Macroalgae ID

[Shilpan]

Hey guys!
Tank cycle is well, nitrites coming down now
So I finally found a fellow hobbyist who gave me some macroalgae that someone sneaked over from somewhere. He gave me a whole bag of the first type, and a small clump of the second picture stuff. For the time being I've chucked them in the sump with rock but no sand.

1) Could you guys help me identify them please? So that I can research their lighting cycle requirements. He was keeping them for 19 hours a day, 20W CFL bulb (6500K). So until I find out more I will just do the same. I think the second one is chaeto, I have much higher flow in my sump that he does and so I believe it may grow better in my sump.

2) Can the first one which isnt cheato be grown in the display tank? It looks nice I think.

Any thanks in advance, any tips on lighting period would be appreciated!

 

[lmforbis]

The second one is chaeto not sure about the first but it is a pretty one.
I've seen some very nice planted tanks. I think the hard part is controlling it if it spreads fast.

 

[bang guy]

First one is Caulerpa serrulata.

 

[2quills]

Someone smuggled chaeto

 

[florida joe]

I would not add the Caulerpa at this stage of your tank development. can you tell me why i think so

 

[Shilpan]

Is it likely to die off because the tank is still cycling and then release lots of nutrients into the water?

 

[florida joe]

Caulerpa will out compete your beneficial bio filtration establishment.In your new tank. Let your tanks bio filtration establish its colony's. Caulerpa is something most people add to their tank when they can not get their nitrates down. The real problem is when Caulurpa runs out of nutrients to feed on. which can happen very easily in a newly established tank. Its self preservation mode kicks in. It goes sexual in an attempt to move to other areas for a meal. Remember we are not an open system but trying to keep things that have learned to survive in the open ocean

 

[Shilpan]

I see

My nitrates are 80ppm (cycling with dead rock) now. So I was thinking it would help a little bit in addition to water changes.

 

[florida joe]

you are looking to establish anaerobic bacteria within your rocks, you need nitrates to feed these bacteria. Slow down let the marine gods do their thing

 

[2quills]

Are you still detecting any ammonia or nitrite? If so that's in indication that the nitrifying bacteria isn't well established yet. I'd wait till those come down.

Otherwise the denitrifying bacteria which converts nitrates into gas almost never keeps up with nitrates in our tanks.

And as far as I'm concerned on my system it makes no difference to me which is consuming ammonia. Whether it be bacteria or algae or both. The end goal remains the same and they both can do the job. If algae consumes ammonia before it gets converted nitrite then I don't see it as a problem.

Those little handfuls of algae aren't going to make or break the cycle IMO. Just keep them trimmed back so it stays small and just run lights for 1 or 2 hour a day for a few more weeks if you feel it's going to be an issue.

 

[jay0705]

Cal is excellent to feed fish. Tangs love it. Just to interject lol

 

[Shilpan]

Thanks for the advice guys

And yeah it's still cycling the nitrites aren't coming down. But the nitrates are going crazy. They're up to 80ppm now and still climbing.

At this rate I won't be adding any fish even if the cycle finishes until the nitrates stop climbing. Because if they keep climbing then even after a large water change I'm just gonna be battling the tank with multiple large expensive water changes for the first few months. So I guess I'll just wait and see. If they stop climbing then yay me I can do one 50% water change and add fish.

If they keep going I'll have to wait until they stop, drain the tank and recycle it again once the dead rock has had everything die off. I don't mind waiting 3-4 months but I dont have the time and money to be battling nitrates for ages. Would rather start well and keep it maintained with regular small water changes, good feeding and light stocking.

Sounds ok you think?

 

[2quills]

Nah, there's no reason to have to wait that long. I have before but it isn't necessary.

Once ammonia and nitrite level off do a 50% water change, add your algae and start with 1 or 2 fish.

If you're waiting for denitrifying bacteria to bring nitrates to undetectable levels that will probably never happen unless you dose a carbon source. But IMO, algae is easier and safer.

.02

 

[Shilpan]

Ahh right
But I need to wait till nitrates stop rising right?

Otherwise a water change is just masking the problem and a week after adding fish I'll have like 60ppm nitrates again?

 

[2quills]

That's what the algae is for.

 

[Shilpan]

Ohh gotcha

Thank you
Oh I just remembered better start filling my buckets. Damn rodi takes 12 hours to make 60L...

 

[florida joe]

Ok im lost here are we really telling this kid that the only way to have nitrates at an undetectable level is with dosing or macro algae.

Water changes don’t cure the problem they dilute the problem. And for what so you can rush and put fish in your tank? Sorry but if I have learned one thing in this hobby its patients

 

[2quills]

Joe, my friend. If you can find me one members tank on this site or any site that have undetectable nitrates without either of those 3 things I will eat my words.

Youre either under stocking (which I tend to lean towards), under feeding or both. It isn't impossible, just highly uncommon. In my experience (which isn't that vast) tends to lead me to believe that nitrifying bacteria tends to out compete denitrifying bacteria for real estate. What other reason could there be for so many people to have measurable nitrates but not the others? Am I missing something?

 

[florida joe]

My good old friend allow me to present this for your consideration. A master reef test kit will give you a reading of 0 PPM with a yellow color for nitrates. The next step is a yellow orange at 5.0 PPM. I read 0PPM. In my tank. I have a Sail fin tang adult. Hippo adult, trigger medium size two adult clowns and a dragnet. I feed three times a day. I have NO macro algae growing in my tank. It is up and running for over 13 years. i have had my battles with nitrates. I dosed vodka cultivated caulerpa but i have been running a system with out dosing or macro for years now. Now my old friend if you can only help me keeping a RG alive i will be eternally i indebted to you

 

[2quills]

I wish I could help bud. If I ever get one and keep it alive for 1+ years I would gladly share my recipe. But I hear they can have a tendency to be rather aggresive and I don't think my yellow tang would put up with it so I'll probably steer clear for a while.

So what's your secrete? If you've had battles in the past and youve given up on those other things then what changed? Why did you stop dosing? No algae on your rocks?