Cannot get my chaeto to grow for the life of me!

[Dendromad]

mine does well with just a 7w phillips LED spot bulb, usually triples in about 2 weeks. I have it come on overnight when the tank lights go off and off when they come on.

[Northern Reefer]

Double in two months? I can double in 3 days. The idea of cheato is to have it grow as fast as possible. That's what uses all the nitrates in your system. If you want to see change in nitrates and increase in pH... get a good light.

[Galizio]

Forgot to mention, my No3 are at 5 & Po4 0.04-0.06.
I think the grow of chaeto depends from flow, light and nutrients not just one of them...
Just my opinion.
If all depends by the light then go for it... I think higher the nutrients and faster is the growth, every thank is different so reading the OP value have to think his chaeto will not grow fast...


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[Bugger]

It might just be dead, Is it deeper green like a forest green color. if it is then its dead

[DKoKoMan]

Originally Posted by JamRobo

Are you using vibrant by chance?

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Not using Vibrant, only dosing NOPO-X.

Originally Posted by Northern Reefer

I have this light in my refugium and I can't keep up with the harvest. Its a great piece of equipment.

I have considered this light in the past but it seems to be rather large. If all else fails I will probably pick one up when it's not on back order.

Originally Posted by Animal-Chin

I too am going lighting. A normal bulb didn't do it for me, I had an extra black box LED where only the white side works and I used that and now I cut off a large bowl full a week. It likes light for sure...

hmm definitely haven't had anything close to needing to remove chaeto.

[DKoKoMan]

Originally Posted by Tyfighter

I would try removing the foz down and replacing the light with a grow bulb.
I started off using a par 30 led spotlight and it grew ok but I switched to a 50w grow led from Amazon and the stuff grows like crazy. All I have for flow is the water running through my sump so I don't thing that is your problem.
Also fluconazole treatments always kills my chaeto so if you have using it that may also be the problem.

I will discontinue the Foz Down and ordered a replacement bulb which is designed as a grow bulb. Do you think I can remove the maxijet from the live rock and chaeto compartment?

Originally Posted by Millepora_Maniac

Flow is not an issue, you don't need lots of flow. Just need water to pass through the mass.

I used a compact fluorescent clamp light myself, it worked fine. It looks like you have measurable nitrates and phosphates, so it should be growing.
Maybe try changing the bulb in that clamp light to something more plant spectrum (6500 k) Seems a little overkill to buy an expensive LED system just for chaeto. That little light should work.

Good luck dude!

Thanks for the advice. I thought the flow through the baffles to the return (fuge is in the Center) would be suffice for growth. I definitely am trying the grow bulb before purchasing an expensive led fixture.

Originally Posted by Galizio

I had never had problem growing chaeto with a simple clamp light and an led light from store, sure grow slower than if you use a grow light, but still growing. Let say double the size, in a 2 months period.
For me was most dealing with the flow, I find out in my case that more flow was better, but that just my experience...


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what are you using for flow besides the overflow and return pump?

[Galizio]

[quote=DKoKoMan;1018131][color="Red"] Not using Vibrant, only dosing NOPO-X.

That's probably what is killing the chaeto,


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[DKoKoMan]

Originally Posted by Galizio

Forgot to mention, my No3 are at 5 & Po4 0.04-0.06.
I think the grow of chaeto depends from flow, light and nutrients not just one of them...
Just my opinion.
If all depends by the light then go for it... I think higher the nutrients and faster is the growth, every thank is different so reading the OP value have to think his chaeto will not grow fast...


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I started using Foz Down as my PO4 went as high as 0.16ppm and no growth at all on the chaeto.

Originally Posted by Bugger

It might just be dead, Is it deeper green like a forest green color. if it is then its dead

it is definitely not dark green, doesn't feel as stiff as it used to and has now become more of a mat rather than a ball.

[Galizio]

COLOR="red"]what are you using for flow besides the overflow and return pump?[/color][/quote]



In the past used those cpr job refugium with just a maxi jet, now just have the water from the sump running thru, also when had a biocube had the chaeto just in a silicone soap older in thank and had success with all of them


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[DKoKoMan]

Originally Posted by Galizio

COLOR="red"]what are you using for flow besides the overflow and return pump?[/color]

In the past used those cpr job refugium with just a maxi jet, now just have the water from the sump running thru, also when had a biocube had the chaeto just in a silicone soap older in thank and had success with all of them


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Ok cool, I will probably pull the pump out as it hasn't made a difference in chaeto growth.