Chaeto has shrunk!

[guitareefs]

My chaeto has shrunk from volleyball size to baseball size. I run an led bulb directly above it, about 6 inches from water surface.

Phosphates .12
Nitrates 20ppm

Any reason(s) yall can think of?

 

[mtraylor]

Sounds like you need a light in the 6500K range.

 

[guitareefs]

Sounds like you need a light in the 6500K range.

Ok. I just checked and its 5000k led

And I also leave the fuge light on 24/7. I was gonna do timing opposotie of DT lighting but lfs told me he would run it 24/7

 

[cracker]

I run my refugium light 12 on /12 off . Just my OP of course but every living thing needs to rest some.

 

[mtraylor]

Run it opposite of display for more stability in tank and get 6500K light and it will take off.

 

[guitareefs]

I think the rest of my chaeto has died. It looks bad. I see pods moving about...should i leave the chaeto in there and just add more chaeto?

 

[cmcoker]

Do you do water changes? Could be limited by something other than no3 po4, like iron..

 

[Bunnee911]

Did you dose iron?

 

[BlueCursor]

An "LED bulb" is pretty wide open as to what you actually have. What kind of bulb? A normal round bulb won't cut it. Get a 5000K PAR 38 bulb. They have a spotlight shape. 6500K is better, but those are tougher to find. I ran a 5000K PAR 38 for a long time and it worked very well.

 

[guitareefs]

Last water change I did was 3 weeks ago. 110 gallon water change.

I don't dose iron.

I run a 38w 5000k led bulb

I don't have any powerheads in the fuge. Just the water movement from the drain chamber. Should i have a small powerhead moving the water in the fuge around?

 

[mbmax]

Last water change I did was 3 weeks ago. 110 gallon water change.

I don't dose iron.

I run a 38w 5000k led bulb

I don't have any powerheads in the fuge. Just the water movement from the drain chamber. Should i have a small powerhead moving the water in the fuge around?

I think it is a typo......11O GALLON water change.... or you have a really big system.
Did you have the same ligth when it was growing.?... Or you got the cheato that size and started dying in your tank?.
If it was growing the problem it is not the ligth.

 

[guitareefs]

Its a 300 gallon tank

It really never grew. Could it be a flow problem?

 

[cmcoker]

Its a 300 gallon tank

It really never grew. Could it be a flow problem?

Could be flow, moree likely the light if it's not really growing with water changes and those nutrient level.
I have a par 38 marshydro grow light on my cheato, like $15. I only keep a lemon size ball of cheato in the sump, and prune it when it's a bit bigger than grapefruit size. Light runs 7hrs a night. It does not tumble where I have it.. but has decent flow. 54g display

I would upgrade your light, a full panel marshydro type light would probably work for your size tank. Could also go with one on the kessils they recommend for the fuge. Depends on budget and all that.

 

[LostInTheDark]

Just for reference, I have about 250 gallon fish heavy mixed reef. I use half of a 75 for a fuge lit by 3 65watt ,6,500k Home Depot LEDs. I run a skimmer 18 hours a day and run my fuge lights opposite the tank lights. I don't dose anything but ALK and Cal. The only flow in the fuge is from a "T" from the overflow so there is no heavy flow or tumbling. I could throw away a basketball size of cheato every 2 weeks or so. We have similar systems so I would start with the lights. I have 2 shining from the top and 1 from the side for max coverage.

 

[Larry L]

I don't dose iron.

I run a 38w 5000k led bulb

That should be fine for growing chaeto, and you have enough nitrates and phosphates. I agree with @Bunnee911 that something else like iron is probably deficient and limiting the growth.