Chaeto gray first day

[dopey]

Hi,

Ordered some Chaeto online. It was posted on a Tuesday, and arrived Friday.

In the bag it looked green, so I removed it and dropped it in the my makeshift refugium around 1430

When the lights turned on at 2100 I noticed it was quite gray.

Here is how it looked this morning:

I tried googling and only found people saying their chaeto turned gray after a while, and seems consensus is to remove it as it's now 'dead'.

Just wanted to confirm that it's not normal for freshly delivered Chaeto to be gray the first day -- like it's 'stressed' from transit type thing? Basically should I leave it in and see if it comes back green, or remove all gray bits immediately?


Thanks for any replies

 

[dwest]

I agree it’s not normal. If there is any green in it anywhere, I would remove any grey and just leave any green pieces.

 

[Iam_Mitch]

Doesn't look good to me. I would get new and make sure you have a good light over it. If there is any healthy looking areas maybe you could keep that in and see how it does. But make sure you are using a good light.

 

[najer]

What are your nitrates and phosphates, that caulerpa looks very healthy?

 

[dopey]

Yeah caulerpa has been steadily growing since I started a couple weeks ago. (Actually fighting it in display so I had plenty to seed with :x can see in build thread).

I wanted to try chaeto and go with that long term...but had put a rock with a patch of caulerpa down there a few weeks ago... Plan was to add chaeto and decide later to either keep one or both of them.

I'm using the tunze water proof light, but I don't see how light of killed it in less than 6-8hours I placed the new chaeto in at 1500 and lights came on at 2100 and instantly noticed it was gray. Unless I was suppose to turn the lights on the moment I put it in the tank after receiving it?

I will removed the gray and hopefully there is some green bits I can keep and let it grow

Nitrates are around 5 -- tested yesterday.... honestly I haven't checked phosphate in a long time. Everyone says hannah checker is easy but I find the powder packets anxiety inducing

 

[NS Mike D]

are you dosing anything that helps get rid of algae or to keep NO3 and PO4 in check. Some of the bottled stuff can kill cheato.


But I agree with you, lights or NO3/PO4 levels would not have killed it so quickly.

 

[dopey]

Agreed I think the transport killed it. It was quite cold when I received it. Was probably a bad idea to order it during colder temps + covid.

I don't dose anything. Just weekly water changes Skimmer and a growing refugium. Try to keep it simple/consistent.

 

[dopey]

Tried to tear apart the Chaeto.. quite hard out of the tank. Think I could tell the difference between live/dead using a flash light.

Ended up with very little. It's tucked in the back right corner, otherwise it float away. There is a single strand towards the bottom/front of the rock as well. Somehow it's staying in that area

Also replaced the acrylic box I was using with a longer/wider one. Have the primary/secondary return draining into the box.

Will see how it goes.. atleast the Caulerpa so far is going strong.

I do think i'll need to change my plumbing as the caulerpa is happy to grow on the return pipes.. which will probably be something i'll regret later.