Chaeto Is Melting

[Icewing726]

So I set up a refugium with an entire section for chaeto and stocked it with chaeto from a reputable LFS. It's melting though.... I mean the mushrooms are growing, the Zoas seem fine, green algae is starting to grow in the tank slowly, the brown diatoms are on their way out... What am I doing wrong? Do Turbo snails eat the chaeto? (I removed some from the tank after the brown algae subsided)

Using a Chaeto max light 24/7
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Phosphates register 0 on the API kit, not sure what they really are on a near 0 level
Nitrates were about 20


Tried dosing a little Iron 2 days ago and now they seem smaller then ever

Flow is whatever passes through the filtration on it's way to the return pump.

 

[Fourstars]

Needs phosphates Nitrates and iron to grow. I had the same issue when tank was new and nutrient poor.

 

[Icewing726]

I have seachem iron but i just used phosguard.

Should I dose Iron daily?

How should I fix the phosphate issue?

 

[Fourstars]

I dose iron once a week. Your nirates looks good. You could dose phosphates just be careful, or feed more. I would stop using phosguard. Do you have an algae issue in main tank?

 

[Icewing726]

I did, that initial brown bloom matted everything but its almost recovered. The phosguard was added less for phosphate and more to drop silicates, phosphates werent registering on the api test.

 

[Fourstars]

IF this is a new tank and your just now beating back diatoms i don't think I'd make many changes. Might have to just be happy growing hair algae in your refugium for now.

 

[on the spot]

So I set up a refugium with an entire section for chaeto and stocked it with chaeto from a reputable LFS...
Phosphates register 0
Nitrates were about 20


Tried dosing a little Iron.

I would not dose something you are not testing for - but for why it's not growing in general - when you say stocked what do you mean? It might be you just have more than you can support with your current nutrient load.

So I'd thin the chaeto, turn it over if it's not doing so in the flow, and cut the lights in the display tank.

HTH

 

[top shelf]

How long has the tank been set up? If your just getting rid of diatoms can't be more then a month that or so. That's usually the first thing to grow in a new tank. Being so new I wouldnt be adding anything like phosguard and would just let nature takes its course and work things out. I agree don't add anything your not testing for, if your chaeto isn't growing it's probably lack of nutrients like mentioned.

Slow down and relax, trying to rush things or cheat the system in such a new tank won't lead down a good path and can just cause more issues later on. What your experiencing is just part of a new tank and if you keep up with wc and don't over feed most will work it's self out

 

[Icewing726]

K, I guess I'll ignore the chaeto for now. I thought it would help with nitrates, didn't realize I shouldn't lead with it.

Anyway, I only added phosguard because my tank was solidly brown. I once wrote my name in it and in an hour it was gone. Anyway, the conchs I added are evading the wrasses and helping clean the sand so hopefully itll go soon. Anyway, even though theres a post phosguard resurgence of brown occuring I am seeing green as well. Hopefully purple is next?

Also, when should I add chaeto?

 

[rocsec1]

I had the same thing after I changed my lighting from 12 hours to 24/7. Once I returned the lighting to 12 hours it started growing again.

 

[top shelf]

K, I guess I'll ignore the chaeto for now. I thought it would help with nitrates, didn't realize I shouldn't lead with it.

Anyway, I only added phosguard because my tank was solidly brown. I once wrote my name in it and in an hour it was gone. Anyway, the conchs I added are evading the wrasses and helping clean the sand so hopefully itll go soon. Anyway, even though theres a post phosguard resurgence of brown occuring I am seeing green as well. Hopefully purple is next?

Also, when should I add chaeto?

Generally that's the direction things go. For the first few weeks you'll see the brown diatoms and eventually they burn themselves out. Following that most everything will turn green for a few months but will due diligence and proper husbandry that to should subside. After all that ugly once your tank starts to stabilize and mature coralline will finally get a foothold and start to spread. Then one of two things will happen, you will either love it or you will hate it and wish it didn't grow as you'll be constantly having to scrape the glass and clean it off equipment not to mention it will begin to suck up the main elements you want for the rest of your corals.

While we still don't know the age of your tank as it hasn't been provided chaeto can usually be added once wc aren't enough to keep po4 and no3 at acceptable levels. A good base line to aim for is a po4 of .03 and no3 of 5 or less. You don't want them 0 either though as they are both still good for corals.