What’s happening with my caulerpa prolifera?

[PacsAdmin77]

Hi All,

Some leaves on my caulerpa prolifera are turning translucent. The Macroalgae has been doing well in my SW tank for a few weeks and then the leaves gradually started to lose color. My nitrates are between 2-5ppm and my phosphates are at 0.12ppm. Any thoughts on the caulerpa’s current condition?

 

[sixty_reefer]

It’s die off, hows your iron levels?

 

[lapin]

Are you feeding the plants. If not then its lack of nutrients or some type.

 

[Silent]

Iron is low most likely.

 

[PacsAdmin77]

Wait, are you guys serious? I thought Caulerpa’s a relatively low-maintenance Macroalgae that I can use in my SW refugium and that it only needs nitrates and phosphates to survive. Now you’re telling me it needs to be fed and it needs iron??

 

[Silent]

I dont think that type of caulerpa is as much of a weed as the other types. At least in my experience.

 

[PacsAdmin77]

So it can’t just be placed in the refugium and let it be? It needs to be looked after and cared for? If that’s the case, maybe it’s not as low-maintenance as I thought it was?

 

[Subsea]

Without a doubt, It’s not as low maintenance as chaeto. Everything that grows needs iron plus many other trace minerals.

I use Caulerpa Prolifera in my mixed garden display tanks. When C Prolifera needs iron, I usually can tell by pale green color as opposed to dark emerald green. When healthy and growing fast, the tips of leaves are translucent.