Macro algae falling apart? Causes?

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As in the pictures the left macro was before in a different light and the right algae currently in another different light

I want to add more detail, the more redder algae was kept in the main tank until i transitioned it to the below tank but it's still the same water connected with the tank before

The more redder algae was about 20 inches deep in the main tank hence a 40 watt bulb was concentrated onto it

As for the yellowish algae it is kept at about 14 inches deep with a 20 watt full spectrum light which is spread out


Could this be a light issue?

Another note to add is that when the macro was red i had a huge tessalata in there but it hadn't eaten in about 3 to 4 weeks so I am sure it wasn't producing as much waste, hence due to suspecting a problem have moved him to a hospital tank so the tank has been empty for about 9 to 10 days could it also be a nutrient issue aswell? The plant also has been losing its leaves as I try to blow it off which hadn't happened before which I did previously to remove algae growing on top of it

Nitrate is still extremely high about 80ppm

Screenshot_2024-09-27-02-53-34-127_com.miui.gallery.jpg IMG_20240927_024925.jpg
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The light i am currently using is a full spectrum plant led which is about 23 inch long and 20 watts

The light i used before is a normal household led which is 40 watts and more concentrated bulbs which are circular as seen in the pic

IMG_20240927_030617.jpg IMG_20240927_030520.jpg
 

ISpeakForTheSeas

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2021
Messages
8,450
Reaction score
10,304
Location
United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Could this be a light issue?

Another note to add is that when the macro was red i had a huge tessalata in there but it hadn't eaten in about 3 to 4 weeks so I am sure it wasn't producing as much waste, hence due to suspecting a problem have moved him to a hospital tank so the tank has been empty for about 9 to 10 days could it also be a nutrient issue aswell?
Possibly and possibly.

Consider my post a bump (I really need to read up more on the care/culture of macroalgae), but I wouldn't be surprised if either the lights aren't strong enough/aren't a great spectrum, if the algae is struggling a bit to adapt to the lighting changes, and/or if the algae has become limited by some nutrient or mineral/element.
 

AetherealKnight

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 14, 2024
Messages
382
Reaction score
1,007
Location
Northern Virginia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It might not be getting enough iron supplement. My magroalgae started dying the moment I got it. But when I started dosing chateogro, it doubled in size. So try that. I really doubt it’s the light since I use a simple 12w plant light.
 
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It might not be getting enough iron supplement. My magroalgae started dying the moment I got it. But when I started dosing chateogro, it doubled in size. So try that. I really doubt it’s the light since I use a simple 12w plant light.
I do dose iron occasionally so I don't think it's that, I'll definitely try out chaetogro
 
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Possibly and possibly.

Consider my post a bump (I really need to read up more on the care/culture of macroalgae), but I wouldn't be surprised if either the lights aren't strong enough/aren't a great spectrum, if the algae is struggling a bit to adapt to the lighting changes, and/or if the algae has become limited by some nutrient or mineral/element.
I'll definitely dose some fertilizers since I really do want to make a macroalgae dedicated tank and most lightly switch to the good old bulb lights which I believe are more concentrated and might work
 

goody

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
839
Reaction score
125
Location
Carlsbad, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How long has the tank been running? It looks like a recent setup and the issue may be not enough nutrients for the macro.
 
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How long has the tank been running? It looks like a recent setup and the issue may be not enough nutrients for the macro.
its actually a 2 year old tank, i just did a recent make over last week, i had a huge tess in there but shifted him to a 150 gal for more length, i just moved the older rocks of the tess in the 150 aswell
 
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
as for the update, i put the algae in a net closer to the surface and changed the light with the 40 watt more concentrated bulb, since then the plant has not been falling apart and can slowly see the colour come back, i just dosed some iron since i didn't dose it last week and will see if the iron helps aswell


it couldve just been that the previous 20 watt spread out light wasn't enough hence will most likely need a more powerful light but i am afraid that since i kept the algae so close to the surface with the 40 watts i hope it doesnt melt since i have seen red algaes not to so well but whitish near concentrated lights
 

GARRIGA

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 12, 2021
Messages
3,692
Reaction score
2,952
Location
South Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Iron or other trace deficiencies might be the cause
 
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Iron or other trace deficiencies might be the cause
what are the main deficiencies which can occur? and not available from fish waste?

i figured that i could save a lot just from getting main singular fertilizers rather than a whole bottle mixed such as chaetogro
 

GARRIGA

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 12, 2021
Messages
3,692
Reaction score
2,952
Location
South Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
what are the main deficiencies which can occur? and not available from fish waste?

i figured that i could save a lot just from getting main singular fertilizers rather than a whole bottle mixed such as chaetogro
My Pom Pom took off when I started dosing chaeto gro. Iron being one of the main ingredients. Fish waste isn’t going to be enough.

SeaChem has an iron test I used to use in FW. Might work for salt although I just fixed based on directions once a week.
 
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Update:

I still have yet to dose chaetogro since the whole imported stock was sold out despite my tries online, but luckily enough I found a store which still have them and hence will be shipped to me tomorrow, I'll definitely update on how much better the macro does after I add chaetogro but for now, i was definitely able to save it quite a bit, i did add iron but didn't see much of a difference, I moved the gracilaria to my other tank and definitely saw improvements, it was likely because the other tank had the trace elements he needed to bounce back, right now I have him in the sump with 2 wave makers going nuts at him Lol

I have some pictures below and you can definitely see the difference!

IMG_20241020_181643.jpg IMG_20241021_182924.jpg
 
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just got chaetogro and added about 20ml of chaetogro today, he is definitely getting better and brighter can't see it properly since I just brushed the algae to remove any or every gunk sitting on top of it, but I'll only call it a success if i see a bush full in about a week! Lol
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_2024-09-27-02-53-34-127_com.miui.gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_2024-09-27-02-53-34-127_com.miui.gallery.jpg
    114.3 KB · Views: 9
  • IMG_20241022_202803.jpg
    IMG_20241022_202803.jpg
    74.1 KB · Views: 13
OP
OP
HAAAAAAAA

HAAAAAAAA

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 15, 2022
Messages
574
Reaction score
227
Location
Karnataka
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Update: just 2 days after dosing chaetogro, I've definitely seen some robust growth, i dosed about 20 ml for my 170 gallon water volume with about 13 to 15 hours of light, the algae has turned a deeper red, i would blame the cloudy water due to my sump falling apart but please don't mind that Lol

I'll update in a few more days in the tank it was in before, I want to make sure if it is indeed the fertilizer, because it was dying in the original tank and hence I transferred him over to a different now current tank

IMG_20241024_194923.jpg
 
Back
Top