Refugium and Caulpera

SupaJSK · 07-05-2002, 01:19 PM

I added a 20 - 30 gallon rubbermaid refugium to my 100 gallon reef tank about a month ago. I have a 32 W PC compact light about 5 inches above it. There is about 5 inches of sand and some live rock in it as well. When I first added some caulpera to it, it grew like crazy, but in the last week or so a lot of it has died off and there is a red bubbly film like stuff on the top of the water. All the animals in my tank seem to be doing fine though. My skimmer is producing a lot of foam and my nitrates are inching higher. Can anyone help me out? I did a water change just in case too. Oh yea, I'm using RO/DI water by the way.

NaCl-H2O · 07-05-2002, 02:22 PM

Have you added any additives, such as iodine, iron, trace elements, or additives for maro-algaes? In some tanks neccessary elements will become depleted and cause caulerpa to die. In those types of setups you must replentish the missing elements. HTH

**scubadude** · 07-05-2002, 11:08 PM

Im curious about the flow where the red film is building up! and has anything different been changed since you noticed your trates increasing? thats where your problem lays obviously! your either over feeding somewhere or a change in chemistry or mechanics somewhere along the line.

VPWoodwork1 · 07-06-2002, 10:30 AM

When you added it your nitrates where probably a bit high and thus the rapid growth of the calurpa. When it finished removing them it probably had a minor die off from lack of food. The red foam could be just that. With that happening nitrates are rising again. I would cut off the dead or dying calurpa and just toss it. WHen was the last time you changed the filters on the RO? I am also wondering like Scuba is.

Glenn

SupaJSK · 07-06-2002, 04:25 PM

hey guys, i havent really changed anything except adding all the caulpera. one of my PC bulbs had been broken and i recently replaced it after a few weeks. could that cause anything to change?
its been probably about 7 or 8 months since i changed my filters on my ro/di. is it time to change that stuff out? ive got a kent marine system. thanks.

VPWoodwork1 · 07-08-2002, 11:08 AM

Most RO/DI filters should be changed about every 6 months. That way you know that all the undisirable elements are being filtered out. The burned out light could be a contributing factor as well.

Glenn

07-05-2002, 01:19 PM	#1
SupaJSK Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 168	Refugium and Caulpera I added a 20 - 30 gallon rubbermaid refugium to my 100 gallon reef tank about a month ago. I have a 32 W PC compact light about 5 inches above it. There is about 5 inches of sand and some live rock in it as well. When I first added some caulpera to it, it grew like crazy, but in the last week or so a lot of it has died off and there is a red bubbly film like stuff on the top of the water. All the animals in my tank seem to be doing fine though. My skimmer is producing a lot of foam and my nitrates are inching higher. Can anyone help me out? I did a water change just in case too. Oh yea, I'm using RO/DI water by the way.

07-05-2002, 02:22 PM	#2
NaCl-H2O Tenant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Greensboro NC Posts: 84	Have you added any additives, such as iodine, iron, trace elements, or additives for maro-algaes? In some tanks neccessary elements will become depleted and cause caulerpa to die. In those types of setups you must replentish the missing elements. HTH __________________ DAN OK! I admit it, I'm a reefaholic

07-05-2002, 11:08 PM	#3
scubadude Moderator Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 5,315	Hi Supa Im curious about the flow where the red film is building up! and has anything different been changed since you noticed your trates increasing? thats where your problem lays obviously! your either over feeding somewhere or a change in chemistry or mechanics somewhere along the line. __________________ Rocky

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-06-2002, 10:30 AM	#4
VPWoodwork1 Just Moved In Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 17	When you added it your nitrates where probably a bit high and thus the rapid growth of the calurpa. When it finished removing them it probably had a minor die off from lack of food. The red foam could be just that. With that happening nitrates are rising again. I would cut off the dead or dying calurpa and just toss it. WHen was the last time you changed the filters on the RO? I am also wondering like Scuba is. Glenn

07-06-2002, 04:25 PM	#5
SupaJSK Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 168	hey guys, i havent really changed anything except adding all the caulpera. one of my PC bulbs had been broken and i recently replaced it after a few weeks. could that cause anything to change? its been probably about 7 or 8 months since i changed my filters on my ro/di. is it time to change that stuff out? ive got a kent marine system. thanks.

07-08-2002, 11:08 AM	#6
VPWoodwork1 Just Moved In Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 17	Most RO/DI filters should be changed about every 6 months. That way you know that all the undisirable elements are being filtered out. The burned out light could be a contributing factor as well. Glenn

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)