that still has color,green...not spotted...green,then that part should be OK.

Most of the time 24/7 will help keep them from doing this,BUT,if they run out of some nutrient,ie nitrate,iron,low ALK,then 24/7 will not stop them from going sexual.