Merv49 - I'm sorry to hear you're having problems with your chaeto. I too had some issue over the past year and it took me some time to figure it out for my system, but not it's growing like crazy now. Here some basic information on my system and what I think solved my issue. I hope this helps!
- My refugium is part of my sump in does around 10x turn over so that's about 1,500 gallons per hour. I don't think there is a right answer on the amount of flow after reading hours and hours of posts on the topic. What I can say is a higher flow will work fine. If you read up on the Triton Method, which heavily relies on a macro algae filter, you will see they suggest 10x turnover through the refugium.
- My sump is a Triton design to better ensure the water will flow through the chaeto. Meaning, the overflow drains into the refugium and the water must travel over the baffle to leave the refugium chamber (not under). It's possible that if the water drains under the baffle and your chaeto is floating, some/most of the nutrients could bypass the chaeto. I'm wondering what your baffle design looks like?
- I use the H380 on a 12 hour cycle about 8-9 inches above the water. I choose this height to make sure the light would hit each side of the refugium at the water surface to get maximum coverage and intensity. I hear the chaeto will adapt to the light like corals so as some suggested, you could try different heights to see if that makes a difference.
- Trace elements are needed for health growing macroalgae including chaeto. I believe this was the key to getting mine to grow. What type of salt do you use? If your salt isn't replacing the right trace elements as Randy pointed out then you will need to dose them separately. Your ICP test results could help.
- GHA covered my chaeto during two attempts to grow it. I think it grows easier/faster and has fewer requirements on trace elements so it can easily overtake macroalgae. The second time I tried to get it going, I would spend time each week pulling out the GHA so it would not chock out the chaeto. With some persistence, the GHA eventually died back and the chaeto took off. Sometimes I think you need to help it out compete the GHA.
- Regarding the types of chaeto. I'm not expert, but I have 4 different types now. One is really thick, another is super thin like wire, one of the types grows in a tight mat like a brillo pad and another type seems to grow in long lines with no kinks. I will say all of it is durable and does not break up into smaller pieces when it's healthy.
- As mentioned, the full Zeovit Method is built around a bacteria filter system to achieve ULNS. While you might be OK for now if you have high nitrates, and phosphastes, it will likly out compete the chaeto so I would keep an eye on it. For what it's worth, I have undetectable nitrates, and phosphates now so I removed the ATS and GFO. Still zero/zero so I'm planning to reduce my light cycle and add more fish.
I hope this provides you with some thoughts on where you need to check and where you can skip... I feel your pain, I gave up for a while and went to an ATS out of frustration. After doing more research on the trace elements I gave it another try and BOOM, it took off.
Good luck!
- My refugium is part of my sump in does around 10x turn over so that's about 1,500 gallons per hour. I don't think there is a right answer on the amount of flow after reading hours and hours of posts on the topic. What I can say is a higher flow will work fine. If you read up on the Triton Method, which heavily relies on a macro algae filter, you will see they suggest 10x turnover through the refugium.
- My sump is a Triton design to better ensure the water will flow through the chaeto. Meaning, the overflow drains into the refugium and the water must travel over the baffle to leave the refugium chamber (not under). It's possible that if the water drains under the baffle and your chaeto is floating, some/most of the nutrients could bypass the chaeto. I'm wondering what your baffle design looks like?
- I use the H380 on a 12 hour cycle about 8-9 inches above the water. I choose this height to make sure the light would hit each side of the refugium at the water surface to get maximum coverage and intensity. I hear the chaeto will adapt to the light like corals so as some suggested, you could try different heights to see if that makes a difference.
- Trace elements are needed for health growing macroalgae including chaeto. I believe this was the key to getting mine to grow. What type of salt do you use? If your salt isn't replacing the right trace elements as Randy pointed out then you will need to dose them separately. Your ICP test results could help.
- GHA covered my chaeto during two attempts to grow it. I think it grows easier/faster and has fewer requirements on trace elements so it can easily overtake macroalgae. The second time I tried to get it going, I would spend time each week pulling out the GHA so it would not chock out the chaeto. With some persistence, the GHA eventually died back and the chaeto took off. Sometimes I think you need to help it out compete the GHA.
- Regarding the types of chaeto. I'm not expert, but I have 4 different types now. One is really thick, another is super thin like wire, one of the types grows in a tight mat like a brillo pad and another type seems to grow in long lines with no kinks. I will say all of it is durable and does not break up into smaller pieces when it's healthy.
- As mentioned, the full Zeovit Method is built around a bacteria filter system to achieve ULNS. While you might be OK for now if you have high nitrates, and phosphastes, it will likly out compete the chaeto so I would keep an eye on it. For what it's worth, I have undetectable nitrates, and phosphates now so I removed the ATS and GFO. Still zero/zero so I'm planning to reduce my light cycle and add more fish.
I hope this provides you with some thoughts on where you need to check and where you can skip... I feel your pain, I gave up for a while and went to an ATS out of frustration. After doing more research on the trace elements I gave it another try and BOOM, it took off.
Good luck!
