my Macro is dying

[kleinfreak]

Hey everyone. Sorry to come back after such a long time and go right to a question, but I could really use a hand.
My fuge is dying, and not slowly. It contains only a few pieces of live rock rubble and some grape caulerpa. I really need this for my Mandarin to survive.

Here are the specs.
55gal display overflows to a 5 gal wetdry, which then pumps either back to display or to my 5 gal fuge, the fuge will then drain back to the wetdry and so on...(flow in the fuge is about 30-40 gph.

Lighting runs - 12hrs @ 27w (bulbs are about 4 months old)
temp - 76 (not fluctuating)
spec grav - 1.024
ammonia - 0 (maybe a trace)
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 0
calcium - ~400
alk - ~3.5

I could be missing something, but I'm all freaked out.

Yeah, it's in a nasty state.

ps. it's great to be back. thanks for your help
Ukla

 

[Juck]

Your caulerpa went sexual,,, same thing happened to me,, what a mess.

Get it out asap and start with some 10-20% water changes,, they've probably released all kinds of crap into the water. Dropping a bag of carbon in the system somewhere probably won't hurt either.

After this happened to me I used chaetomorpha algae instead,, seems to work just fine and doesn't go sexual. Grows really quickly too,,, I have to rip out and trash a good fistful of it every week.

 

[kleinfreak]

chaetomorpha?
is it hard to find. LFS doesn't carry it I know that for sure. Only thing they have is what they gave me, and that was out of one of thier personal tanks.

This is the second batch, and it seemed to happen within a week this time.

Sadly, I feel my Mandarin will have to be traded in, as he is looking thin without his copepod supply. He used to just hang out fat and happy, now he flys around the tank in constant search of food. He will eat live brine, but they are very hard to locate. (supplier can't keep them in the store) The worst part is I have 20 cans of brine egg sitting just an arms length away from me, and I can't get many to hatch in my very confined space and those that do, aren't worth placing in the tank. (not even as big as the bubbles)

I hate to see the guy go...

anyone need any eggs? :lol: :?

 

[Juck]

I got my Chaetomorpha off Ebay.

 

[kleinfreak]

I got my Chaetomorpha off Ebay.

I'm on my way...Thanks Juck.

 

[Anonymous]

Your caulerpa went sexual,,, same thing happened to me,, what a mess.

Get it out asap and start with some 10-20% water changes,, they've probably released all kinds of crap into the water. Dropping a bag of carbon in the system somewhere probably won't hurt either.

After this happened to me I used chaetomorpha algae instead,, seems to work just fine and doesn't go sexual. Grows really quickly too,,, I have to rip out and trash a good fistful of it every week.

Want to mail me some?
Drop me a line here: [email protected] if you'd be willing to. I need some different algea for my fuge.

Jim

 

[cdeakle]

Jim, I should have some extra chaeto in another 1-2 weeks for you...

 

[Juck]

I have a recurring ick thing going on here,, don't think y'all want anything out of my tank