Alright, end of week test numbers are in. PO4 is down from .21 to .18. Nitrate...looks lower. The Nyos nitrate kit is easy to read, but has a huge blind spot between 12 and 25. Before it looked like it was closer to the 25 range, today it looked closer to the 12 range. I changed out about 25 gal today and will do another 25gal tomorrow. I sucked out almost all the cyano today, so maybe the chaeto will do a little better with less competition?
Chaeto not growing
- Thread starter jrp1588
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Slingshot357
Active Member
I know it's an old thread but did you ever get your Chaeto to grow? I've had no luck getting it to grow either. I've heard that low iron traces will also keep Chaeto from growing. Did you ever have the ICP test done?
Waterislife
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Try a bulb in the 6500k to 9000k range, most plant grow lights operate on that kelvin.
The chaeto withered. Recently I tried caulerpa and an old AI Hydra LED (the 5 LED per puck style). It was growing steadily for a week or so, then it got overtaken by hair algae and withered. I think I have too low of flow through my sump. I'm going to try again eventually with a powerhead in that area.
Slingshot357
Active Member
Ok, good luck. post if the power head has any improvements. Did you ever get the ICP test done? I'm curious to see if iron does have anything to do with it. Several posts I've found say it could be the hidden factor many are having a problem with in growing chaeto. Most people don't check iron levels.
I've tried increasing the flow and buying "Chaeto Grow" lights. Neither has fixed the problem. I also seem to have near ZERO algae growth at all in my tank even though my nitrates (40+ ppm) and phosphates (0.9) are fairly high. So, logically thinking, If I don't have other algae then the chaeto won't grow either. I'm no expert, so could be wrong on this.
It's been a long time, but I think at the time, I may have been PO4 limited. I actually had to dose it for a while. This is no longer true, but still haven't had much luck the couple times I've dabbled with it since.
Slingshot357
Active Member
I eventually did figure it out (for my tank) if you're interested.
Started dosing trace elements that have iron, got some more chaeto and placed it in the fuge.
Day one, no light at all. Day two, light on as low intensity as I could make it without light turning off set to bloom I think (pinkish color leaning towards blue) and kept it that way for about a week. Second week turned up intensity just a little and planned to turn it up little by little each week, but ended up just leaving it there because it's growing pretty good now.
Reflecting back I think I just plain killed it with way too much light. those little LED lights put out a lot more light than you think. Start low and go slow. Wait a week and look for growth. If it's not growing but not dying up the light a little and repeat. If it's still dying with barely any light then you have other issues like very low Iron, Nitrates or Phosphates.
Scrubber_steve
2500 Club Member
What light are you using?
Slingshot357
Active Member
Kessel H80 on a goose neck rim clamp.
Scrubber_steve
2500 Club Member
And have you had success using the Blue, Grow, Bloom, or Red setting?
Scrubber_steve
2500 Club Member
Slingshot357
Active Member
Mostly bloom with a little towards grow. From Bloom about a third of the way to grow.
Scrubber_steve
2500 Club Member
Not wanting to put you on the spot,,, any good picks for the fuge people?
Scrubber_steve
2500 Club Member
Good light you've got.
Don't know what setting you have used, but the Bloom looks good to me.
Slingshot357
Active Member
Not a problem. It's a little dirty ATM. Wasn't sure if you wanted a pic of the Chaeto or the fuge section. It's a small section but does good.
Scrubber_steve
2500 Club Member
whats that below the chaeto ? marine pure?
Slingshot357
Active Member
Brightwell Xport bricks on top of a layer of Seachem Matrix to block the light and some live rock pieces I threw in there because I didn't have anyplace else for them. There's actually a channel that runs under the fuge section that's clear acrylic and I was getting a ton of algae growth in that channel so I covered the bottom with matrix.
Now I´m lost in space. No chaeto growth an you recommend lower the PO4 ! How do you get that together?
Sincerely Lasse
