Chaeto dying

[Zoa Junkie]

This might be a dumb and obvious question, but is there a difference in placing my fuge light? I have an AIO tank and the back part where the fuge is, the glass isnt painted, so when setting up my tank I thought it would be a cleaner look to place fuge light on the side of the fuge and the chaeto would receive light from the side instead of on top. I've been noticing that each time I add new chaeto, it ends up dying and I have a dead chaeto circulating around my main display. So does it really make a difference that the fuge light hits the chaeto on top rather from the side? Is the reason the chaeto is dying because its receiving too much light from the side rather than on top? Like I said, it seems like a real dumb question, but this is the first time I set up my fuge light on the side and now my chaeto always dies, but I've never had a problem from light shining on top of the chaeto. Thanks for your help.

 

[Pkunk35]

Is there algae growth in any other part of the tank?

I would think its ok too because there are in tank turf scrubbers that mount the light on the outside of the tank glass

 

[Zoa Junkie]

No other algae growth in the tank except for coraline algae.

 

[Diesel]

Check your phosphate, you might have 0 phosphate.
If nutritents are low it will not grow but rather die on you.
Chaeto is like any algae, you take away their food source it will die on you.
Feed your fish a bit more or dose a bit more coral food.

 

[Pkunk35]

No other algae growth in the tank except for coraline algae.

Agree with diesel, feed more.

 

[Zoa Junkie]

Oh wow, I was too scared to overfeed my tank in fear that my other parameters would go out of whack. I've got a pair of clown and an ornate wrasse. So I should just start overfeeding them and the corals to bring up my phosphate? I did test my phosphate levels last week and it was indeed 0 ppm.

 

[Pkunk35]

Maybe try adding a couple more feeding times to your schedule for fish/coral and see how that goes and adjust as necessary. More nutes will fuel all kinds of algae growth, not just the chaeto.

 

[Zoa Junkie]

Thanks!

 

[Diesel]

Yeah, don't over feed.
Look at your feeding schedule and go from there to ad a few more and find the ballance.
Keep a close eye on your phosphate.
It depends on what corals you have but 0.04 is still ok.
I have a 202 gallon about 80% sps my phosphate is between 0.04 and 0.10.
Big swing I know but it works for me.