Can't get chaeto to grow. Do high Alk or Mg play a role?

Mono

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I've tried just about everything:

Increased flow with a powerhead
2 different spectrum grown lights
Kent Iron, Mn and K
Seachem Iodide
12 hr photo period

And still it gets brittle, turns whitish and starts to break up/disintegrate.

does anyone notice if high Alk or Mg levels might play a role?

I've been running Alk around 9 dkh and Mg around 1500.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.
 

BayouReefer

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I had the same problem. I could not get it to grow. I bought an algae scrubber and now it grows a ton of hair algae so that was my fix.
 

ArmyReefer

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I've tried just about everything:

Increased flow with a powerhead
2 different spectrum grown lights
Kent Iron, Mn and K
Seachem Iodide
12 hr photo period

And still it gets brittle, turns whitish and starts to break up/disintegrate.

does anyone notice if high Alk or Mg levels might play a role?

I've been running Alk around 9 dkh and Mg around 1500.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.
What are you nitrates and phosphates? I was having that same issue until I brought my levels up some. Now my tank stays at 5 nitrates no matter what I do, and chaeto is growing like crazy.
 

Zero1091

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I run 8.5 alk and 1500 mag and mine grows just fine.
Although, I did notice that once my chaeto started to turn white when my phosphates bottomed out. Started with a new batch and it began growing again, the old stuff kept dying still but the new stuff stayed alive and grew.
 

RedSea500MaxS

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I built a 8”x8”x12” box from egg crate, with sides and floor to keep chaeto off glass, routed return line under it to keep flow, then use a $20 pink grow light from Home Depot on adjustable mount arm. I added chaeto plus sea grapes and red glaceria and POW....I can give away a gallon a month and refuge would still be full.

It can’t lay on glass, needs good flow and a bright grow lite.
 
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Mono

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I will post a picture of my "contraption." It's fantastic but it just doesn't grow chaeto.

I have a heavily stocked tank, too heavy. And I feed pretty regularly. There is definitely enough nitrates and phosphates. I should be able to grow tobacco.

I have a black rubbermaid slimjim, 23g. I have a syphon directly from the tank into the slimjim which then overflows into the sump. In the slimjim I built a stand out of PVC and eggcrate so the the overflow goes directly to the bottom and empties under the pvc/eggcrate stand. On top of the eggcrate I have bags of rubble. So the water starts in the display, goes to the bottom of the "contraption", travels up through the rubble and overflows into the sump through a bulkhead. On top of the rubble I have a powerhead which also draws water from the bottom of the "contraption" and circulates it around the top with my chaeto. Really, it's like an old-fashioned plenum set up. I have tried every friggin' light I can find. Right now I have two LED grow lights each pulling 50 watts (measured with kill-a-watt) one magenta, one white. It's like a chaeto mansion BUT THE dang STUFF WON'T GROW!!!!

I have everything but acro's in my tank - anemones, every monti you can name, elegance, 3 clams, zoa's. paly's, my favorite mandarin (love the little gal. really built the "contraption" for her to increase my pod population), several variety of birdsnest's, just added a space invader frag from Cultivated Reef (very satisfied with the vendor if you are looking, everything came clean and neat and super well packaged. pieces exceeded expectations.) Everything is growing and doing fine.

BUT I CAN'T GROW CHAETO OR ULVA!

How can I add acro's if I can't grow algae???
 
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Mono

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I run 8.5 alk and 1500 mag and mine grows just fine.
Although, I did notice that once my chaeto started to turn white when my phosphates bottomed out. Started with a new batch and it began growing again, the old stuff kept dying still but the new stuff stayed alive and grew.

Thanks. Well there goes that theory of mine.
 

ReefHomieJon

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Test your nitrates and phosphates. Just test and see your exact numbers. That’s your starting point. If your levels are where they’re supposed to be despite it “not being able to grow” then y stress over it? Your system design is obviously performing how you want right? And maybe it’s not growing but if your nitrates and phosphates are in check then it must still be doing it’s job. And obviously as long as you have stable parameters with nitrates and phosphates not going CRAZY then y not get acros? Nitrates stable at around 5ppm and phosphates not above .1ppm and stable then all you need is good flow first and foremost and good lighting and acros will grow.
Btw, what a weird problem lol all your corals are growing but not your ALGAE of all things lol even with a heavy bioload. I started with a little ball and it grows like crazy. I don’t even turn my refugium light off anymore cuz I want it to always grow. And it grows non stop. I noticed when I used to turn it on only for 8-12 hrs a day that my phosphates started to rise but now they stay in check
 
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