Chaeto Problems?

[jpc763]

I posted this in the reef forum, thought I would add a link here.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1709931

Any ideas?

Thanks,

 

[rehnberg]

I noticed mine kinda looking like yours. I think I wasn't thinning it out enough. I started to regularly take some out and it greened up quickly.

 

[Dave & Monica]

Same here - when I get floatin foam/ algea growth - I rip off a section, shake it to get the pods out, then trash it. I use to feed to my tangs but it's messy.

 

[phillipj2]

Possible you might want to add more flow to your fuge so the algea cant settle.

 

[jpc763]

Thanks everyone. I was at Stugray's a month or so ago and his Chaeto looked great. Just was wondering why mine looked so lousy. It appears that I am not managing it well.

BTW, I did put a powerhead in there when I started getting foam.

 

[stugray]

If you get down to Longmont in the near future, I'll give you a big chunk.

I need to get rid of some soon.

Oh, and mine doesnt tumble at all & I dont turn it but about once a month.

I also just switched recently from 36W PC to using ~15 Watts of CREE white LEDS for my fuge light. It is working great. The Cheato & Caulerpa are both growing and the nuisance algae is going away because I can point the LEDs right on the Macro algae instead of lighting the entire sump.

Stu

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

John,
Looks like you have some cyano in there, actually it looks exactly like the chaeto in the fuge of my 72 which has extremely low flow (hence the reason for the cyano). Like suggested increase the flow and it will perk back up. Starting over while incorporating the suggested changes is a good option as well.

 

[zombiereef]

looks like cyano to me too. cyano can be triggered by many things. stirring up your sand can cause that too. cheato doesnt "need" to be rotated to be clean and healthy. mine never gets rotated except when i trim it. i have medium flow through my fuge. Get your mag level up above 1300, get some new cheato and give it some time. time and stability will cure cyanobacteria.

 

[jonthefb]

Yes and do make sure that you prune it back very regularly. The amount that you prune is relative to the speed of growth. If your algae grows to capacity in your sump, it is going to slow down with regards to nutrient export. You want to constantly keep it trimmed back so that it has plenty of space, and therefore will continue to fix nitrates/phosphates.

I agree with the above statements regarding rotation/water flow. You shouldnt need to add a powerhead. Even if you have cyano growing in your sump, if you can keep it in your sump, it is beneficial as it too will be siphoning out nutrients from your water column.
Cheers~!
Jon

 

[68RUSTANG]

So what does everyone use to light their fuge?

Stu:

"I also just switched recently from 36W PC to using ~15 Watts of CREE white LEDS for my fuge light. It is working great. The Cheato & Caulerpa are both growing and the nuisance algae is going away because I can point the LEDs right on the Macro algae instead of lighting the entire sump."


Where did you get this light from?

Really wish we had more LED options for lighting our tanks.

 

[jpc763]

Thanks everyone! Tons of great info as expected.

So what I have done wrong (up to now) is never prune my Chaeto. I have pulled small pieces out with my water changes, but not prune it.

Last time pulling it out I found an Asterna that was 1.5 inches around! Cool!

I will do that with this weekends water change.

My lights are 2 Home Depot 65K spotlights.

 

[stugray]

68RUSTANG,

I built the fuge light. Cost was ~$100 but should last YEARS without any bulb changes.

I also just finished building LED lights for the fish Display at a LFS.
They should be installed next week in Boulder.

Stu

 

[Tyronius]

Stu, how many LED's did you end up using for the display? What display? The one next to the counter or the big one as you walk to the back?

 

[zombiereef]

my fuge area is about 12x12x12 and i use a 23 watt (65w) CF daylight flood light from HD. works great and doesnt kill the electric bill.

 

[stugray]

Tyronius,

It is for the fish tank display.

The three level one with ~28 separate tanks.

That's one LED for each 8" tank & a couple for the larger ones on the bottom.

Stu