Cheato dying, turning into mush

[Bobbofin]

I've tried everthing to keep chaeto: add iron, more flow, lighting cycle. It's just melts and turns into mush. Maybe I don't have enough nutrients to be removed to feed it? I've given up and gonna do away with the fuge because the tank looks great without it. Anyone have similair experiences?

 

[Bruno]

My chaeto is bright green but won't grow an inch

 

[jackthestrat]

I've tried everthing to keep chaeto: add iron, more flow, lighting cycle. It's just melts and turns into mush. Maybe I don't have enough nutrients to be removed to feed it? I've given up and gonna do away with the fuge because the tank looks great without it. Anyone have similair experiences?

It's just another tool to eat up nutrients, if your tank runs naturally low enough in nitrates/phosphates that it cant sustain macroalgae then there's really no need.

M

 

[wilfx]

I have the same problem. I have algae growing in my DT. I have about a 12 gal fuge with chaeto and one of the Home Depot lights. I even went out and bought that big Home Depot light. The one that is supposed to light your whole yard. That has been running about 1 week 24/7. The chaeto is green but just sitting there. until I set up this light the chaeto ball just kept getting smaller and smaller. Not mushy, the strands just keep breaking into little bits.
With all the algae in my tank and a reading of 10-20 on Nitrates, you would think the chaeto would grow like a weed.

 

[stingythingy45]

Mine grows just fine and there's a lot of folks that have some when I trim back.
I wouldn't run a light 24/7 over chaeto.Should just be about 10-12 hrs on a reverse timer from the tank.Another thing I've noticed is that my flow through the fug is only about 30 GPH.I also keep that fug covered 24/7 with an AGA glass top.

 

[wilfx]

I ran it 24/7 hoping to get it to come back to life. Now that it is starting to, I will cut back the light.

 

[stingythingy45]

I ran it 24/7 hoping to get it to come back to life. Now that it is starting to, I will cut back the light.

Yeah,I'd cut it back and give it some more darkness.
Sometimes I wonder if the secret isn't to keep the fug covered.

 

[frank180reef]

covered?

 

[stingythingy45]

covered?

Yeah,I keep a cover over the refugium.I think it helps as the exposed chaeto that sicks up above the water line still has humidity.I also think that CO2 may build under the cover to help aid in growing.Here's my set up,in a nut shell.

 

[frank180reef]

nice,mine doesnt grow either,


although i did the vinegar for nitrates, my phos is .12.......
all my cheato is submerged

 

[stingythingy45]

nice,mine doesnt grow either,


although i did the vinegar for nitrates, my phos is .12.......
all my cheato is submerged

Mine grows so fast that sometimes it grows out of the water.
I roll it over by hand every week so the underside can get light.

 

[number1gsxxr]

I have red hair looking algae growing all over my cheato. I think my fuge light is due for a replacement.

 

[stingythingy45]

I have red hair looking algae growing all over my cheato. I think my fuge light is due for a replacement.

Interesting,how old is the light?
Mine has hundred of mini-feather dusters all wrapped up in it.

 

[number1gsxxr]

Here's a pic of my cheato with the red algae growing in it. Looks like I also need to zap an aiptasia with some joe's juice. I think my light is about a year old.

 

[Rone]

although i did the vinegar for nitrates

Frank can you help me out here on this? As you know I've been fighting Nitrates from the start.

 

[cilyjr]

number1gsxxr...the red algae might be Gracilaria sp.

 

[dcforester1]

I got a bunch of cheato from Afboundguy @ BRASS, and it didnt grow. I changed lights, and about a week later it all died, except for a tiny pc the size of a superball. I put the orig light back, and took out the dead stuff, and now its growing. My No3 is @10. I dont know if it helps, but I let it do its thing.

 

[deb b]

what are you running for a light..plant growth requires a light spectrum of around 6700k...

I also had a hard time growing cheato until I changed the light...no problems anymore..

 

[stingythingy45]

I had a ball of chaeto the size of a baseball in my qt tank.Problem is,I shut that down for about 3 weeks.No light,heat or circulation.Well,the ball stayed green and looked healthy.I figured it was dead, but still green, but tried it in my refugium anyways.It's in there growing and you can't tell the difference from the stuff that was there and the one from the qt.
Go figure......

 

[stingythingy45]

what are you running for a light..plant growth requires a light spectrum of around 6700k...

I also had a hard time growing cheato until I changed the light...no problems anymore..

I had a 6500K spiral fluorescent flood light and went to the 6700k.