Chaeto in sump refuge - help

[Mrreefercanada]

I have a two year old tank/sump with a refuge full of chaeto growing very well. Water parameters all in line with standard mixed reef(90 gal tank and 20 gal sump) 3 weeks ago installed a very efficient protein skimmer I built myself and noticed yesterday that the chaeto is dieing back? All water parameters unchanged. Im assumimg that my skimmer is reducing the nutrients to levels too low to support the macro algae? Assuming this correct can I remove the chaeto completely from sump with out throwing the system off? Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[code4]

That might be a really sudden change. If it were me I might take out some of it and see what happens.

 

[tgrick]

I would stop the skimmer a few hours a day to see if the cheato comes back. However, your tank is two years old. I suspect that the corals have a higher nutrient uptake and that the live rock is also processing more nutrients. So the bacteria in your tank is doing it's job really well. The addition of the protein skimmer was the final straw. How are the Nitrates in the tank? How often do you feed? Do you add iron. Iron can do wonders for Macro Algae. Lastly...are you sure the fuge light is working??? Make sure that light turning on and off as programed - things happen.

 

[Mrreefercanada]

I would stop the skimmer a few hours a day to see if the cheato comes back. However, your tank is two years old. I suspect that the corals have a higher nutrient uptake and that the live rock is also processing more nutrients. So the bacteria in your tank is doing it's job really well. The addition of the protein skimmer was the final straw. How are the Nitrates in the tank? How often do you feed? Do you add iron. Iron can do wonders for Macro Algae. Lastly...are you sure the fuge light is working??? Make sure that light turning on and off as programed - things happen.

Hi and thanks for the input.
Nitrates have always been undetectable for the last two years. Phosphates are undetectable. Feed twice a day. Have small bio load of 4 fish. Two clowns, watchman and scribbled rabbit. Never had to use additives. One note the skimmer replaced a store bought one that I had for the last two years a and was okay but not anywhere a good as the one i built. Fuge lights on reverse schedule and go on one hour before display and working as usual. I know a few people that have taken out the chaeto ?

 

[Mrreefercanada]

That might be a really sudden change. If it were me I might take out some of it and see what happens.

I aggree. What i did last night was cut in half and lets see what happens. I usually half to trim it back to half about once a month? Dont want to do anything sudden and mess up a lot of work?

 

[tgrick]

I would not run the skimmer 100% of the time. Your tank is just too clean. As an option you could feed more as well. You are in a really good place with the bacteria/coral nutrient uptake. You don't need the fuge anymore. Thats said, I like the idea of macro algae as it's more natural. I also think the algae consumes other things the skimmer might not remove.

In short - feed more. Run skimmer less. Thats the theory anyway...

 

[Mrreefercanada]

I would not run the skimmer 100% of the time. Your tank is just too clean. As an option you could feed more as well. You are in a really good place with the bacteria/coral nutrient uptake. You don't need the fuge anymore. Thats said, I like the idea of macro algae as it's more natural. I also think the algae consumes other things the skimmer might not remove.

In short - feed more. Run skimmer less. Thats the theory anyway...

Thank you for the great info. I like to get input from others before I move on any changes I do ? Hate to ruin what took two years to get to?. I like the natural part if macro also! I'm going to monitor for now and move slowly to reduce the macro size and see if I can find a happy medium.

 

[code4]

Thank you for the great info. I like to get input from others before I move on any changes I do ? Hate to ruin what took two years to get to?. I like the natural part if macro also! I'm going to monitor for now and move slowly to reduce the macro size and see if I can find a happy medium.

I do the same. I have a skimmer that works great. Always getting dark gunk out of it. And a reactor for macro algae. When I lost all the macro algae I had a light green film on my glass. Chaeto is growing again and all the green is disappearing. I have a 140 gallon with two regal angels, one bristle tooth tang a large butterfly and several small fish. I feed heavy.

 

[tgrick]

In established system like those in WWC you will find that they stop skimmers. You do not need to run a skimmer to have a successful tank. In fact, as the tank matures you need a skimmer less.

 

[Mrreefercanada]

Just an update
I removed the chaeto slowly until it was all gone. No side effects. I reduced skimmer time also by 6 hrs off and feed fish more. All is well !