Chaeto Dying?

[Wet Sleeve]

I have a 20G tied into my drain, so the refuge is getting "Dirty" water since it hits the fuge before the skimmer, then gravity feeds to the skimmer area. I've had kinda slow growth but it's been healthy and thriving..the tank is new (roughly 4 months) i've had unexplained Nitrates and Phosphate issues NO3 around 10PPM and PO4 around 0.25-0.50 which is quite high for a new tank with low livestock.

Only thing i've done differently is i used live sand and AF cement to build my rockscape which i'm starting to think releases phosphate, which they claim it won't.

I've recently started running ROWA phosphate to get them under control and now my Cheato appears to be melting.. it's essentially turning white.

Any idea's? i'm using a 20W Grow light for around 12 hrs a day, and it's certainty not starving..like i said i've had okay growth but not fast by any means.. flow is pretty slow.

i've also recently switched from Vibrant Sea salt to Red Sea Coral Pro.

 

[ClownNut]

I have a 20G tied into my drain, so the refuge is getting "Dirty" water since it hits the fuge before the skimmer, then gravity feeds to the skimmer area. I've had kinda slow growth but it's been healthy and thriving..the tank is new (roughly 4 months) i've had unexplained Nitrates and Phosphate issues NO3 around 10PPM and PO4 around 0.25-0.50 which is quite high for a new tank with low livestock.

Only thing i've done differently is i used live sand and AF cement to build my rockscape which i'm starting to think releases phosphate, which they claim it won't.

I've recently started running ROWA phosphate to get them under control and now my Cheato appears to be melting.. it's essentially turning white.

Any idea's? i'm using a 20W Grow light for around 12 hrs a day, and it's certainty not starving..like i said i've had okay growth but not fast by any means.. flow is pretty slow.

i've also recently switched from Vibrant Sea salt to Red Sea Coral Pro.

why you think the cement leaching instead of the rock leaching. the latter is more likely.
do 24/7 light for cheato and the more power you throw at the cheato the better they grow.

 

[Wet Sleeve]

why you think the cement leaching instead of the rock leaching. the latter is more likely.
do 24/7 light for cheato and the more power you throw at the cheato the better they grow.

started with dry dead rock. Roughly 90-100lbs of shelf rock in 135g display+ 20G fuge + 40G sump.

I'm just stumped why the Cheato would randomly start to die off, when plenty of nutrients are present and has light.. flow is extremely low though maybe 5-10gph..been thinking about adding a nano pump to get it slowly rotating.. however i think it might need a bit more light? it's slightly dim in the fuge.

 

[Wet Sleeve]

I should add, i don't have any algae issues at all, however some of my SPS obviously are not a fan of the Phosphate..i'm just stumped on why Cheato would be dying in what i would consider a good environment for it to thrive.

New systems are fun to put together however the growing pains to get the stability of a mature system are a pain!

 

[laverda]

Your phosphates are not high enough to cause a problem with SPS in my experience and may be low enough to be why your cheeto is dying. I know mine died way back when my levels got that low. Cheeto is happer with more flow.

 

[Wet Sleeve]

Your phosphates are not high enough to cause a problem with SPS in my experience and may be low enough to be why your cheeto is dying. I know mine died way back when my levels got that low. Cheeto is happer with more flow.

I'm questioning PO4 because i've had a Pink Pocilliopora bleach lately and Monti Cap's won't grow in my system. I also have a Montipora Confusa that is super happy after a WC however after 2 weeks around the next WC it starts to not get PE until i perform the WC, maybe nitrates? they fluctuate between 10-15PPM.

only real swings i've had is ALK i was running around 8.3-8.5 while using Vibrant Sea but now i'm keeping it stable at around 8.9.9.2 as Red Sea coral pro is much more concentrated and the system won't get big swings during WC.

Unsure what why the pink cat's paw is bleaching honestly, i have 1 green pocilliopora colony about the size of a baseball that ive had for two years thats not bothered at all, then again its maybe built up more tolerance over the years i've had it.

 

[OzIA]

How's the magnesium?

 

[Wet Sleeve]

How's the magnesium?

MG hang around 1250-1300.