My Refugium is Disappointing

[Suneru]

My tank has only been running for a little over two months. At first the chaeto took off. Then spots started turning white so I raised my kestrel 380 to about 16inches off the sump. Slowly it’s shrunk down and there’s almost nothing left.

what can I do to make this refugium work?
nitrates at 17 and phosphate at .2. And it’s a Reef Synergy Triton style sump.

 

[Miami Reef]

Have you ever done an ICP test to see your trace element levels?

 

[happyhourzhao]

When I ran into my refugium issue(couldn't grow, tried chaeto-max), fixed it by keeping the light on a few hours longer during night time.

 

[Suneru]

I haven’t done ICP test, but I keep meaning to get one done. I’ve been doing biweekly 20% water changes.

I don’t think light is an issue. The chaeto I have turns white.

 

[Miami Reef]

I haven’t done ICP test, but I keep meaning to get one done. I’ve been doing biweekly 20% water changes.

I don’t think light is an issue. The chaeto I have turns white.

I did 3 15% water changes for 3 days in a row then I sent out an ICP. All the essential trace elements for algae were 0! Zinc, iron and many more.

I dose a product called cheato gro which is one product that has all the algae trace elements and I’m seeing all my greealgae come back.

IMO I would get an ICP test done.

FIY: This is my personal experience. I do not have stock in cheato gro.

 

[Bars]

I've never had any luck with chaeto. Caulerpa works great for me though. Might want to give that a try.

 

[X-37B]

2 month old tank = no nutrients.
To many water changes reduces them even more.
I would remove the chaeto for now and wait until the tank matures.
The chaeto grew and sucked out whatever low nutrients you had, imo.