Chaetomorpha Trouble

[Turdfergie]

So I've got a bit of a problem with my Chaetomorpha in my sump. It seems to be dwindling. I'very got ito in a DIY 20L sump on my 75G tank. I have a 150W equivalent 6500K compact fluorescent bulb on it from about 10pm-9am. My DT lights are on from 10am-9pm. At first I thought my tank didn't have enough nutrients to support it, or any algae, but I still had quite a bit of microalgae in my DT and sump. And I use tap water, so I don't think I would lack enough nutrients for the algae. I used to keep my sump light on for 24hrs, until I realized that was bad in a few ways. I'mean a little worried that it fried my Chaetomorpha, but it's been about a month without any change.

I mostly want it to export phosphate from my system and as a nest for pods, in my fuge. My water seems to be fine, I'very got some alright growth on some Zoanthid polyps I have, and my other soft corals seem to be doing very well, so I don't think my water parameters are too off.

Anyone have any idea why it's gone from softball sized to tennis ball sized in a few weeks? It'seems been a month since I cut down the lighting period, but I still have red slime algae growing in my refugium too.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

You may need to help out your chaeto, by manually removing undesirable algae, so it can get ahead. Shrinking size reflects a lack of something it needs. Your good-for-corals parameters may be not so good for chaeto. It needs a bit of a bio load.

 

[HippieSmell]

Chaeto likes flow. How much do you have?

 

[Turdfergie]

It's in my refugium, so not a whole lot. What can I put in there to get a little more flow for it?

I will try and manually remove some of the other algae it give it less competition. I left my lights of all last night and a lot of the red slime is gone this morning.

 

[curtcherry]

How many fish do you have in your tank?

 

[Turdfergie]

I have 7. A Sleeper Banded Goby, White Belly Wrasse, Pygmy Angel, Purple Firefish, and three Anthias, I think they're are Carberryi Anthias. I also have a Sea Cucumber. I feed twice a day. a mix of formula one pellets and frozen mysis shrimp. I also put some omega one green seaweed in every so often for the angel.