Chaeto turning into mush/disintegrating

[Evieeeeee]

Hello, My chaeto is slowly turning to mush and disintegrating. It feels like a lot of it's just become slime and there's just a few strains of chaeto left in the mush that I can feel. I'm using Kessil h380 for 3 hours, and my nitrates are 12, phosphates .08.

Originally it started at the bottom of the refugium but the top started bleaching, so I reduced the photo period from 4 hours to 2 and decided to slowly bring it up to 3. I didn't notice anything for a while but a few weeks ago the whole thing started rising to the top of the refugium and staying there. I saw some threads saying that was normal due to photosynthesis causing bubbles so I left it be for a while. I decided to finally check in on it and realized that a lot of it was just like slimey/falling apart to the touch and after a lot of the slime got washed away the remaining bits just sank to the bottom.

Anyone know what could be causing this and how I can fix this for the future? not enough light maybe?

 

[Spare time]

3 hours is most likely why it died. That is very little time so it probably "starved" to death.

 

[HellaDudes]

What intensity are you running the light at?

 

[Evieeeeee]

What intensity are you running the light at?

h380 is not adjustable, so maximum brightness

3 hours is most likely why it died. That is very little time so it probably "starved" to death.

but 4 was turning the algae white at the top of the bunch? Do you think an hour of difference is enough for it to be the difference between bleaching and starving to death?

 

[jpas]

Are you using Vibrant?

Also, be sure you have sufficient levels of iron.

 

[Evieeeeee]

Are you using Vibrant?

Also, be sure you have sufficient levels of iron.

I'm not using vibrant, and I will check on the iron thanks!

 

[jpas]

The pic, seems like you have a really small amount of chaeto, was that around a softball sized piece when you put it in?

 

[Evieeeeee]

The pic, seems like you have a really small amount of chaeto, was that around a softball sized piece when you put it in?

About, yeah. It was the smallest amount that algaebarn offered at the time. I thought it was staying about the same mass/growing but turns out it was mostly made of the slime/disintegrated bits so what's left is very small compared to what i started with

 

[schuby]

First of all, I also agree that lack of iron kills chaeto. It did for me.

I can't tell from your pics. Does water flow around/through the chamber where the chaeto is located? I added a small powerhead to my chaeto compartment, aka refugium, to ensure water was flowing where the chaeto was (also helped get rid of cyano that was growing there).

I'm pretty sure my chaeto only floated when it was dying and was being consumed by hair algae. My current, healthy chaeto stays on the bottom.

I use the Kessil H160 full blast, less than half the power of yours, and it grows a large, basketball-sized ball of chaeto very well. Was your chaeto staying wirey and green at first, and then start changing color/consistency after a few weeks?

Finally, I run my light as red as possible as I believe that is what algae likes the most.

 

[Spare time]

h380 is not adjustable, so maximum brightness

but 4 was turning the algae white at the top of the bunch? Do you think an hour of difference is enough for it to be the difference between bleaching and starving to death?

If it was turning white then you were giving it too strong of a light not too many hours of light. You need to mount that light higher or maybe acclimate the chaeto to the intensity that you are keeping it under (if it is already higher up).

 

[Evieeeeee]

If it was turning white then you were giving it too strong of a light not too many hours of light. You need to mount that light higher or maybe acclimate the chaeto to the intensity that you are keeping it under (if it is already higher up).

yeah I get that, the goal was to adjust it to the light by using it for less hours initially. The recommendation when the light cant be put higher seems to be either get a different light or start it at a lower photo period to adjust, which is what I was doing. Possibly I wasnt increasing the hours fast enough?

First of all, I also agree that lack of iron kills chaeto. It did for me.

I can't tell from your pics. Does water flow around/through the chamber where the chaeto is located? I added a small powerhead to my chaeto compartment, aka refugium, to ensure water was flowing where the chaeto was (also helped get rid of cyano that was growing there).

I'm pretty sure my chaeto only floated when it was dying and was being consumed by hair algae. My current, healthy chaeto stays on the bottom.

I use the Kessil H160 full blast, less than half the power of yours, and it grows a large, basketball-sized ball of chaeto very well. Was your chaeto staying wirey and green at first, and then start changing color/consistency after a few weeks?

Finally, I run my light as red as possible as I believe that is what algae likes the most.

there's a wall that's shared where one half of it is water flowing in and the other half is water flowing out, since it's a peninsula design. I'll try putting an extra powerhead in there, thanks for the tip.

And yeah it was definitely tough and wirey for a while. I'm going to just bump up the hours on it and see if I can rescule what I have and see if I can buy more to offset what died

 

[hart24601]

I had trouble with chaeto with my h380 despite having detectable phosphate and nitrate. I started dosing chaetogro which is iron and other trace elements and it made all the difference. I now just have it on a doser for a couple ml a day. I was skeptical as I use auto waterchange and assumed trace were fine, but apparently not.

That remaining clump might be beyond hope I would personally consider getting a new batch if you try adding any traces.

 

[schuby]

If it stayed green for a week or more, then the light wasn't burning it: not too bright. If you can check your iron level, it is probably exhausted/zero. I'm still playing around with how much iron to dose, but my chaeto hasn't died, after many months, since I started dosing it.

 

[Evieeeeee]

I had trouble with chaeto with my h380 despite having detectable phosphate and nitrate. I started dosing chaetogro which is iron and other trace elements and it made all the difference. I now just have it on a doser for a couple ml a day. I was skeptical as I use auto waterchange and assumed trace were fine, but apparently not.

That remaining clump might be beyond hope I would personally consider getting a new batch if you try adding any traces.

b

If it stayed green for a week or more, then the light wasn't burning it: not too bright. If you can check your iron level, it is probably exhausted/zero. I'm still playing around with how much iron to dose, but my chaeto hasn't died, after many months, since I started dosing it.

Yeah after the photo period reduction I didn't see it burning away so I think you're right. I will try the iron dosing thanks! Do you think the brightwell branded one is good or do you have a recommendation?

 

[schuby]

I'm up to dosing about 3 ml per week of Brightwell Ferrion. Only one that I've used.

 

[hart24601]

b

Yeah after the photo period reduction I didn't see it burning away so I think you're right. I will try the iron dosing thanks! Do you think the brightwell branded one is good or do you have a recommendation?

I have liked chaetogro, I never was able to confirm what element was limiting and they claim it’s balanced for what macro uptakes does I like the combo it has.