Halimeda Bleaching

[Joe M]

Hi, I am new to this forum, I have a new 65 gallon reef set-up, 2 months old with about 100 lbs of live rock split between the main tank and the refugium/sump. Filtration is accomplished by an algae scrubber and small skimmer. Tank stats are Ca 395, Kh 9.3, Alk 3.31, Ph 8, Sp. Gr. 1.024, No3 0. Each nite I add 40ml of part 1 and 50 Ml of part 2 of B-Ionic (trying to raise the Ca a little).
The other morning a fairly large and healthy Hailmeda turned completely white and began to fall apart. I removed it from the tank. Any ideas as to why this would happen.
Tank habitants are a number of soft frags and two shrimp (cleaner and pepermint) as well as the usual clean-up crew.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks, Joe

 

[ChrisRD]

Hey Joe,

If nothing else has reacted poorly in your tank I wouldn't worry. I've seen a piece or two of halimeda do this in my tank for no real reason. Nothing ever came of it.

HTH

 

[Anonymous]

This is call "going sexual" for marin green algea. It is part of their life cycle, and there is not much you can do to prevent it. After it turn white, you should see green spores on the outside of the calcium skeleton, and if the condition is right, you will see hundred of little Halimeda all over your tank in a few months.

 

[Anonymous]

What louie said with one addition. I have had that happen and did not get little halimeda, but I think it is because I skim heavily.

 

[ChrisRD]

What louie said with one addition. I have had that happen and did not get little halimeda, but I think it is because I skim heavily.

Ditto

 

[Joe M]

Everyone, thanks for the replies. One note of interest, where the large planting of Halimeda broke off, a new sprout has begun to appear.

Different question, I added several soft coral frags from GARF back in mid September. Aside from the Keyna tree and green star polyps which are growing/expanding, the mushrooms and zooanthids look healthy but don't appear to be growing or spreading. Twice a week I feed the tank with 4ml of Marine Snow and 4ml of zooplankton. As I mentioned, I use an algae scrubber, a small skimmer and a refugium for filtration. In the fuge is some caulerpa which I have had to harvest. Is it possible that all the algae is leaving no nutrients for the corals? Lights are 2 9w red, 2 28w blue actinic compacts and a 250 w MH. The lights cycle to simulate dawn and dusk and the photo period for the MH is 5 hours, the others 13 and 12 respectively.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks Joe