Brittle Cheato???

[Rhinecanthus]

Why oh why cant I keep my chaeto ball healthy??

Specs:

15g sump/fuge
5700K 24w compact flourescent running 16hrs/day off cycle of main lights
Chaeto in 2nd chamber of sump preceded by a protein skimmer
Flow comes over the top and well as from under the cheato...gets a nice all-around flow


In a matter of weeks the ball of cheato darkens and becomes very brittle.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Not enough nutrients?
Too many nutrients?

Tank is lightly stocked.

pH 8.2
Temp 78-80.5
All params are appropriate

Can anyone suggest a DIFFERENT macroalgae?

I can leave the fuge light on 24/7 if need be...everything is on timers.

Thanks!

 

[Rhinecanthus]

Just as a note...the cheato ball seems to grow nicely and double in size for a few weeks...I dont think anything has changed since it began to go bad.

Why does this happen?

Thx

 

[graveyardworm]

Can you post some water parameters? I'm guessing low nutrients.

 

[bluenassarius]

is the chaeto really thin like vermicelli?

 

[Rhinecanthus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7272797#post7272797 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
Can you post some water parameters? I'm guessing low nutrients.

Well, nitrates and nitrites as well as ammonia usually hang around 0. Phosphates as well.

Low nutrients is exactly what I want in the tank...just not so low that my chaeto dies.

 

[Rhinecanthus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7272904#post7272904 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluenassarius
is the chaeto really thin like vermicelli?

I suppose so. Not sure what you mean...I know it chaeto if thats what you mean.

 

[bluenassarius]

i've seen the really thin vermicelli type of chaeto... then theres the really thick like spaghetti strand chaeto. which one do you have?

 

[Rhinecanthus]

Thin

 

[bluenassarius]

i had that same prob... i ended up ditching the thin stuff...