Flame algae? (I think) not growing after 6 months

[ClownWrangler]

I bought this "flame" algae at a reef shop over 6 months ago. The tank is a 20 gallon long. Not sure if the ID is right as all these Gracilaria like algae's look similar to me. The tank is well established for over a year and I reduced the lighting on the chaeto to bring up the nitrates a bit to 20-30ppm, but it still wont grow. I think it has actually shrunken. I had more clumps before. The chaeto is growing well. I don't really dose anything but flake food. There are just some clowns and 5 RBTAs that I put in over a year ago when the tank was set up. The flame algae is under the same lighting as the RBTAs. They have grown some, but not alot. I haven't measure the PAR. I have an Apogee sensor on the way. Any advice to get this stuff growing would be great. The second picture is of some Ogo I bought from Algae barn around the same time. It has disintegrated completely since

 

[ClownWrangler]

I had several other types of macro and they all suffered the same fate. Could the chaeto be inhibiting the growth of other algae even though there are still some nitrates?

 

[DrZoidburg]

gracilliaria hayi? Will likey be out competed because they are slow growers.

 

[ClownWrangler]

gracilliaria hayi? Will likey be out competed because they are slow growers.

Maybe. Is "Pom Pom" gracilliaria the same thing as "flame" algae? I had some Pom Pom (gracilliaria hayi) from algae barn in another tank and it looked similar, but slightly less purplish and slightly thicker with smoother edges. It could have been the same thing, but under different growing conditions. I want to sort this out, because there are other macros I want to try, like dragon tongue/breath, but small portions are expensive and will not thrive unless I get the conditions right. I cant go without the chaeto, or nitrates would get too high. Maybe if I got rid of the Chaeto and added a lot of the other macro's? Strange thing is that coralline algae is growing fast. It came out of nowhere. And two elephant slugs that came out of nowhere are growing fast. I don't know what they are eating. Film I think.

 

[ClownWrangler]

Is there a certain nitrate level to shoot for to optimize the growth of Macros?

 

[DrZoidburg]

They actually like lower nitrates. Again cause their a slow grower, other algaes outcompete, just grow on it or parasitize it.

 

[sunken3]

the chaeto may be out competing them.. but also.. what are your DT lights? too much blue and the algae wont grow as well..

 

[vetteguy53081]

I bought this "flame" algae at a reef shop over 6 months ago. The tank is a 20 gallon long. Not sure if the ID is right as all these Gracilaria like algae's look similar to me. The tank is well established for over a year and I reduced the lighting on the chaeto to bring up the nitrates a bit to 20-30ppm, but it still wont grow. I think it has actually shrunken. I had more clumps before. The chaeto is growing well. I don't really dose anything but flake food. There are just some clowns and 5 RBTAs that I put in over a year ago when the tank was set up. The flame algae is under the same lighting as the RBTAs. They have grown some, but not alot. I haven't measure the PAR. I have an Apogee sensor on the way. Any advice to get this stuff growing would be great. The second picture is of some Ogo I bought from Algae barn around the same time. It has disintegrated completely since

Top is Rhodophte and bottom red is gracilaria

 

[sunken3]

I bought this "flame" algae at a reef shop over 6 months ago. The tank is a 20 gallon long. Not sure if the ID is right as all these Gracilaria like algae's look similar to me. The tank is well established for over a year and I reduced the lighting on the chaeto to bring up the nitrates a bit to 20-30ppm, but it still wont grow. I think it has actually shrunken. I had more clumps before. The chaeto is growing well. I don't really dose anything but flake food. There are just some clowns and 5 RBTAs that I put in over a year ago when the tank was set up. The flame algae is under the same lighting as the RBTAs. They have grown some, but not alot. I haven't measure the PAR. I have an Apogee sensor on the way. Any advice to get this stuff growing would be great. The second picture is of some Ogo I bought from Algae barn around the same time. It has disintegrated completely since

on a side note... do you happen to have chocolate chip stars in that tank?

 

[ClownWrangler]

on a side note... do you happen to have chocolate chip stars in that tank?

No. My cc stars have their own tank since they eat everything. Do they eat macroalgae too? There is a SLF crab. It did eat my shaving brushes, but I don't know if it eats the red flame algae. I have giant amphipods as well that may be nibbling on it. So what type of CUC is safe with macroalgae? I have ceriths, astraea and bumble bee snails as well.