trying to grow cheato algae

[Fastf1-chuck]

I've started a new tank and using the core 7 system so I've put cheato algae in the sump with the kessil 380h light my cheato is growing but there is also hair algae growing even faster and I was wondering if this is normal as there is no algae growing in my main tank or should I be removing it?

 

[Monkeytank]

Do you have the light on the extreme purple setting? That could help. I would remove the hair algae. I was using the 380H until I knocked it into my sump by accident and didn't notice it. Dohh! When I started using a backup light, I noticed hair algae showing up.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I noticed the same thing when I added a fuge with the H380. In my case, my fuge is a 20 gallon rubbermaid barrel, so large by typical standards. Right after adding the fuge, the barrel walls became covered with GHA, and the nutrients dropped fast. I added some turbos snails to my fuge to help "recycle" the GHA and let my chaeto catch up and overtake the GHA. The walls of the barrel are ow GHA free, with just coralline and film algae (with alot of snail tooth marks in the film algae).

As long as your chaeto is not becoming covered in GHA itself, the chaeto will probably win out over the GHA in the long run. Remember to keep your iron levels up. I dose and iron supplement every day and find that it really helps to the macro algae growing. Just noticed that you are using Triton, the core 7 should be taking care of your iron levels, but for non-Triton posters, the suggestion of dosing iron still applies.

Dennis

 

[Fastf1-chuck]

thanks guys I did have my light on grow but will change it to bloom and add some snails thanks again

 

[BigJohnny]

I've started a new tank and using the core 7 system so I've put cheato algae in the sump with the kessil 380h light my cheato is growing but there is also hair algae growing even faster and I was wondering if this is normal as there is no algae growing in my main tank or should I be removing it?

You need at least 10% system volume refugium FILLED with macro or else the elevated levels of algae growing ingredients in core 7 triton method will grow other algae in and outside of your fuge. The triton core7 other methods is the exact same thing but with less of the algae growing components and can be a great way to reduce those issues until you have a large and full established fuge.

Triton reps or Joe from Unique corals (also affiliated with triton) will recommend you switch to that at least temporarily if you are having issues. You can try to ride it out until your fuge is more demanding if that's not an option, just keep removing the undesirable algae so that the macro in your fuge can grow and become dominant.

Another option I just thought of is you can use kalkwasser or basic two part to dose 50% of your dosing and only use the triton for the other 50% until your fuge establishes. This would of course require another dosing pump though.

 

[BigJohnny]

thanks guys I did have my light on grow but will change it to bloom and add some snails thanks again

The extreme purple setting he's talking about is the grow setting, the bloom is magenta, you don't want that. Keep it on the grow setting.

 

[BigJohnny]

You need at least 10% system volume refugium FILLED with macro or else the elevated levels of algae growing ingredients in core 7 triton method will grow other algae in and outside of your fuge. The triton core7 other methods is the exact same thing but with less of the algae growing components and can be a great way to reduce those issues until you have a large and full established fuge.

Triton reps or Joe from Unique corals (also affiliated with triton) will recommend you switch to that at least temporarily if you are having issues. You can try to ride it out until your fuge is more demanding if that's not an option, just keep removing the undesirable algae so that the macro in your fuge can grow and become dominant.

Another option I just thought of is you can use kalkwasser or basic two part to dose 50% of your dosing and only use the triton for the other 50% until your fuge establishes. This would of course require another dosing pump though.

I'm sorry I just read that the hair algae is only growing in your fuge, in that case just manually remove it until your chaeto fills in and out competes. No need to do anything else. My recommendation was based on algae growing in the display too.