Chaeto dying, can't determine why

[Bryan68]

I bought some chaeto and pods from algaebarn last week. It was delivered by the USPS, but they shoved the box in my mailbox without notification. I'm in Florida with my black mailbox in direct sunlight, it was 86 degrees. The pods were dead but the chaeto looked good and green. But now it is beginning to die. So here's the question, does anyone think the the heat got to it, or something else.
Lighting: ai prime fuge at 80%, 11 inch above the water.
NO3: 10ppm
PO4: 0.09ppm
I did call algaebarn when this happened just to let them know about the USPS, but did not expect them to replace anything since it was no fault of theirs.
Thanks!

 

[andrewey]

My gut says the shipping killed the cheato, if for no other reason then it was enough to kill the pods. I've shipped both priority mail and both seem to be pretty hardy, so if one died, it stands to reason that the conditions may have been too much. There's a few other ways that cheato can die off, but honestly, given the quick timing and the death of the pods in the same shipment, my moneys on the heat.

 

[Bryan68]

Dang, $100.00 gone, ugh!
Thank you for the swift reply.
Are my nutrients high enough to support the chaeto? Lighting ok?

 

[andrewey]

Nutrients should be fine to grow the cheato- just watch that as it grows it doesn't drop your nitrate/phosphate too low! Fuge light seems good- you'll have to play with the light intensity to get the best growth and play with the photoperiod to try and maintain the nutrients you want. Cheato is pretty hardy- start low with your light and work the intensity up. It will survive low light for weeks/months. High light can kill in days.

 

[SMSREEF]

It’s been pretty hot down here... I’m waiting for that polar vortex to arrive.

my guess is that direct sun on a black mailbox would heat up to over 100 degrees.

my other guess is that putting chaeto that’s been in dark for a while into 80% on AI prime might have fried it too.

 

[jerrod]

Try testing for iron. If your iron deficient it could affect the algae growing. Shouldn't effect it that fast though.

 

[NS Mike D]

The stuff is pretty resilient,. Trim off the dead stuff and see if it rebounds. I got my cheato from Algae Barn 5 years ago and it's been to you know where and back and still going.

 

[Copingwithpods]

How's it dying, browning out or falling apart looking slimy?

 

[andrewey]

Try testing for iron. If your iron deficient it could affect the algae growing. Shouldn't effect it that fast though.

I wouldn't bother testing for your iron. Iron defiency won't kill cheato in a matter of days.

 

[Bryan68]

So I think by everyone response, the root cause could be lighting too intense or the the USPS cooking it. If this batch does not make it, how should I set the lighting next time?

 

[Bryan68]

How's it dying, browning out or falling apart looking slimy?

It is browning and falling apart.

 

[Reef man 89]

See what @AlgaeBarn Recommends

 

[Copingwithpods]

My gut says it's the heat that killed it

It is browning and falling apart.

 

[SMSREEF]

It is browning and falling apart.

That doesn’t sound like it’s due to your light.

 

[Bryan68]

See what @AlgaeBarn Recommends

Good idea, hopefully they will chime in. And again, #AlgaeBarn, certainly not your fault, just need some guidance.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

Good idea, hopefully they will chime in. And again, #AlgaeBarn, certainly not your fault, just need some guidance.

So it wasn't our fault, but its not your fault either (please tell me you didnt leave it the mailbox for days......). We still replace in this situation. Chaeto is usually pretty resilient. Did we offer/send you a replacement for the pods and chaeto?

 

[Bryan68]

Haha, no it was not in the mailbox for days, but a couple hours. I talked to a very nice woman and told her what happened. But I told her at the very beginning of the conversation that I wasnt looking for her to replace it.

 

[Bryan68]

#AlgaeBarn, what do you think was the cause? Could it have been cooked or something I did?

 

[AlgaeBarn]

#AlgaeBarn, what do you think was the cause? Could it have been cooked it something I did?

I don't think you killed it with light. When you kill it with light, it ends up as a giant white patch surrounded by yellow patches (The chaeto we have killed with light was likely around 8000 PAR).

It could have been cooked in the mailbox (if it was 86F outside, the inside of the mailbox can easily hit 100F+) and simply takes a few days to start to brown out and die. Send me your order number and we will get a replacement out for you.

 

[Bryan68]

My order number is 89954. Thank you so much @AlgaeBarn, what a stand up company!! I will watch for the USPS this time.... Since they obviously ignore the "live animals" verbiage in the side of the box. Thank you again!