How many of you rip through your macroalgae display tank like a tornado?

[vlangel]

Hi macroalgae display tank keepers! This happens to me every 2 or 3 weeks. I think I am just going to tidy up a little and maybe clean the glass and an hour later the tank is enveloped in a cloud, corals and sometimes even rock have been moved and a fistful or more macroalgae has been ripped out of the tank.

I never mean it to be so drastic but macroalgae grow so fast in my tank that if I don't intervene I won't have any open water or negative space to enjoy. Also the coral will be infringed upon so I have just learned to accept this is part of maintaining my display. I have good flow so it always recovers quickly and no worse for wear. Is anyone else experiencing this?

 

[courtneykeeps]

Not right now, but yes lol.

 

[Doctorgori]

I tear out chunks of “ whatever” indiscriminately every month or so … mostly red/ green Ogo and assorted odd ball caulerpra

 

[DesktopDiver]

I cannot get macroalgae to grow in my tank! Wish I could

 

[rasthavis]

DesktopDiver, what are your water parameters, particularly NO3, dKh, calcium and ph? Add any plant micronutrients product ?

 

[DesktopDiver]

DesktopDiver, what are your water parameters, particularly NO3, dKh, calcium and ph? Add any plant micronutrients product ?

NO3 20 (just before a water change)
dKh 8.6
Calc 410
pH 8

I don't add any plant micronutrient products yet, maybe that's the next step.

 

[rasthavis]

Parameters look same as mine. I dose ChaetoGro according to instructions on bottle.
What do you observe if you add a macro to your tank ? What macro species ?

 

[DesktopDiver]

Parameters look same as mine. I dose ChaetoGro according to instructions on bottle.
What do you observe if you add a macro to your tank ? What macro species ?

So I have some chaeto and some dragons breath.
They seem to live, just don't grow.

 

[vlangel]

I tear out chunks of “ whatever” indiscriminately every month or so … mostly red/ green Ogo and assorted odd ball caulerpra

My fastest growing macros are green Ulva and red gracilaria hayi. I have some cheato, codium, caulerpa cupressoides and botrycladia but none of those grow anywhere near as fast as the first two I mentioned.

 

[vlangel]

I cannot get macroalgae to grow in my tank! Wish I could

I have had that in the past but my tank is going into its 9th year and so is very mature in terms of pods, detritus and such. I have a deep sandbed and I am not sure it that contributes to macro growth in anyway or not. I only dose All For Reef rather indiscriminately once a week. Before I used AFR I would dose iron, especially before I quit using RODI water as I think most of the iron was filtered out. Now I use straight tap water for top off and the occasional water change. Iron is a necessary nutrient for most macroalgae. I stay away from the calcareous macros as they need calcium and I don't think my tank has enough for them to thrive although I can grow LPS pretty well.