Caulerpa racemosa is going sexual need help

craigshup · 10/28/2010, 12:26 PM

I have a 90 gal. liverock tank with about 150 lb. of liverock and a cleaner crew, no fish.

I have been away working for about 3 weeks, my wife has been taking care of it for me while I was gone and i got home and my grape caulerpa has covered the right half of my tank from only about 12 inches in 3 weeks, I got up this morning to find when my lights came on it started going sexual.

I removed all I can get to ( about a gallon ) and put the white in the trash and took clipings of the dark green and put in a small tank by its self to try to keep some.

My 90 gal. tank is lightly foggy looking now, what else should I do?
Tank specs.
I have a 90 gal. with a 10 gal. sump, cyclone 150 protein skimmer in the sump and about 950 gph to return the water, and 1300 gph power head for water movement.

How long will it take for the water to clear back up and is it toxic from this for my anem,hermits and snails etc. or do I just need to worry about low oxygen levels in the water? This started about 10 am. central time.

I know I could read and look this up some where but it would be much faster if someone could help with this, I seen something about this one time on the net but this is the first time with this problem in over 13 years for me .

Thanks for any help!

pledosophy · 10/28/2010, 12:31 PM

Do a water change if you can. Run carbon if you can. More of each the better. Stop any carbon dosing if you are doing so.

I would not worry to much about 02 levels with the pumps and skimmer going.

In the future try clipping the runners on the caulerpa inbetween strands of grapes every few inches. This way only a few inches will go sexual at a time.

Sugar Magnolia · 10/28/2010, 12:35 PM

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/nftt/index.php That should help you to notice the warning signs next time. For now, plenty of carbon and polyfilters and a 20% water change. You may want to consider switching to chaeto to avoid this in the future. Good luck!

craigshup · 10/28/2010, 12:36 PM

ok thanks,
about how much of a water change?
I don't run or have a carbon filter should I get one ?

craigshup · 10/28/2010, 12:38 PM

thanks for the replys!

Floowid · 10/28/2010, 12:42 PM

For an emergency measure you can put carbon in a nylon (yeah, ladies stocking) and tie it off. Rinse it off in RO and put that under the outflow of your return in your sump.

pledosophy · 10/28/2010, 12:46 PM

IMO there is no amount of water change that is to much at this point as long as your match temp and pH closely.

50g's, 75g's, all good. Just do what you can, if that means 20g's try that and see how it goes. In cases like these I prefer on large water cahnge to several small ones.

JME

craigshup · 10/28/2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/nftt/index.php That should help you to notice the warning signs next time. For now, plenty of carbon and polyfilters and a 20% water change. You may want to consider switching to chaeto to avoid this in the future. Good luck!

Thanks, I had seen this picture while trying to fine out info earlier when I ran a search, mine didn't have any spore like that at all, I looked at my tank at 10 this morning when the light came on, it all looked normal all dark green, I finished my breakfast and went to feed my sea horses and noticed that smokey looking stuff was coming from the alge so after feeding I started searching to try to find out what was happening, with in one hour from the time it started large amounts of it was tunring clear looking so I started pulling it out. I still have some of it in a separate tank, and none of it looks like the pictures, but mine is the grape looking type. Maybe thats why?

craigshup · 10/28/2010, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pledosophy

IMO there is no amount of water change that is to much at this point as long as your match temp and pH closely.

50g's, 75g's, all good. Just do what you can, if that means 20g's try that and see how it goes. In cases like these I prefer on large water cahnge to several small ones.

JME

Just wondering , what does this stuff do to the tank , is it toxic? Will it kill my animals in the tank?

I am going to town to get some carbon and try it in a panty hose, and will start with a 20 gal. water change.

What else should i look for?

10/28/2010, 12:26 PM	#1
craigshup Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 152	Caulerpa racemosa is going sexual need help I have a 90 gal. liverock tank with about 150 lb. of liverock and a cleaner crew, no fish. I have been away working for about 3 weeks, my wife has been taking care of it for me while I was gone and i got home and my grape caulerpa has covered the right half of my tank from only about 12 inches in 3 weeks, I got up this morning to find when my lights came on it started going sexual. I removed all I can get to ( about a gallon ) and put the white in the trash and took clipings of the dark green and put in a small tank by its self to try to keep some. My 90 gal. tank is lightly foggy looking now, what else should I do? Tank specs. I have a 90 gal. with a 10 gal. sump, cyclone 150 protein skimmer in the sump and about 950 gph to return the water, and 1300 gph power head for water movement. How long will it take for the water to clear back up and is it toxic from this for my anem,hermits and snails etc. or do I just need to worry about low oxygen levels in the water? This started about 10 am. central time. I know I could read and look this up some where but it would be much faster if someone could help with this, I seen something about this one time on the net but this is the first time with this problem in over 13 years for me . Thanks for any help!

10/28/2010, 12:35 PM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/nftt/index.php That should help you to notice the warning signs next time. For now, plenty of carbon and polyfilters and a 20% water change. You may want to consider switching to chaeto to avoid this in the future. Good luck! __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

10/28/2010, 12:42 PM	#6
Floowid Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Centerville, UT Posts: 712	For an emergency measure you can put carbon in a nylon (yeah, ladies stocking) and tie it off. Rinse it off in RO and put that under the outflow of your return in your sump. __________________ 75 gallon mixed reef

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10/28/2010, 12:31 PM	#2
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Do a water change if you can. Run carbon if you can. More of each the better. Stop any carbon dosing if you are doing so. I would not worry to much about 02 levels with the pumps and skimmer going. In the future try clipping the runners on the caulerpa inbetween strands of grapes every few inches. This way only a few inches will go sexual at a time.

10/28/2010, 12:36 PM	#4
craigshup Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 152	ok thanks, about how much of a water change? I don't run or have a carbon filter should I get one ?

10/28/2010, 12:38 PM	#5
craigshup Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 152	thanks for the replys!

10/28/2010, 12:46 PM	#7
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	IMO there is no amount of water change that is to much at this point as long as your match temp and pH closely. 50g's, 75g's, all good. Just do what you can, if that means 20g's try that and see how it goes. In cases like these I prefer on large water cahnge to several small ones. JME