Chaeto - how to get it to grow?

[gregm11]

I have a 55gallon sump/rufgium. Full of live rock, sand, leathers, and a huge mat of green star polyps. I have algea that grows over the over flow walls of the refugium and that floats out over the main holding area. I have a regular cheap bulb with one of those metal reflectors like you can buy at the hardware store, the round kind. Everything else grows fine, even coraline, its all over the walls, everything. I buy clumps of Chaeto over the years and it never takes off, I dont understand why. My tank is probably 4 years old, very stable, I only do water changes maybe once or twice a year, top off with RO, and dose iodine, essential elements and of course calcium/buffer.

38 gallon display > 55 gallon sump

Any idea's?

 

[mcgyvr]

most of us have had great luck with 5500K 16W CFL bulbs from home depot/lowes. They are about $10-15
mine grows like CRAZY with that.

 

[skeeter_ca]

If you are using an incandesent bulb that may be your problem. I believe they run somewhere in the area of 3400kelvin. Way to low to grow Chaeto well. You should be able to buy a compact flourecent(about 65watts, equal to 500watts incandesent) for the big box stores with a kelvin of 6500.

Here is the one i use.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25e...&langId=-1&keyword=flood+lights&storeId=10051

skeeter

 

[dg3147]

Some people add Iron to get macro to grow better.

 

[Danny_B]

skeeter is right about one thing...no incandescent lights....not because they aren't the right spectrum its because they don't put off enough light for the amount of heat they generate. I run a 2700k 23w (100w equivealant) Ive given so much chaeto away... I've notced chaeto loves phophates...I change my gfo, and my chaeto is slooooooow to grown... nothing else changed.


Why are you trying to grow chaeto? If you have no nutrients ,...no reason for chaeto

 

[swcc]

the lighs are important.... but... why grow cheato if your tank is stabile as it sits. you got the recipe for sucess so do not mess with it imo.

 

[schatzi]

skeeter is right about one thing...no incandescent lights....not because they aren't the right spectrum its because they don't put off enough light for the amount of heat they generate. I run a 2700k 23w (100w equivealant) .....

+1

 

[Ron Reefman]

Have you tested for nitrates and phosphates? Maybe lights isn't your problem and food for the algae is. I have chaeto in my refugium and red leafy macro algae in my anemone tank. Both grow, but very, very slowly. And I test out nitrates at zero for 18 months now.