Chaeto growth

[Deep Reef]

120 DT
My parameters are:
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Calcium: 460
Magnesium: 1280
Ph: 8.2
Nitrate: 20
Alk: 9.3 dKH
Phosphate: 0.138
Temp: 78F

I have been trying to grow chaeto in my sump but it doesn't grow. I have had good luck using dragons breath. But I don't believe it pulls out enough nutrients.

In this photo of my sump the chaeto is rolling, and as you can see I have other algae growing on other things in my sump but the chaeto slowly dwindles in size. My light timer broke so the light is always on. Not sure if that is an issue.

I run a cup of GFO but I haven't changed it in over a month as I thought this might be pulling out too much causing the chaeto to die.

I perform a 40 gallon water change every other week.

That's about it.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.


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[Hyperion1337]

Once I removed my GFO, my chaeto exploded in growth.
Also good lighting helps. Theres an article on melev's reef about chaeto growth and how different light temperatures affect growth. It does make a difference when I tested it out.
Hope that helps.
also if you need more chaeto feel free to give me a heads up, I have tons and no one picks them up from me

 

[big-Ern]

I switched to led light couple years ago and charto exploded. I wasnt going to buy an expensive light to grow algae. Home dep has a small waterproof ish. Led for 35 bucks. Hardly gets warm, throws crazy amount of lightbfir power used.. highly recommend. 1st 1 lasted me just under 2 years. So cheap i threw away and bought another only to see waranty in new ones box. Think its 2 years so i could have got free replacement.

 

[rovster]

If its not growing likely you don't have enough nutrients. I notice that when my nutrients start running low my chaeto slows down almost to the point where it dies off. I use a home depot clamp light with a 100W 2700K spiral bulb.

 

[Deep Reef]

If its not growing likely you don't have enough nutrients. I notice that when my nutrients start running low my chaeto slows down almost to the point where it dies off. I use a home depot clamp light with a 100W 2700K spiral bulb.

I thought that might be the case, but my nitrates and phos are both high


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[mlivvy]

Do you have algae in the DT? And that's alot of growth around the sump. All of that could be consuming nutrients. Also make sure it's getting "dirty" water. I once had my reactors working before the fuge and my chaeto wouldn't grow. I replumbed it so that the fuge gets water straight from the tank and then it started to grow.

 

[rovster]

I thought that might be the case, but my nitrates and phos are both high


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Maybe try a different strain of chaeto? I've had to do that before...

 

[Bret61081]

I have a bunch if you need some. I had some a while back that all died off...I recently got some from Cheryl at Hydra and it grows like a weed. I use a home depot clip on with a 5100k LED flood light and it works great. low energy use and no heat. If you need some I need to thin it out before I go out of town for 2 weeks on Sat....I can meet u at Exotic Aquatic on Oakland Friday if you are free! let me know

 

[Manfredo]

Once I removed my GFO, my chaeto exploded in growth.
Also good lighting helps. Theres an article on melev's reef about chaeto growth and how different light temperatures affect growth. It does make a difference when I tested it out.
Hope that helps.
also if you need more chaeto feel free to give me a heads up, I have tons and no one picks them up from me

PM'd you. Any chance you have some Cheato that needs trimming? I'm looking to start using it in my sump.

 

[75mixedreef]

Remove all the hair algae you can especially in the sump then it should grow better. Light should also be closer if possible.

 

[Deep Reef]

Great comments thanks


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