Sudden messy demise of Caulerpa Racemosa

[gpohly]

I think I have a real problem.

I have a 10 gal. refugium with several varieties of Caulerpa in it, including two variants of Caulerpa Racemosa. The refugium is also home to the hermit crabs I have banished from the show tank, about 8lbs of LR, and a healthy population of Copepods and other bugs. It is lit by a single 55w. PC for 10 hrs/day off-cyle from the main tank.

The two Caulerpa Racemosa variants are very similar in general shap, but one is a quite transparent green w/ very small vesicles, and the other is generally larger and a more opaque green.

Tonight, when the show tank lights switched off, and the refugium light switched on, the main tank immediately began filling with a substance that made the whole tank cloudy. A quick check revealed that all the opaque C. Racemosa had (apparently died and) turned white, and was disintigrating into the particles that are clouding my tank. The other transparent varient of C. Racemosa is healthy as ever.

A quick check of tank parms shows no sudden changes in NH3/NH4, NO2, or NO3, and all are OK.

I've cleaned out the white/dead Caulerpa, but does anyone know what happened and are my critters in danger? I figure my filter bag in the sump will eventually clean the cloudiness, but has other stuff leached into the water I should be concerned about? If so, what's next?

Thanks, as always.
Glenn

[ATLANTIS]

Glenn,

Your caulerpa went sexual.
Racemosa is notoroius for this.

Depending on your total water volume, it might not be a big deal.

One way to avoid this, is by running refugium lights 24X7.

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Brian
www.atlantisaquatic.com

Brian, do you feel running carbon in conjunction with an algae refugium is worth while. What are you thoughts on the chemicals they can put off that reportedly limit coral growth?

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I thought I was me, but we were wrong
email: geeflipr@internetcds.com

[ATLANTIS]

geedoug,

I never run carbon, but I think it might be useful in the situation that Glenn is having.
If you are concerned about problem chemicals emitted by caulerpa, again carbon may help.

What are you thoughts on the chemicals they can put off that reportedly limit coral growth?

I have no thoughts ( many say I could end my sentence there ) on this, since it is the first time I have heard of it. Sorry

------------------
Brian
www.atlantisaquatic.com

[gpohly]

Quick update. By 4:30 this morning, tank was clear again, thanks to filter bag in sump. No apparent damage to wildlife, no strange chemical parameters.

If the Caulurpa went sexual, then I stumbled on the act post-action: The C. Racemosa was no longer a healthy, thriving plant; it was drained of all its color and was decidedly limp. (And while it happened in less than 12 hours, the refugium is in a closet behind the tank so I didn't see if it lasted only a couple of minutes or so. )

If this stuff did go sexual, does that mean I have now just germinated every nook and cranny of my tank, sump, and refugium?

Thanks again,
Glenn

[BA]

I've had racemosa do this many, many times. I do not use carbon and the water always clears up within a matter of hours. The long term results are zero.

Best,
BA

[gpohly]

Thanks, BA. The assurances that I'm not going to face a tank crash are very relieving.

Did your racemosa also bleach out, and did it recover from that as well?

Glenn