Macro algae going dull

[caitlinmarie91]

I have a dragons breath, red grape caulerpa, and another I am not positive on that have been in my tank for about a week and the caulerpa and dragon seem to be going dull and looking washed out. Are they dying or is there something I can do to help? Water parameters are all in check and cuc was introduced about the same time as the macro algae. Thank you in advance for any help or advice!

 

[NashobaTek]

Every macroalgae I have put in my tank has done the same thing. I have no clue why.

 

[caitlinmarie91]

Every macroalgae I have put in my tank has done the same thing. I have no clue why.

Do they survive or ever get better or do they end up dying for you?

 

[NashobaTek]

Dying or melting away and I end up throwing it away. May try again later on after the move I have coming up. The last batch lasted a bit longer. Just threw the last bit away today as I cleaned the tank

 

[AlgaeBarn]

How long has the tank been set up for? Also what is your stock list? From the looks of the diatoms and I can't tell if there are any fish from the pictures, then you are starving out the macros. If there aren't enough nutrients then they will all compete for the same ones and will out compete eachother. If there are very little nutrients, they will slowly melt. ~ Shaun K

 

[NashobaTek]

Well I have abundant GHA growing so I doubt if that's my issue. I put the macroalgae in to keep the GHA from starting.

 

[caitlinmarie91]

My tank has been up for about 5-6 weeks and it currently has 2 nerite snails, 1 cerith snail, 2 nassarius snails, 5 micro brittle starfish and 1 sexy shrimp

 

[Pistondog]

I have a dragons breath, red grape caulerpa, and another I am not positive on that have been in my tank for about a week and the caulerpa and dragon seem to be going dull and looking washed out. Are they dying or is there something I can do to help? Water parameters are all in check and cuc was introduced about the same time as the macro algae. Thank you in advance for any help or advice!

More Light?
Move them up in the water, on top of the rock, for a test to see if low light is a problem

 

[caitlinmarie91]

Also just did reef nutrient test and I’m showing currently 1450 ppm Mg, 400 ppm Ca, and 9.0 dKH alkalinity, but I am showing 0-5.0 ppm in nitrate. Is that not enough nitrate?

 

[Pistondog]

Also just did reef nutrient test and I’m showing currently 1450 ppm Mg, 400 ppm Ca, and 9.0 dKH alkalinity, but I am showing 0-5.0 ppm in nitrate. Is that not enough nitrate?

5 ppm is enough, 0 is not.

 

[espinobj]

I started dosing ChaetoGro and boom fixed my issues. After research it seems Iron is a huge limiter to growth for macros. However you need some phosphate and nitrate as well for it to eat.