Cheato Becomes Over Taken

[RMS18]

New challenge I've never faced. I can't grow cheato without it being over taken by hair algae and brown film.

New system 6 months old, tried running cheato now 3 separate times. This becomes very $$ with algaebarn.

After about 4-5 days of running a kessil h380 my clean sump becomes covered in brown film, green hair algae. These algae's start to cover and suffocate cheato, which leads it to become thin and to die off.

When running cheato po4 is .02 - .03. po3 is 3-5. But these numbers are including the other algae's consumption.

I currently have no cheato running, this has been 7 days and po3 has jumped to 12ppm and po4 is .03.

I have gfo running which is why p04 is not increasing. My sump is now clean of these algaes. My DT has a little GH here and there but nothing concerning - part of a new system with lots of fish and a minimalist rockscape.

My question is any ideas on how to run cheato without promoting other algae's that end up killing the cheato?

 

[mikus]

What is you'r h380's on/off duration? I am cycling my first setup now, 120gal display 55gal sump (1/2 approx. is fuge also running H380). As of now I am only using the H380 to help see the sump once and a while for a short period. I am new to reefing and exploring these same questions. The feedback I have been getting mostly is to let the tank cycle completely and even add fish or two before even using the fuge lighting, especially the h380. The cheato will need to become acclimated to the light slowly (maybe start with 1-2 hrs per night and slowly increase) Much more will burn out the cheato and it will die. Further more, the cheato needs to grab a foothold on the system before any other algae can. By providing a light source as powerful as the h380 before the cheato has a chance to become the #1 source of nutrient reduction, other algae will quickly over take the tank. Also, are you running your main display lighting at all?

 

[RMS18]

What is you'r h380's on/off duration? I am cycling my first setup now, 120gal display 55gal sump (1/2 approx. is fuge also running H380). As of now I am only using the H380 to help see the sump once and a while for a short period. I am new to reefing and exploring these same questions. The feedback I have been getting mostly is to let the tank cycle completely and even add fish or two before even using the fuge lighting, especially the h380. The cheato will need to become acclimated to the light slowly (maybe start with 1-2 hrs per night and slowly increase) Much more will burn out the cheato and it will die. Further more, the cheato needs to grab a foothold on the system before any other algae can. By providing a light source as powerful as the h380 before the cheato has a chance to become the #1 source of nutrient reduction, other algae will quickly over take the tank. Also, are you running your main display lighting at all?

I'm well past the cycling stage. The cheato is acclimated properly and ran on a 8 hour schedule opposite of the DT light. Algaebarn runs their lights 24/7 with their cheato. They specifically stated to run the lights for a few hours the first night to let the cheato acclimate. The cheato is not burning due to the light. It stays green but becomes thin and falls apart but is covered in brown slim and hair algae.

This is my 4 the system and yet still encountering new situations I haven't before. I couldn't give away cheato at one point in a past system.

 

[mikus]

Hummm… I am too new to the hobby to know what other questions to ask other than, what are the differences in the system when you were producing healthy cheato vs. now?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Could be a lack of iron. Sounds like you have plenty of N03 and P04.

 

[RMS18]

Could be a lack of iron. Sounds like you have plenty of N03 and P04.

Tried it. Had an ICP done to test for it.

 

[RMS18]

Hummm… I am too new to the hobby to know what other questions to ask other than, what are the differences in the system when you were producing healthy cheato vs. now?

The only difference was I added cheato after 1 year. I used Zeovit for the first year before I ditched that due to poor results.

 

[Antics]

Sorry to hear about your chaeto issues. Your build is great and I enjoyed reading your thread.

I've been running my aquarium without a refugium for the last 3 or 4 years but I became curious about doing a stand alone one in the future. This mindset turned into me watching BRS's videos about refugiums and their ability/capacity to remove nitrate and phosphate. Reading this thread jogged my memory back to a point @Ryanbrs mentioned in the Part 1 video where he noted some difficulties with hair algae specifically in relation to the Kessil H380. I've included a link to the video before -- feel free to watch the entire video/series but the relevant segment is at the 15:20 mark. I'd link directly to it but R2R doesn't allow timestamp links for YouTube videos. For your convenience I've included a direct link in the code box, you'll need to paste that into your browser.

Hope it helps.

https://youtu.be/OKNOfwEUdPs?t=906

 

[RMS18]

Sorry to hear about your chaeto issues. Your build is great and I enjoyed reading your thread.

I've been running my aquarium without a refugium for the last 3 or 4 years but I became curious about doing a stand alone one in the future. This mindset turned into me watching BRS's videos about refugiums and their ability/capacity to remove nitrate and phosphate. Reading this thread jogged my memory back to a point @Ryanbrs mentioned in the Part 1 video where he noted some difficulties with hair algae specifically in relation to the Kessil H380. I've included a link to the video before -- feel free to watch the entire video/series but the relevant segment is at the 15:20 mark. I'd link directly to it but R2R doesn't allow timestamp links for YouTube videos. For your convenience I've included a direct link in the code box, you'll need to paste that into your browser.

Hope it helps.

https://youtu.be/OKNOfwEUdPs?t=906

Interesting find! Maybe giving that par38 bulb a shot is worth a try. I have had a lot of success in the past with a huge especially since I always have a heavy bioload of fish.

 

[RMS18]

Sorry to hear about your chaeto issues. Your build is great and I enjoyed reading your thread.

I've been running my aquarium without a refugium for the last 3 or 4 years but I became curious about doing a stand alone one in the future. This mindset turned into me watching BRS's videos about refugiums and their ability/capacity to remove nitrate and phosphate. Reading this thread jogged my memory back to a point @Ryanbrs mentioned in the Part 1 video where he noted some difficulties with hair algae specifically in relation to the Kessil H380. I've included a link to the video before -- feel free to watch the entire video/series but the relevant segment is at the 15:20 mark. I'd link directly to it but R2R doesn't allow timestamp links for YouTube videos. For your convenience I've included a direct link in the code box, you'll need to paste that into your browser.

Hope it helps.

https://youtu.be/OKNOfwEUdPs?t=906

Bummer so almost all the reviews on Brs about this light are poor in the sense the light does not last. And it's on clearance... Makes me wonder is BRS is blowing out their inventory because of this.

 

[Antics]

I think the H380 is the best light for a refugium, perhaps it might work for you if you dial down the intensity or photo period considerably with a new batch of chaeto?