Best Macroalgae for fuge?

[tmscott89]

So a few months back I ordered some Chaeto and copepods to supply my tank with. Chaeto was roughly tennis ball size. Good news is I can still see a decent number of copepods in my tank even now but my chaeto seems to be getting smaller and smaller. It’s now lost roughly a third of its size. I do have some turbo snails in my sump so I’m wondering if they are eating it or possibly moving around it and breaking pieces of it off. Anyone else have success with a different macro that’s not so stringy and also good house for my pods

 

[PYRU]

What light are you using?

caulerpa & gracilara come to mind. Right now I'm looking at algae turf scrubbers which may be worth looking at.

 

[tmscott89]

 

[tmscott89]

Now I did buy the tank and all the set up second hand from someone getting rid of theirs but this was the light they had in the sump so I just assumed it should stay there.

 

[PYRU]

I can't tell how many leds but the wattage looks low for macro to me.

 

[tmscott89]

Thanks for the info. What’s the minimum and range of wattage I should look for to grow macro?

 

[PYRU]

Personally I have a ufo 150w set aside, but in the past I had 100w grow lights. I can't remember the name but they looked like smaller red flood lights.

I guy I just talked to on here had 3 300w mars aqua at 100% 24/7 over a 90g fuge with gracilara. Started at 50% I think but it's still insane.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/best-light-for-growing-chaeto-in-sump.333837/

The thread with mars aqua and gracilara
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bio-load-with-bigger-fish.606077/

 

[AlgaeBarn]

@tmscott89 Can you tell us about your setup? (sump size, sump lighting(I see the fluval), display tank, display tank lighting, nitrates, phosphates, etc)

 

[tmscott89]

Haven’t tested nitrates or phosphates in about a week but both were zero or really close to from testing. 90 gallon 4 foot tank with overflow to 30 gallon sump. Fluval is in the sump. I have a blue led Lumenbar as well as a blue and white led light for a total of 43 leds at 3 watts per( some of the leds are out)

 

[Bryson.bobby]

You’ll want higher nitrates and phosphates to sufficiently grow macro

 

[tmscott89]

Gotcha, well all in good time I guess. Only had my tank for about 6 months so I realize it’s gonna be everything I want it to be for years. Would you say the lights I have for the actual tank are sufficient enough for a fish only Aquarium with live rock? I want a full reef tank eventually with corals but I know my lights aren’t enough for that yet and will need to be replaced

 

[tmscott89]

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Your lights on your tank will be fine for a fowlr, fish and rock aren't picky at all about lighting

 

[Bryson.bobby]

Your lights should be fine for now as long as they’re not causing excess algae growth.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Also fwiw I grow chaeto like crazy in the center section of my 40 gallon sump with just a cheap $8 home depot 75w equivalent 5000k led bulb

 

[tmscott89]

Awesome, and I don’t think they are causing excess growth. If they are I wouldn’t know it what the heck the 6 turbo shells I have in the tank along with other clean up crew members

 

[tmscott89]

Oh wow! Now will this same light be too intense for clean up crew in the sump? I have roughly 15 or so hermits/snails in the sump as well

 

[Bryson.bobby]

I don’t think it will be too intense. Heck, you can always raise the light a bit if you have the room.

 

[Orm Embar]

I run a 36 watt LED grow bulb (https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Lights-Hydroponics-Organic-Applicable/dp/B01HPIPM70), which works very well (more than double the 15w of a Kessil H80). I suspect that your strip isn't very bright as well, and may not have a "grow spectrum" although white bulbs typically do at least decently well.

Alternately, do you overskim/is your water too clean for macro to have enough nutrients to survive?