Red Gracilaria Turning White

[SpyC]

I added red Gracilaria to my fuge this week. The fuge light runs for 14 hours a day. I have noticed the algae closest to the fuge light is turning white. Should I run the fuge light for a short period of time? What other reasons could cause this?

 

[ShepherdReefer]

We run our light for about 8 hours. Something else to consider, what is your nitrates and phosphate levels? Most microalgae consume these two and if you don't have any, they will starve...from my understanding, I could be wrong.

 

[Subsea]

The white tips and paler red are indicators of fast growth under intense light.

What do you want your algae refugium to do?

 

[SpyC]

The white tips and paler red are indicators of fast growth under intense light.

What do you want your algae refugium to do?

I would like it to out compete all of the hair algae in my display tank. I would also like for it to help keep the ph up at night.

 

[SpyC]

We run our light for about 8 hours. Something else to consider, what is your nitrates and phosphate levels? Most microalgae consume these two and if you don't have any, they will starve...from my understanding, I could be wrong.

Nitrates are 15 and phosphate is .1.

 

[Subsea]

I would like it to out compete all of the hair algae in my display tank. I would also like for it to help keep the ph up at night.

Nothing will outcompete gha. I doubt that the small volume in your sump will offset pH swing much. What is your current nightly pH swings?

A healthy IndoPacific reef has normal pH swings of 7.8 - 8.2

PS: Are you wanting to reduced nutrients down from 15ppm and phosphates from .1ppm. I looked at your build thread and those corals would benefit from your listed nutrient levels.

I have sent both Gracilaria Parvispora & Gracilaria Hayi to a regional agriculture lab for analysis. The ratio of N to P in those seaweeds is 30:1

 

[FUNGI]

Nothing will outcompete gha. I doubt that the small volume in your sump will offset pH swing much. What is your current nightly pH swings?

A healthy IndoPacific reef has normal pH swings of 7.8 - 8.2

Agreed....plus its very slow growing, and (at least IME) prone to crash due to PH swings

 

[SpyC]

Nothing will outcompete gha. I doubt that the small volume in your sump will offset pH swing much. What is your current nightly pH swings?

A healthy IndoPacific reef has normal pH swings of 7.8 - 8.2

PS: Are you wanting to reduced nutrients down from 15ppm and phosphates from .1ppm. I looked at your build thread and those corals would benefit from your listed nutrient levels.

I have sent both Gracilaria Parvispora & Gracilaria Hayi to a regional agriculture lab for analysis. The ratio of N to P in those seaweeds is 30:1

The build thread is very outdated and is due for an update. with a scubber, the ph swings from 7.85-8. I am struggling to get it higher. I gave cheato a try and it did great with the ph, but kept releasing small strands that I could not keep out of my return section. This caused a number of clogs and poor water flow through the sump. Do you have a suggestion for a different macro algae to helpnwith the ph that won't go asexual?

 

[SpyC]

Agreed....plus its very slow growing, and (at least IME) prone to crash due to PH swings

The Gracilaria crashes?

 

[FUNGI]

The Gracilaria crashes?

I was trying to use a better word for die.

 

[SpyC]

I was trying to use a better word for die.

What ph range did you find it does best in?

 

[Subsea]

The build thread is very outdated and is due for an update. with a scubber, the ph swings from 7.85-8. I am struggling to get it higher. I gave cheato a try and it did great with the ph, but kept releasing small strands that I could not keep out of my return section. This caused a number of clogs and poor water flow through the sump. Do you have a suggestion for a different macro algae to helpnwith the ph that won't go asexual?

Given the right conditions, all seaweed will go sexual:
especially when fast growing seaweed under intensive light depletes nutrients, which is what you are trying to do with your algae refugium.

If corals in your ecosystem require higher pH, I suggest you use a limewater buffer to bring your alkalinity & pH up.

PS: If you regularly prune fast growing Caulerpa, you can better accomplish your goal.

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookpage15.htmYou