Biocube 32 InTank fuge chaeto turning white

[QuinnLee512]

I have both the Intank media basket and fuge. I have the protein skimmer in 1st compartment. I still have the sponge between compartment 2 and 3 in. I have a JBJ Nano refugium light. I have 2 marinepure 2" blocks on the bottom and chaeto from algaebarn above that. I poured copepods from algaebarn into the fuge compartment. My tank is still empty. It completed the cycle a few weeks ago. I've only had the chaeto in for a few days but it's turning white. I'm getting chaetogro to feed it. Just didn't think that it would turn white so fast. Is my fuge setup correct?

 

[attiland]

The tank is too new for chaeto. It has nothing to “eat”. Needs nitrate + phosphate + iron together with efficient lighting.

I would not try to add it till you have 5-15 ppm nitrate and 0.05+ppm ppm phosphate.

 

[New&no clue]

I agree with above that chaeto needs something to eat. How long are your lights on for. When I put chaeto in a new tank with low nitrates I only have the lights on for a couple hours.

 

[QuinnLee512]

Is Chaetogro not enough to feed it? I have been leaving the light on 24/7. I guess I will need to put it on a schedule.

 

[attiland]

Is Chaetogro not enough to feed it? I have been leaving the light on 24/7. I guess I will need to put it on a schedule.

Chaetogrow has all elements but nitrate and phosphate. You can dose it manually as you need to add it every 2-3 days only.
light will need a timer so get one. Setting the photoperiod will tune how much nitrate/phosphate will be taken out of the system. You don’t want either to go 0.

 

[QuinnLee512]

Chaetogrow has all elements but nitrate and phosphate. You can dose it manually as you need to add it every 2-3 days only.
light will need a timer so get one. Setting the photoperiod will tune how much nitrate/phosphate will be taken out of the system. You don’t want either to go 0.

Should I dose some ammonium chloride? I was actually wondering about this before. My fish and corals are in quarantine. I don't plan on putting anything in my tank for at least another 30 days. Doesn't the beneficial bacteria need ammonia and nitrite?

 

[attiland]

Should I dose some ammonium chloride? I was actually wondering about this before. My fish and corals are in quarantine. I don't plan on putting anything in my tank for at least another 30 days. Doesn't the beneficial bacteria need ammonia and nitrite?

Careful with ammonia dosing but scan be done. The question will be phosphate wit that approach. Maybe ghost feeding is better in this case