Dissolving chaeto. Too much or not enough?

[tiomm]

I recently got some chaeto in my newly established refugium.

It's about 12x12x12 inches and is lit by a 50w LED light E27 socket. The light is about 2 inches above the water level (chaeto is on the bottom inch of the refugium).

My chaeto is now a week later turning white and dissolving and I don't know what I am doing wrong.

I've had the refugium lit about 12 hours a day on a reversed cycle.

The turnover is about 5xtank volume/h. Tank is about 75 gallons.

Parameters :
15 nitrate
0.03 phosphates
8.0 alk
440 ca
1370 magnesium

Help?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I recently got some chaeto in my newly established refugium.

It's about 12x12x12 inches and is lit by a 50w LED light E27 socket. The light is about 2 inches above the water level (chaeto is on the bottom inch of the refugium).

My chaeto is now a week later turning white and dissolving and I don't know what I am doing wrong.

I've had the refugium lit about 12 hours a day on a reversed cycle.

The turnover is about 5xtank volume/h. Tank is about 75 gallons.

Parameters :
15 nitrate
0.03 phosphates
8.0 alk
440 ca
1370 magnesium

Help?

Could be over lit. Reduce your lighting period and raise your light up some. Around 6 hrs for awhile. Remove the dead chaetomorpha. May try dosing some elements and a little iron.

 

[cracker]

I was about to say low nutrients but looks like You have plenty.

 

[lapin]

Besides the above comments. It could be low iron. How often do you do water changes? Chaeto can turn white and die if it does not tumble in the fuge. Are all sides getting the light?

 

[Dan_P]

Water motion is usually overlooked or overestimated. Algae need vigorous water movement.

What is the lumen output of the bulb? I have two 1000 lumen LED spotlights 12 inches above a large patch of Caulerpa and it grows well.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Besides the above comments. It could be low iron. How often do you do water changes? Chaeto can turn white and die if it does not tumble in the fuge. Are all sides getting the light?

Respectfully, chaetomorpha doesn't need to be tumbled. It does need to be rotated periodically to insure proper growth. If the light source is of proper spectrum range of 400nm-600nm, has a 8-10 hrs photoperiod with a period of darkness and available nutrients, it should grow.

Not harvesting from time to time will slow it's growth and is dependent on what I stated above.

 

[lapin]

Respectfully, chaetomorpha doesn't need to be tumbled. It does need to be rotated periodically to insure proper growth.

hahhahaha
I must watch my wording. Tumbling is my lazy way of rotating it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Too much light imo.

 

[tiomm]

Besides the above comments. It could be low iron. How often do you do water changes? Chaeto can turn white and die if it does not tumble in the fuge. Are all sides getting the light?

I dose Red Sea Coral Colors (Iron amongst other elements) so it should not be the issue. I also do regular water changes with Aquaforest Reef Salt which has 0.15 ppm iron if I'm not mistaken.

Taking it from the comments it seems like I'm overdoing it on lighting, which was one of my concerns.

 

[tiomm]

Respectfully, chaetomorpha doesn't need to be tumbled. It does need to be rotated periodically to insure proper growth. If the light source is of proper spectrum range of 400nm-600nm, has a 8-10 hrs photoperiod with a period of darkness and available nutrients, it should grow.

Not harvesting from time to time will slow it's growth and is dependent on what I stated above.

The chaeto is not tumbling, however I'm turning it over every other day or so.

 

[cracker]

I don't know Flipper every time I see a BRS video their chato is rolling perfectly !
We all know they know everything ! LOL

 

[tiomm]

Thanks for the input, guys.

I have temporarily switched over to a Aquael Plant 6w LED i had laying around.

Hopefully it will do alright (?) until I get a light better suited for my application.

 

[dkevink]

I have had the same thing happen in my refugium a couple of times. Usually my cheato stops tumbling and I forget to turn it over or clean circulation pump in sump. Seems to look like sunburn. I use the same type of grow lights (26 watts), 2 of them over a large refugium . I agree that 2 inches was probably too close. Once it turns white, I can’t seem to get it growing well again. Chaeto also needs good water circulation I think.

 

[ShadowR55]

I had the same problem and it was an Iron and too much light problem, either move the light up or reduce the light period.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

Respectfully, chaetomorpha doesn't need to be tumbled. It does need to be rotated periodically to insure proper growth. If the light source is of proper spectrum range of 400nm-600nm, has a 8-10 hrs photoperiod with a period of darkness and available nutrients, it should grow.

Not harvesting from time to time will slow it's growth and is dependent on what I stated above.

Agreed. Chaeto does not need to be tumbled.


I would agree with the group here, reduce the lighting intensity (move the light farther up). I do have some other questions:

• What type of photoperiod are the giving the chaeto?
• Are you running NOPOX or carbon dosing?
• GFO?
• How many watts are you running over your display tank?
• Can you post some photos of your refugium?
• How many fish do you have in your display tank?
• Do you have a lot of nuisance algae in your display tank?
  
• Dosing iron can help (Randy has a good paper on this) https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/chemistry (I would try this last)

 

[Scotty Buttons]

I use 2 lights that are very similar to the original lights you posted and my cheato grows great. I have my lights mounted about 12 inches above the water surface.