Chaeto dying off. Will GFO & pellets cause this??

[chuckdallas]

Brief Recap:
Had an Algae Turf Scrubber that was too small for my setup for 3 months from Jan-Mar. Changed it out 7-8 weeks ago with a fuge and chaeto in the sump. I've also installed a new (6 week old) Solid Media Reactor with ECO-bak pellets from Warner Marine.

I have heard several threads here where NP Bio-pellets and/or Warner Marine ECO-bak pellets were great, but I've also heard several folks say the pellets were the cause of their LPS'es dying. I have a Wellso, an Echinata and a Lobo that are dying off and I can't figure out why, when the Ricordeas, Acans, Chalices and Zoas are all doing REALLY well.

Will the GFO and pellets keep the chaeto from growing? It's actually waning and the ball is smaller. My phos runs at 0.07 to 0.12 almost all of the time, so I think there's plenty of phos for the chaeto.

 

[djkms]

Lets take the test results out of the equation real quick.

Pellets add a carbon source which creates a "food source" for bacteria. The bacteria in turn strip out nitrate and phosphate from the water. Chaeto (any algae for that matter) requires nitrate and phosphate in order to live. Removing nitrate, phosphate (either one or both) is taking away the food source for the chaeto to live. There is absolutely no point in having chaeto if you are running a ULNS, your chaeto is starving. Bacteria is much more efficient at removing nutrients then algae.

 

[mos90]

+1^^^

the only time u may want to run cheato and pellets together is if your are way overstocked like my tank is. i run gfo,pellets and cheato to just to keep my phos at .02 and nitrates around 2.

if u are having problems with your sps corals while using pellets i would look at your alk levels. "Most" ulns guys will keep alk at 7-8. higher seems to cause problems.

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

What type of lighting are you using on your chaeto?

 

[chuckdallas]

I used to have 18 fish in my 120 gal tank, but I lost a Longnosed Hawkfish and took a Damsel out. I thought that was overstocked but how could my phos remain at 0.1 to 0.12 if I had chaeto & pellets? Also, if the chaeto is there and the pellets are 6-7 weeks in the reactor, why would I still have phos at 0.1 to 0.12? For the refugium, I'm using 2 X 5100K bulbs that are spiral compact fluorescents housed in a floodlight-type or PAR 38-type bulb.

 

[dublo8]

You could also dose iron if you wan't your chaeto to grow, but it really isn't necessary if you are running pellets and GFO. it's an extra little boost that will help but it may not survive due to the ULNS you are running. Either way iron does help but it's very easy to overdose so if you use it, use it sparingly.

 

[chuckdallas]

I just received a used dual canister Bulk Reef Supply reactor from a guy on RC, so I'm looking forward to inserting it this weekend, with at least some GAC.

On the local FMAS site in south Florida, a guy wrote that I should do another 20% water change and stop dosing the orange bottle of Phosphate Super Nuker from EcoReef (in Pompano Beach, FL). I have 2 bags of Rowaphos (1-2 weeks old) sitting passively next to the return pump. I had 2 other ones in the reactor with the ECO-bak pellets, but I removed those 2 about 4 days ago before I went on a business trip.

Because I have Sun Polyps, which I bought before I knew about the daily feeding reqs, I have to feed them daily. I spot feed and have been trying to keep the amount down, but I bought a large light orange piece (about as big as a hand) about 2 months ago and the polyps haven't ever come out. I have been feeding it at night and it has stayed orange, but now, a couple of the polyps are starting to show tissue recession and the white bony structure is being exposed. I won't ever buy Sun Polyps again.

What about the ECO-bak pellets in the NextReef Solid Media Reactor? Should I take that offline? People above are saying that the pellets will take the phosphates that the algae needs to grow and the bacteria in/on the pellets outcompetes the algae. I don't know how that could happen if the phos, as registered by the Hanna 736 meter, is showing phos readings of 0.10 to 0.12. I would think that the phos would be at or VERY near to zero if the algae and pellets were working. Can LPS'es survive and thrive in environments where the phos is maintained at 0.1?? I'm losing them. Now my Tracyphyllia is showing signs of recession. ALL four of the LPS'es are going downhill, even though the Ricordeas, the Acans, the Chalices, the Mushrooms and the Zoas are growing nicely.

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

I used to have 18 fish in my 120 gal tank, but I lost a Longnosed Hawkfish and took a Damsel out. I thought that was overstocked but how could my phos remain at 0.1 to 0.12 if I had chaeto & pellets? Also, if the chaeto is there and the pellets are 6-7 weeks in the reactor, why would I still have phos at 0.1 to 0.12? For the refugium, I'm using 2 X 5100K bulbs that are spiral compact fluorescents housed in a floodlight-type or PAR 38-type bulb.

What is the wattage equivalent of the 5100K CFLs?

 

[mos90]

phos at .01 shouldnt cause problems with lps's but i have heard of cases of pellets causing problems. but i have had no problems with either lps's or softies with pellets. but my phos is a little higher at .02.

the only thing i can suggest is take the pellets offline for a while, let phos rise some and see if they recover. maybe even remove the rowa for a while too.

you didnt mention if u have any sps corals. if u dont then .02 for phos may be a better # to shoot for. how are your nitrates? i always try to have some 1-5ppm.

 

[chuckdallas]

My phosphate is at 0.10 or one tenth of a ppm, not one one hundreth or 0.01. I got a free piece of acro from a guy who gave me a BTA about a month ago, so my goal was to get the phos down below 0.03 (a reading of 10 or less on a Hanna 736 Phosphorus meter). I'll check the nitrates tonight with my Red Sea Kit. The one piece of acro is doing okay, but I don't think it's growing. Since it was doing "okay" (not going completely white), I bought a frag of the blue tipped acro on 15 May and it lasted about two weeks. The frag may not have been light acclimated from what it had to my LED pendants and I placed it right at the top of my highest rock.

The wattage equivalent of the 5100K spiral CF bulbs housed in their own reflector (like a PAR 38 bulb) is 120 watts, I believe. I'll check them at lunch. I bought an extra one for when the first one goes out.

 

[mos90]

ohhh. my bad. acros will definately not like .1 for phos. i have a friend that has a 75g. i checked his phos and it was at .4. all his lps corals were doing bad. i would have to say with your phos at .1 it could be harming the lps's. not 100% sure though.

i would keep the gfo and pellets online. try to slowly lower phos. stop feeding corals, its only making things worse.