macro export

Wiz · Feb 18, 2015

okay so I can be a little overzealous with removing excess macros so that my refugium looks neat and tidy. I know the macros eat nitrates as they grow. So here's the question. Do you lower the nitrate removal by taking out macros as they grow?or really the question is do you get more nitrate removal by leaving more macros in there? Will I get better nitrate removel by harvesting less often? While nitates are in the plants they are technically still in thr system. I would imagine that they don't show on water tests as they are absorbed by the macro. So it would follow that the larger the amount of macro in the fuge the better the absorbtion rate right?

jent · Feb 18, 2015

My opinion is that unless you have an algae scrubber, or a large fuge with intense light, the nutrients (nitrate included) removed from a fuge are low.

With that said, it is the actual _growth_ of the macro's which is removing those nutrients. So keeping that growth rate as fast as possible is what will maximize your nutrient removal. This means that if you cut your macro's back so far that it knocks them down in their growth rate and it takes them a while to gain enough growth to establish their optimum rate then your hurting your nutrient removal.

On the other hand if you have so much growth to where it is shading growth to where it either can't grow, or even recedes your also hurting your growth rate (and thus nutrient removal).

So in short you want to trim it back _just_ enough. Small but frequent trimming will keep that growth rate as close to an optimal rate as possible.

Robink · Feb 18, 2015

What kind of lighting are you using? My LFS sold me a clip on LED light and said it would be enough for the algae. Yet my algae does not appear to be growing. Had it for approximately a month, maybe a little longer... I don't think the algae has grown at all.

jent · Feb 19, 2015

Right now I use a LED 20 watt par 38 bulb. With that said I am thinking about switching to something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009E8CCBE...TF8&colid=2FC8XWP9AFKH2&coliid=I39MFGH44Z7X6K

It sure seems like a ton of light super cheap. I saw another reefer using them, and it perked my interest. With that said the LED par 38 bulb was only about $30 as well, and seems to be doing great.

Wiz · Feb 19, 2015

I was using a 12" compact fl. With 2 18w bulbs. Growth was pretty good. Bout half a bag of mixed algae a month came out. I just switched to a reef radiance 5e led bulb a week ago. Not as bright but designed for a sm to medium fuge. Mine is 12x12 and 8-9" deep with a 3"sand bed. I see the white tips to the macros indicating growth but too early to judge.

Robink · Feb 19, 2015

Thanks for the info.

Wiz · Feb 20, 2015

First pic is 2-7-15. Still running compacts. Changed to rr 5e led on 2-11-15. Second pic is 2-20-15. Good growth

Wiz · Feb 20, 2015

on a side note, can anyone identify that red stuff growing on top of and in the sand? It started growing about a month and a half ago. It is not like slime algae or coraline it is almost like a red dust. I stir the sand it completely disappears. Comes back the next day.

Mike J. · Feb 21, 2015

Yeah, it's red slime algae (cyanobacteria).

Calmbeast · Feb 21, 2015

Hey Wiz, what type of socket do you have the rr led light pluged in to?

fredro · Feb 21, 2015

Robink said:
What kind of lighting are you using? My LFS sold me a clip on LED light and said it would be enough for the algae. Yet my algae does not appear to be growing. Had it for approximately a month, maybe a little longer... I don't think the algae has grown at all.

I had a clip on led solar flare light over my fuge for months with little to no growth. I bought a kessil h150 purple spectrum led off eBay for $70 used. After 2-3 weeks I removed a supermarket plastic bag full of chaeto! Best money I've spent on the tank in a long time!!! Get rid of that led clip on! My phosphates still register 0.00ppm on Hanna Checker.

Eric N · Feb 21, 2015

More algae means much more rapid sequestration of nutrients for cellular maintenance and if the algae branches a lot then the growth is exponentially using more nutrients for maintenance and growth. However, if the algae keeps growing it will choke it's own light out of the inner lower areas. I use the grape cluster-looking caulerpa and the lower parts will start to lose pigment as the top blocks out its light. If the algae starts dying underneath then its nutrients go back into the system. I periodically check for bleaching algae towards the bottom and harvest the vertical layers while leaving as much as possible horizontally at the bottom.

Wiz · Feb 21, 2015

Mike J. said:
Yeah, it's red slime algae (cyanobacteria).

I am pretty sure it is not red Slime. I have had slime before both red and green. there is no film. It is like a red dust.

Wiz · Feb 21, 2015

Eric N said:
More algae means much more rapid sequestration of nutrients for cellular maintenance and if the algae branches a lot then the growth is exponentially using more nutrients for maintenance and growth. However, if the algae keeps growing it will choke it's own light out of the inner lower areas. I use the grape cluster-looking caulerpa and the lower parts will start to lose pigment as the top blocks out its light. If the algae starts dying underneath then its nutrients go back into the system. I periodically check for bleaching algae towards the bottom and harvest the vertical layers while leaving as much as possible horizontally at the bottom.

that sounds logical. I have chaeto on the sand. Both grape caulerpa and saw blade algae on top. I look at my sump everyday anyways so I can keep an eye for bleaching. Thanks

Mike J. · Feb 21, 2015

Wiz said:
I am pretty sure it is not red Slime. I have had slime before both red and green. there is no film. It is like a red dust.

That's how it starts. Siphon it out before it multiplies.

Wiz · Feb 21, 2015

Calmbeast said:
Hey Wiz, what type of socket do you have the rr led light pluged in to?

sorry for the delayed response. It is in a normal Home Depot clamp on lamp. With a aluminum shield

Wiz · Feb 21, 2015

fredro said:
I had a clip on led solar flare light over my fuge for months with little to no growth. I bought a kessil h150 purple spectrum led off eBay for $70 used. After 2-3 weeks I removed a supermarket plastic bag full of chaeto! Best money I've spent on the tank in a long time!!! Get rid of that led clip on! My phosphates still register 0.00ppm on Hanna Checker.

My rr 5e led bulb In a home depot lamp seems to be growing my macros just fine. Still a little early but I can see growth clearly as in the pictures above. $70 for a used castle to put over your future seems like overkill. But I cannot argue with a bag full of algae.