Plenum or Insanity?

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2638724
thanks friend and it is really a beautiful bright red
Joe, check pg #36 of Tullock's Natural Reef Aquariums. But, the best similar picture is on pg. 166 of Ultimate Marine Aquariums by Michael S. Paletta (don't know if you have access to this one or not) ~ shows a mud-based refugium with very similar looking red on the aquarium walls. I would say you've got a different variety of coralline.

 

[florida joe]

Randy I agree it’s a red Macroalgae. It is quite fast growing though and I am surprised it is contained in our refug and has not spread to the DT (yet). One thing for sure our refug is evolving.

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2639534
Randy I agree it’s a red Macroalgae. It is quite fast growing though and I am surprised it is contained in our refug and has not spread to the DT (yet). One thing for sure our refug is evolving.
Its hard to say; if it really is coralline, you may not ever "see" it in the DT, like the purple, it may grow on the underside of rocks (assuming you have MH lighting on that very nice tank of yours). On the other hand, it may eventually get there. Are you back to running the fuge inline with the main system, or are you still running it self-contained?

 

[florida joe]

Yes Randy my good friend I have be busy these last few weeks so I opened the feed valve from the DT and I am processing water through our refug. From what I learned on line the red coralline algae is indigenous to the Caribbean and the gulf coat of Florida, so it may have been a good call on your part saying it could have been introduced via the live sand I acquired from the gulf

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2640481
Yes Randy my good friend I have be busy these last few weeks so I opened the feed valve from the DT and I am processing water through our refug. From what I learned on line the red coralline algae is indigenous to the Caribbean and the gulf coat of Florida, so it may have been a good call on your part saying it could have been introduced via the live sand I acquired from the gulf
How about that, maybe I guessed right for a change

! How is the fuge doing? Have you been able to test nitrate levels at all in the last few weeks? Any improvement with the fuge?

 

[natclanwy]

I kept trying to remember where I had seen algae like that before until I was looking at some old pics of my tank. I had this stuff all over my glass and sand but it never spread on the rock. The only LR I had at the time was Caribbean farmed rock so I assume it is probably the same algea. It all disappeared when I upgraded my lighting to MH though. The algae I had wasn't the same as the purple Coraline algae I have now, it's texture was softer than Coraline but I still had to use a razor blade to remove it from the glass.
Not much help with the ID but thought it would help support it being an indigenous species to the Caribbean.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2640795
I kept trying to remember where I had seen algae like that before until I was looking at some old pics of my tank. I had this stuff all over my glass and sand but it never spread on the rock. The only LR I had at the time was Caribbean farmed rock so I assume it is probably the same algea. It all disappeared when I upgraded my lighting to MH though. The algae I had wasn't the same as the purple Coraline algae I have now, it's texture was softer than Coraline but I still had to use a razor blade to remove it from the glass.
Not much help with the ID but thought it would help support it being an indigenous species to the Caribbean.
Thanks friend you are absolutely right about the texture it is softer then the coraline on my live rock, yet not easily removed from the glass

 

[florida joe]

Well I think its time to rename the JoeRanugeum; it is definitely a processor now, with all the growth. Note the sand sifting cucumber in the middle of the pic checking out the algae on the glass

 

[scopus tang]

Wow! That thing is definitely doing some serious breakdown of nutrients. Absolutely excellent! Any drop in the nitrate levels in your DT at this point?

 

[florida joe]

Yes Randy we have some serious absorbing going on seems the caulerpa loves the mud also will test for nitrates when I get back

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2645695
Yes Randy we have some serious absorbing going on seems the caulerpa loves the mud also will test for nitrates when I get back
Excellent ~ love the red algae on the walls, make JoeRanugeum look like it belongs under a saltwater tank.

 

[florida joe]

Well the evolution of the JoeRanugeum continuers as can be seen green algae is now forming on the front glass. As well as fantastic growth of the caulerpa. I will clean the front glass tomorrow and get ready to do some cutting back of the caulerpa. The cucumber seems to like the algae as is evident my his time spent on the front of the refug

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2649261
Well the evolution of the JoeRanugeum continuers as can be seen green algae is now forming on the front glass. As well as fantastic growth of the caulerpa. I will clean the front glass tomorrow and get ready to do some cutting back of the caulerpa. The cucumber seems to like the algae as is evident my his time spent on the front of the refug
Wow Joe, it looks like a jungle in there. At least we know we made the right choice on the light!

 

[florida joe]

I totally agree Randy. Its hard to tell from the pic but most of the growth is vertical the caulerpa is growing up towards the light as apposed to longitudinal

 

[scopus tang]

Holy Cow Joe, page #6?! Simply unacceptable ~ we seem to have lost some steam here. Any updates on the JoeRanugeum or nitrate levels in your DT? How is the microcritter population? And the tiny clams? Or did you not keep any?

 

[florida joe]

Sorry Randy but as you know summer tends to spread us thin also all of the innuendo posts are keeping me busy I will update tonight

 

[scopus tang]

Hey Joe, any updates

? How's the nitrate levels?

 

[gatorzone19]

Sorry for the off topic question, but I am having some hair algae popping up and Im getting a refugium tuesday. Does the caulerpa export nutrients better than chaeto? Also what is the name of the types of caulerpa in your JoeRanugeum?

 

[florida joe]

Well it has been a long time in coming but my nitrates are now zero. Pretty amazing considering that this is a tank that has been running for almost eight years with a crushed coral substraight and a reading of between 20 and 40 mg/l no matter what I did pre-refugium

 

[sepulatian]

That is impressive Joe! How long was it from the time that you got the refugium running until they hit zero? I could go back through this entire thread to find out or I can just ask