What's going on? Caulerpa dieing, hair algae thriving...

[badbread]

I picked up a colony of zoa's a while back, never showed any signs of any caulerpa on it or anything. About 2-3 months later it started sprouting these fern like leaves on a vine, right before Decembers meetings I plucked some off, brought it to the meeting, and Mike (sfsuphysics) ID'd it for me. Caulerpa Taxifolia (excuse my spelling)

Since then I have been gently removing it every time I see it, putting into a frag container, freezing it, drying it out, freezing again and dumping it in the trash, this stuff is hard to kill. I have a bunch in a container now that has been there for about 3 weeks with with no flow, no nothing and its still green and looking alive.

So I go back home for the holidays and come back expecting it to be all over the zoa colony I originally spotted it on but it isn't. Instead it looks pale and opaque almost like it's drying up under water. What gives?

Second, I think I have green hair algae. It started on a frag from vividaquariums I got a while back (like 4-5 months ago) and never really grew much at all until I went on vacation. When I came back it was probably about 2" long almost covering the 3 florida ricordeas on the plug. I took it out, pulled it all off in one clump and toothbrushed the frag the best I could.

I use RO/DI only, last I checked output was 0 TDS, I strain my mysis shrimp during feedings, the fish were only fed once in the two weeks I was gone, I don't get it? I'm thinking maybe I introduced oyster feast a little to quickly into the system? I'm still barely using 1mL in the tank. Should I cut back on all feedings until the GHA goes away? And, why would the caulerpa be what I'm assuming dieing? If there where that many excess nutrients in the tank shouldn't that be striving as well?

Thanks all,
Jay

 

[badbread]

Just read this article:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/nftt/index.php titled A Warning Sign of Impending Caulerpa Sporulation

I did notice that in my tank on the black eggcrate there are tiny little slimy looking opaque fibers that seem to be clinging on to the eggcrate. I thought this had to do with the GHA but maybe this tiny little bit of caulerpa went sexual on me? Is that possible? It's possible the water clouded up when I was away and didn't notice I guess, but there is so little caulerpa, can that happen?

 

[badbread]

Tested my phosphates and nitrate last night and both were 0 or undetectable. Weird, did a water change, hope that helps it out.

 

[bluenassarius]

they're undetectable because the problematic algae is exporting it.

tell us more about your system and what your doing? feeding? what kinda rock are u using? are you running any reactors? low ph?

 

[A_Lee]

I had some Caulerpa prolifera that acted similar to your C. taxifolia in that 1.) it could stay alive in a bucket of dirty as hell water for weeks and still look green, and 2.) Once in a while some of the leaves would just turn opaque and nasty looking, and melt away.

 

[badbread]

This is my 14 gallon frag tank, tank link in my sig.

14 gallon biocube, modified JBJ skimmer with 2 airpumps powering the stone (I get a nice dark skimmate), 150w sunpod, tunze ato, 3 koralia nano's configured the way the "flow guy" suggested I configure it at BAYMAC, probably about 10 lbs of live rock in the tank underneath the frag rack, entire back chamber chock full of chaeto, reverse light schedule on the chaeto chamber, detritus turkey basted at least a couple times a week from both chaeto chamber and rock and rack and then scrubbed out with a micron filter pad, weekly 10-15% water changes, no additives ever, 1 false perc clown, bicolor blenny and a cleaner shrimp.

SG: 1.023
Temp: Between 77-78
Calcium/alk always within acceptable range when tested (the water changes keep this in check)
Nitrates: 0-5

Feed every 3 days or so, I thaw about a dime size piece of frozen mysis in a fine net so all the nasty juices go away and target feed the fish and attempt to feed the corals. 1/2 drop (about 1mL) of Oyster Feast once a week, random very small amounts (like 5-10 pieces) of Spectra Thera A sinking 1mm pellets when the fish follow me around or when I'm trying to do something in the tank and the clown bites me.

No reactors, not sure on the PH, I'll start testing.

I don't know what happened, maybe the GF f'd up when it was feeding time even though I pre-measured everything for her. I'm hoping it will all blow over. The corals are all happy; a browned out Acro Durtybear gave me a months ago that I refused to give up on finally starting turning around showing some signs of purple on the tips and some real polyp extension, sergs pink milli sprouted at least 3 more arms, what I was thought was dead superman like encrusting monti thing from Bryan turned around and blue bits and pieces re-appeared on the frag, and alve's highlighter yellow monti viet is finally showing some nice polyp extension.