Too much algae in refugium?

[brendude313]

So my tank is about 4 months old. Been running the refugium since day one and just recently went to offsetting the light with the DT. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20 nitrate, I have chaeto and seachem matrix in there but there's so much algae and I feel like its outcompeting the chaeto. I tried to add some copepods to help eat the algae also but i think i need ALOT more. I just added a couple turbo snails and a emerald crab in there to help. Is this ok or is something wrong? DT looks great except for a tiny bit of algae on rocks.

 

[MERKEY]

Can you get the chaeto to tumble a bit which would help it grow faster?

 

[Lavey29]

Well it ain't pretty but if it's keeping your tank clean and exporting nit and phosphate who cares? I added some snails to help with nuisance algae there. My chaeto really exploded in growth when I switched to the Neptune gro light to. Chaeto needs trace elements so make sure to check your trace levels periodically with an ICP test. I also use chaeto gro twice a week for trace elements.

 

[brendude313]

Can you get the chaeto to tumble a bit which would help it grow faster?

I'm gonna try to put a small powerhead in there to tumble it. I got it all cleaned out and took the seachem matrix out and put some snails and an emerald crab in there. Im also gonna probably toss the chaeto I have and get two big bunches of it.

 

[brendude313]

Well it ain't pretty but if it's keeping your tank clean and exporting nit and phosphate who cares? I added some snails to help with nuisance algae there. My chaeto really exploded in growth when I switched to the Neptune gro light to. Chaeto needs trace elements so make sure to check your trace levels periodically with an ICP test. I also use chaeto gro twice a week for trace elements.

Cool I might give that light a go and see what happens. I cleaned the sump all out and im gonna toss the chaeto thats in there now and get two big bunches of it. I'll try that chaeto gro also. Im trying to just use a refugium for nutrient export for now and see how long I can go until I need a skimmer

 

[Lavey29]

Cool I might give that light a go and see what happens. I cleaned the sump all out and im gonna toss the chaeto thats in there now and get two big bunches of it. I'll try that chaeto gro also. Im trying to just use a refugium for nutrient export for now and see how long I can go until I need a skimmer

I have not seen significant reduction in nutrients from the fuge but it has stabilized my numbers better I believe. I like the fuge to balance PH overnight also. You only need to dose chaeto gro once or twice a week depending on water changes. I had a cheap 9w light on mine and chaeto did not grow. Switched to the neptune and it grows huge now.

 

[brendude313]

I have not seen significant reduction in nutrients from the fuge but it has stabilized my numbers better I believe. I like the fuge to balance PH overnight also. You only need to dose chaeto gro once or twice a week depending on water changes. I had a cheap 9w light on mine and chaeto did not grow. Switched to the neptune and it grows huge now.

Gotcha I do have a 75 watt grow light i got off of Amazon on there now. Maybe its just because other algae is suffocating the chaeto why it isn't growing? Let me know if you think this light is sufficient or not. My plan is to add a couple big bunches of chaeto and alot of copepods to help too.
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[Lavey29]

Gotcha I do have a 75 watt grow light i got off of Amazon on there now. Maybe its just because other algae is suffocating the chaeto why it isn't growing? Let me know if you think this light is sufficient or not. My plan is to add a couple big bunches of chaeto and alot of copepods to help too.
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Not familiar but a variety of lights from cheap to expensive seem to work. I found that you need the right height for the power of the light so you don't burn it. I like the neptune light because you can easily control the height and set it so you don't get light spill into other parts of the sump. This helps to minimize algae problems.

 

[Pistondog]

Gotcha I do have a 75 watt grow light i got off of Amazon on there now. Maybe its just because other algae is suffocating the chaeto why it isn't growing? Let me know if you think this light is sufficient or not. My plan is to add a couple big bunches of chaeto and alot of copepods to help too.
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Great Light choice!
Can't tell from the pic, but get the chaeto to the water surface to maximize par.

 

[brendude313]

Not familiar but a variety of lights from cheap to expensive seem to work. I found that you need the right height for the power of the light so you don't burn it. I like the neptune light because you can easily control the height and set it so you don't get light spill into other parts of the sump. This helps to minimize algae problems.

Oh right thats true. Im able to hang it up higher away from the chaeto which I might do and then put some paper or something on the sides so it'll focus the light. Just gotta experiment a little I suppose lol. Thank you for everything!

 

[vetteguy53081]

A large part of your problem is white lighting and yours is bright. Nutrients , organics and light is a food source for algae.
You want to use a red light and also assure some flow is available within fuge.

 

[brendude313]

Great Light choice!
Can't tell from the pic, but get the chaeto to the water surface to maximize par.

Awesome thanks glad to hear it. Theres so many different kinds its hard to choose.

 

[brendude313]

A large part of your problem is white lighting and yours is bright. Nutrients , organics and light is a food source for algae.
You want to use a red light and also assure some flow is available within fuge.

Should I try a lower power light maybe then? And should I turn up the return pump flow or should I get a small power head or something for the refugium?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should I try a lower power light maybe then? And should I turn up the return pump flow or should I get a small power head or something for the refugium?

reducing light intensity or hours of light always helps

 

[brendude313]

reducing light intensity or hours of light always helps

I do have it offset to the DT. The refugium light is on for 14 hours.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I do have it offset to the DT. The refugium light is on for 14 hours.

6-8 sufficient or under red , 8-10 hrs

 

[brendude313]

6-8 sufficient or under red , 8-10 hrs

Gotcha ill turn it down a bit and see if that helps. What are your thoughts on this light also? I've seen it tossed around here a couple times.
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