Chaeto dying but algae growing fast in display

[cww81]

I just got some chaeto a little more than a week ago and had it lighted for about 12 hours. I’ve noticed that the size has decreased and is very brittle and less colorful and basically falling apart as seen in pic. Within this past week algae in the display has really went from just glass to full coverage. My nitrates were tested at 2 and phosphate at 0.7. This seems low for this fast of an outbreak so I’m guessing it’s an artificial reading due to the algae. As of 3 days ago I turned down the fuge light to 4 hours because I thought the light was either burning it or it was starving. Any ideas on what I should do? Raise/lower nutrients? Increase fuge lighting again?

 

[T-J]

What light are you using in the fuge? Are you running an opposite schedule from the tank lights?

 

[Dolphins18]

Stick a little bit of chaeto in your display, if it grows there its likely lighting issue within the sump, if it dies up there it may be being outcompeted, iron plays a role in chaeto growth as well, no iron usually means no growth.
I've had tanks that chaeto just hasn't done well in on several occasions, I usually use ulva instead now.

 

[cww81]

What light are you using in the fuge? Are you running an opposite schedule from the tank lights?

I’m using a 100w light that has lots of reviews saying it works as good if not better than $300 lights. I also know it works bc I was recommended by my lfs that uses these and they have many tanks with this. I was originally running a 10 hour reverse period to my 10 hour of lights but turned it down bc I assumed it was dying from too much light or nutrients to 4 hours.

 

[cww81]

Stick a little bit of chaeto in your display, if it grows there its likely lighting issue within the sump, if it dies up there it may be being outcompeted, iron plays a role in chaeto growth as well, no iron usually means no growth.
I've had tanks that chaeto just hasn't done well in on several occasions, I usually use ulva instead now.

Makes a ton of sense, thank you too. Will do that now, any idea on when I should notice if it’s growing better? I run radion G5’s so I know they’re about the best light I can put it under haha

 

[T-J]

I run radion G5’s so I know they’re about the best light I can put it under haha

Not for growing cheato.

 

[cww81]

Not for growing cheato.

So is this not worth trying?

 

[Dolphins18]

Makes a ton of sense, thank you too. Will do that now, any idea on when I should notice if it’s growing better? I run radion G5’s so I know they’re about the best light I can put it under haha

Oh those things will grow chaeto crazy quick. I kept some chaeto under a AI hydra 32 for about a year and it exploded with growth.

 

[T-J]

So is this not worth trying?

That's not what I'm saying. Just because you have really nice lights (I run the XR15 G5's as well) doesn't mean they are great for growing cheato, since you probably have them programmed to grow corals.
Most algae's prefer red/white lights. That's why fuge lights are a kind of red/pink color.
Corals prefer the blue spectrum.
You may also want to try adding some Cheato Gro

 

[cww81]

Ok will start adding chaeto gro and testing under the radions. Hoping I don’t lose all my chaeto. Any idea on what algae I have on my rocks? Seems to be turf, gha, and cyano which doesn’t make sense to me

 

[PokeFish]

Ok will start adding chaeto gro and testing under the radions. Hoping I don’t lose all my chaeto. Any idea on what algae I have on my rocks? Seems to be turf, gha, and cyano which doesn’t make sense to me

Isn’t chaeto grow just adding nutrients? If your tank is rapidly growing hair algae right now and your chaeto is dying, this might not help. Personally I’ve grown chaeto under 10 dollar lights and also 70 dollar lights. They both work

 

[cww81]

Isn’t chaeto grow just adding nutrients? If your tank is rapidly growing hair algae right now and your chaeto is dying, this might not help. Personally I’ve grown chaeto under 10 dollar lights and also 70 dollar lights. They both work

I was thinking this as well, but assuming it’s just trace elements that might be lacking? And yeah I’ve seen people grow it with basically any plant light so I’m not sure why it’s dying while the other algae is thriving

 

[Jrswish]

Chaetogro literally exploded my golf ball sized chaeto into a brick in under 2 weeks. Absolutely insanity.

 

[BeardedMcG]

I had a similar issue prior to adding chaetogro. If my understanding is correct then the Iron in chaetogro is key to the recovery.

 

[T-J]

I had a similar issue prior to adding chaetogro. If my understanding is correct then the Iron in chaetogro is key to the recovery.

This is correct, and why I recommended it. They apparently have plenty of nutrients to grow algae, just missing (most likely) iron for the cheato.

 

[Tamberav]

Caulerpa prolifica or mexicana won't give you these issues. Grows faster too

 

[PokeFish]

Caulerpa prolifica or mexicana won't give you these issues. Grows faster too

YES

 

[Pistondog]

Try raising the chaeto to the surface to maximize par. My chaeto is on top of live rock.

 

[ReefStable Verified Sponsor]

I would avoid Cheato in the display as it can get in small crevices and be hard to get out. The Radions are great lights for Coral because of the blues, however Algae prefer red grow lighting. The same as many house plants.

I switched to this light (linked below) and I'm getting about 5 gallons of cheato growth every 2 to 4 weeks. Even though it is low cost, hard to argue if it works or not with that kind of growth.

https://amzn.to/2WXEB1C

I would try this for a few weeks. By providing a better Algae growth environment in the sump, it can prevent growth in the display.

If you make the display an ideal location, that's where it will grow most.

 

[cww81]

I would avoid Cheato in the display as it can get in small crevices and be hard to get out. The Radions are great lights for Coral because of the blues, however Algae prefer red grow lighting. The same as many house plants.

I switched to this light (linked below) and I'm getting about 5 gallons of cheato growth every 2 to 4 weeks. Even though it is low cost, hard to argue if it works or not with that kind of growth.

https://amzn.to/2WXEB1C

I would try this for a few weeks. By providing a better Algae growth environment in the sump, it can prevent growth in the display.

If you make the display an ideal location, that's where it will grow most.

This is actually the exact light I have that’s what’s making no sense to me. As you have said and I have seen it grows algae good so I don’t know why mine is dying