macro question....

[cholland]

I just recently put some miniture grape calupera in my new fuge along with some other kind of macro. It looks like small fern leaves but on a vine. I am not sure of the name, so any id help would be appreciated.
Anyway, my question is I have a 96w PC light over the fuge. The fuge is a 10 gal tank. And I have noticed that some of the leaves of the "fern thing" are turning brown as well as some of the "grape clusters" of the calupera. Does this mean that the light may be too strong and burning them???
Thanks

 

[montidanae]

how long do you have your lights on, could just be diatom alage growing on them.

 

[cholland]

I thought that too, but it looks like there are small pieces of the "fern thing" coming off, like it's dead or something. And the grape stuff seems just brown.
As far as light time. I was keeping the lights on 24/7. But since I thought it may be burning, I have cut back light time. But this is only for the last 2 days to see what happens.

 

[cholland]

bump for any new advice

 

[montidanae]

well they wont be burning, so you dont have to worry about that, keep the lights onn 24/7 so the caulerpa dosent go sexual.

 

[robvia]

I think this is dying of off the macro. Mine is doing the same thing. Macro will die off and that is why it must be harvested. The die off will put nitrates back into the water. I assume just like a dead fish would. It's all waste. I have new shoots of growth on mine. It is a light green, almost white, color. I have been cutting it out. I'm hoping that it's just high die off because it was just moved. Could someone confirm?

 

[cholland]

You may be right "Robvia." As of today I have noticed some of the "fern" macro turning white and fading out. This part must be dying. So I will trim it out.
I was just concerned about the "grape calupera" turning brown as well.
I will continue to monitor and post updates, unless a resident expert knows something.

 

[robvia]

I would expect the white to be new growth. That is definately the case with mine. I can see the new sprouts. It should get greener as time goes on.
The brown would be the parts I would cut out. I have also noticed that I have brown hair algae growing in with the rest. These may look like dying macro, but may not be.
My nitrates were high when I started the fuge, so the brown hair is to be expected. Plus I'm running the lights 24/7. Once the nitrates are low I expect the macro to starve out the hair. I'm also hoping to get some Tang Heaven growing as a good food source.
Remember whatever you cut out will grow back. Doesn't really hurt to cut it out, other than your waste export may be slower until you get more growth.

 

[cholland]

My nitrates were moving between 30-50ppm when I started the fuge. So I know it will take some time to lower them. I will keep trimming and will leave the lights on 24/7.
By the way does anyone know what species the "fern" like macro is???

 

[robvia]

Mine were about 40 also. I did a few water changes after starting the fuge and for the first time in a long time they came down below 30. I think I'm on the right track. It's been about 3 weeks.