sea grass type plant taking over

[Knowledgeseeker]

i have a sea grass type plant slowly growing throughout my tank. No pics sorry. any ideas on how to deal with it. I have been mowing and plucking for a while but can never get it all. Any thoughts would be appreciated. all water parameters are perfect.

 

[Krish]

Hmmmm...A picture would probably help out a lot. I can't think off of the top of my head what it could be. Sorry....

 

[big t]

It is prolly the feather caulerpa. Does that ring a bell? I could be way off, I am pretty tired. But yes a pic is worth a thousand words.

 

[Steven Pro]

A caulerpa species is my best wild guess too, but a picture would be very helpful.

 

[Elmo18]

i have a sea grass type plant slowly growing throughout my tank. No pics sorry. any ideas on how to deal with it. I have been mowing and plucking for a while but can never get it all. Any thoughts would be appreciated. all water parameters are perfect.

What color is it? More brownish, or more greenish...and how deep of that particular color?

- Elmo

 

[dnjan]

all water parameters are perfect.

Sorry if the following sounds like a flame, but ...

Saying that water parameters are perfect doesn't really add much. Actual values (and brand of test kit used) would be much better. There are obviously some nutrients in your water, or else the plants would not be able to grow.

Also, a bit of information about your tank would be good. I have successfully removed all macroalgae from my 100-gal tank (except for bubble algae ) with an assortment of fish that would be totally inappropriate for a 20-gallon tank. So, (at a minimum) tank size would be useful.

Sincerely trying to help ...

 

[Knowledgeseeker]

the feather type caulerpa sounds and looks right (feather looking and medium green in color). Tank size is 72 gallon with 46 gallon sump. tested with salifert calcium is 400, alk is 8.0. tested with quick strips natrates and nitrites are 0, and ph is 8.4. Salinity is .024

lifestock: 1 true perc, 1 leapord wrasse, 1 mandrin, 1 dragon goby, and 1 purple tang(for sale)

 

[aquariumdebacle]

The true sea grasses are terrestrial plants with differentiated cell structures. They are true plants in that they produce seeds and progate sexuallyand they have true roots. They are not algaes in any sense of the nomenclature. They have a true root structure; as opposed to a holdfast evident in the algaes.

 

[dnjan]

I have had luck with a varigated rabbitfish in removing feather caulerpa. I think that a small one would be OK in a 72-gal tank. You may need to pull some out first, as I think they like the "new growth" better. After you get one trained to eat the new growth, he should finish it all off.

Be sure to feed him nori and/or formula two cubes after he has finished off the feather caulerpa.

What kind of skimmer are you running? Are you growing macroalgae in your sump?

 

[Knowledgeseeker]

Thanks for all the advice and help. my skimmer is an urchin pro.