chaeto won't grow

bglegs

Member
I'm using a clip on light with a cfl 6500k bulb and the ball of chaeto hasn't grown since december,but it hasn't shrunk either.I run the light 12 hours.ANY Ideas? Thanks ..
 
I'm using a clip on light with a cfl 6500k bulb and the ball of chaeto hasn't grown since december,but it hasn't shrunk either.I run the light 12 hours.ANY Ideas? Thanks ..
How many watts is the bulb equivalent to?
Where is the cheato? In sump or refugium?
How much flow does it get?
How old is your system?

If it is still green and doesn't smell bad you are probably OK as long as everything else is doing well.
 
Usually that means there are not enough nutrients available for it.
That is a good thing.
As long as it is not turning brown on you, [dumping nutrients back in the tank] all is good .
It also means you can up the feed for your corals .
Also a good thing !
 
When I first started my refugium, I had the cheato too deep in the water (top of the cheato 4" below the surface) and I didn't get any growth. I put it up on some egg crate until the ball got large enough to rest on the rock below it. It grows like crazy now. I flip the cheato ball over twice a week, which helps also. When you do trim it (I just pull it apart with my hands), it is a good idea to spread out the remaining cheato, it tends to get so tightly pack together the insides do not get enough light.
 
You can try increasing the light to 16hrs on and 8 off. Make sure you have a little flow where ever the cheato is housed. Youre using the best bulb for the job in my opinion. It should grow. I run my light for 16 hrs on and I have to take a basketball size piece out every 2 weeks. Stuff grows faster then I can cut it.
 
Mine wasnt growing much with one of those 16w CFL. I upped the wattage to 26W and now it's growing like no tomorrow!
 
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