Cheato growing LED

Stan-Lee · Oct 10, 2018

Hi all,

recently made an LED unit for my sump, i'm running a single chip https://futureeden.co.uk/collections/10w-leds/products/10w-full-spectrum-par-led-bridgelux-380-840nm

but i'm getting zero growth at all even dead Cheato, could it be an issue with the cheato being right next to my GFO reactor starving it of nutrients or is this LED simply not good enough, or even being too far away roughly 14 inches. Thanks

Crabs McJones · Oct 10, 2018

Take the gfo reactor offline. It's out competing your chaeto for nutrients. Generally you want to run one or the other, not both

Stan-Lee · Oct 10, 2018

Crabs Mcjones said:
Take the gfo reactor offline. It's out competing your chaeto for nutrients. Generally you want to run one or the other, not both

I had a sinking feeling this could be an issue i'll give that a try when i get home, but the light itself is sound right ?

Dana Riddle · Oct 10, 2018

Crabs Mcjones said:
Take the gfo reactor offline. It's out competing your chaeto for nutrients. Generally you want to run one or the other, not both

Agreed. Could be nutrient competition. Is the acrylic reactor full of GFO or Chaeto?

Stan-Lee · Oct 10, 2018

Dana Riddle said:
Agreed. Could be nutrient competition. Is the acrylic reactor full of GFO or Chaeto?

GFO more specifically https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productdetailas.asp?did=5&cid=321&pid=21663 the Cheato is free floating in the sump

Dan_P · Oct 10, 2018

I would rank light intensity and water movement more likely to be effecting growth than PO4 level. Macro algae attain maximum growth at the detection limit of the Hanna ULR P hosphorous Checker. Any more PO4 willl not make it grow any faster. Ditto for nitrogen level.

Algae growth can be limited by water movement because the boundary layer or micron thick layer of stagnant water on its surfaces becomes thicker as water movement declines, slowing CO2 and nutrient transport to its surface. This phenomenon can be even more important in nutrient poor reef tanks. I can’t give you any ideas on measuring flow but would suggest as strong as practical but without compacting it into a corner

Unless you are measuring light levels, assume you are under illuminating your alga and get the light it as close as practical to the alga.

Stan-Lee · Oct 10, 2018

Dan_P said:
I would rank light intensity and water movement more likely to be effecting growth than PO4 level. Macro algae attain maximum growth at the detection limit of the Hanna ULR P hosphorous Checker. Any more PO4 willl not make it grow any faster. Ditto for nitrogen level.

Algae growth can be limited by water movement because the boundary layer or micron thick layer of stagnant water on its surfaces becomes thicker as water movement declines, slowing CO2 and nutrient transport to its surface. This phenomenon can be even more important in nutrient poor reef tanks. I can’t give you any ideas on measuring flow but would suggest as strong as practical but without compacting it into a corner

Unless you are measuring light levels, assume you are under illuminating your alga and get the light it as close as practical to the alga.

Right so tonight i'll try and move the light closer and see if i can getsome more flow in the sump thanks