Chaeto keeps messing up!??

Ahbaloch · Oct 26, 2018

hello everyone,

So i cant grow chaeto anymore for some reason,

My phos is super high, my nitrates are high too,

But everytime i grow chaeto, it gets really messy, all types of crazy stuff starts growing on it.

Help is appreciated

Shooter6 · Oct 26, 2018

Mine was growing super fast, then after doing my weekly removal of 20%, it began to get brittle and fall apart. Still very green but super fragile. Im down to maybe 10% of what i previously had.

Danh Ngo · Oct 26, 2018

What lighting source you are using ?

Danh Ngo · Oct 26, 2018

Mike chaeto looked like that before I change to Kessil H380. Also the LED I used was not efficient and setting to close to the chaeto, end up with Cyano took over the fuge

cracker · Oct 26, 2018

Always some thing in this saltwater endevour isn't there ! I couldn't get any to grow so I dosed a " little" nutrients & it's growing off the chain.
As to your problem, Do you have some decent flow in the ref . Mine got slimy light colored like yours. I added a little power head with a foam block over the intake & it helped a lot.
You do have to clean the power head fairly often but the foam helps a lot . If your confident your light is good & Ya got No3,po4 ,try adding some flow in there.

Subsea · Oct 26, 2018

cracker said:
Always some thing in this saltwater endevour isn't there ! I couldn't any to crow I dosed a " little" nutrient & it's growing off the chain.
As to your problem, Do you have some decent flow in the ref . Mine got slimy light colored like yours. I added a little power head with a foam block over the intake & it helped a lot.
You do have to clean the power head fairly often but the foam helps a lot . If your confident your light is good & Ya got No3,po4 ,try adding some flow in there.

Macro is limited not by the most abundant nutrient, it is limited by the least abundant. Iron is most often depleted, followed by iodine & manganese.

sghera64 · Oct 26, 2018

Your pictures look like my Chaeto. No prob. It appears that your Chaeto is still growing - - along with some GHA. Your refugium is doing its job. HOwever, conditions are “friendly” enough such that they can accommodate not only Chaeto, but GHA too.

If it really bugs you, you can try adding Vibrant. Start with the dose level for “Clean tanks” which is 1mL per 10 gallon EVERYOTHER week. If the GHA does not die back, go with 10mL/Gal 1x per week. I noticed the GHA dropped dramatically in my case.

Do you have GHA anywhere else in the system?

I second the call for iron, manganese and iodine for Chaeto. I add it to my system when my Chaeto beings to look a lighter green.

cracker · Oct 26, 2018

I " think" The Ha is out competing the cheato . Scrap it off the walls & siphon the bits & gunk Ya can.

Shooter6 · Oct 26, 2018

Danh Ngo said:
What lighting source you are using ?

I am using this light over mine.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/zt-6...hosJQn_THmCAIUf8uviC306ubjDUJp3hoCmCEQAvD_BwE

Ahbaloch · Oct 26, 2018

Shooter6 said:
I am using this light over mine.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/zt-6...hosJQn_THmCAIUf8uviC306ubjDUJp3hoCmCEQAvD_BwE

I believe he was asking me lol

Ahbaloch · Oct 26, 2018

But i wS running 3 fluval cob nano lights,

Then went down to 2,

And now i tore my fuge apart, it was a HOB so i took it off. Lol

But i made some room in my sump that i will be makin in to fuge but want to make aure i am doing everything right

Ahbaloch · Oct 26, 2018

cracker said:
Always some thing in this saltwater endevour isn't there ! I couldn't get any to grow so I dosed a " little" nutrients & it's growing off the chain.
As to your problem, Do you have some decent flow in the ref . Mine got slimy light colored like yours. I added a little power head with a foam block over the intake & it helped a lot.
You do have to clean the power head fairly often but the foam helps a lot . If your confident your light is good & Ya got No3,po4 ,try adding some flow in there.

Where do you a powerhead?

Ahbaloch · Oct 26, 2018

sghera64 said:
Your pictures look like my Chaeto. No prob. It appears that your Chaeto is still growing - - along with some GHA. Your refugium is doing its job. HOwever, conditions are “friendly” enough such that they can accommodate not only Chaeto, but GHA too.

If it really bugs you, you can try adding Vibrant. Start with the dose level for “Clean tanks” which is 1mL per 10 gallon EVERYOTHER week. If the GHA does not die back, go with 10mL/Gal 1x per week. I noticed the GHA dropped dramatically in my case.

Do you have GHA anywhere else in the system?

I second the call for iron, manganese and iodine for Chaeto. I add it to my system when my Chaeto beings to look a lighter green.

I already use vibrant lol

Bayareareefer18 · Oct 26, 2018

Danh Ngo said:
Mike chaeto looked like that before I change to Kessil H380. Also the LED I used was not efficient and setting to close to the chaeto, end up with Cyano took over the fuge

My chaeto was also struggling and growing slime algae. It was growing but very slowly with my chaetomax light. After accidentally killing it by dropping my po4 to low I scrapped it.

I got a Kessil H80 and a nice healthy chunk of chaeto from a great member here. This time around with the kessil my chaeto is growing like crazy.

I purchased a quart size bag and maybe about a month later my entire fuge is full. Fuge is probably 10"×18"×11"

I agree with others also. Manual removal of nuisance algae is a must to give the macro a chance to outcompete

Also if it doesn't tumble it's a good idea to flip it every once in awhile

Ahbaloch · Oct 26, 2018

Who is that friend lol

Can i get some chaeto too from him?

Or can you ship me a bag? I will pay shipping

Bayareareefer18 said:
My chaeto was also struggling and growing slime algae. It was growing but very slowly with my chaetomax light. After accidentally killing it by dropping my po4 to low I scrapped it.

I got a Kessil H80 and a nice healthy chunk of chaeto from a great member here. This time around with the kessil my chaeto is growing like crazy.

I purchased a quart size bag and maybe about a month later my entire fuge is full. Fuge is probably 10"×18"×11"

I agree with others also. Manual removal of nuisance algae is a must to give the macro a chance to outcompete

Also if it doesn't tumble it's a good idea to flip it every once in awhile

Bayareareefer18 · Oct 26, 2018

Not a friend just a fellow R2R member.

Great chaeto loaded with pods at a great price

@TomLi

I'd gladly ship you some but this dude will take care of you. Looking at your profile pic I also have a gold nugget...

Ahbaloch · Oct 26, 2018

Ohh yea, these are my babies,

Had them in a small
Box wanted to breed them, but just moved them to my DT

Bayareareefer18 · Oct 27, 2018

Ahbaloch said:
Ohh yea, these are my babies,

Had them in a small
Box wanted to breed them, but just moved them to my DT

Nice my first two fish were a gold nugget and a lightning. Both really small when I got them. They are playing nice so far hoping they will pair up. I know it's a bit different to have an odd pair but I think its interesting

I originally wasn't planning on maroons or a white clown but when my wife saw the nugget at the LFS she fell in love with it

Bayareareefer18 · Oct 27, 2018

Bayareareefer18 said:
Not a friend just a fellow R2R member.

Great chaeto loaded with pods at a great price

@TomLi

I'd gladly ship you some but this dude will take care of you. Looking at your profile pic I also have a gold nugget...

Started as a quart. This is in a 40B. 18" wide

cracker · Oct 27, 2018

Ahbaloch said:
Where do you a powerhead?

I have mine on it's side blowing across the bottom gives me an up-welling affect.
When I trim a lot, the cheato actually tumbles just like the fancy BRS video LOL !