Chaeto not growing

[anthonygf]

Not saying iron was no help. Found it strange to have a reaction with PO4. I think maybe because the cheato was able to consume more PO4 with addition of iron.

 

[scubaboy]

Par needs to increase.
Get a stronger light and make sure the chaeto is near the surface, it does not need to tumble.

That was actually a question I was also going to ask, if the 15 watt H80 was enough par for it. It is set on "Grow" which is what BRS video review recommended. I don't have a meter, need to try the Photone app that I downloaded a couple of weeks ago. But I have a Skimz UP39 sump and my refugium cubicle is only like 8" x 14". That's why I went small on the fixture. Maybe that's another issue I need to address.

Thanks!

 

[scubaboy]

I keep my PO4 at about .05ppm by daily dosing PO4. NO3 at 5ppm and I dose 5 ml Ferrion daily for my 200 gal reef tank and magic happen after a week of dosing.

I will try that

 

[Pistondog]

The stronger the light, the more dosing on PO2, NO3 and Fe need to put into the water to keep up with the grow otherwise they are going to melt and died unless you keep overfeed and have lot of fish in your tank

Not in my experience. Plants are very efficient at nutrient uptake even at unmeasurable levels. The op has no measurable nutrients since the algae in the dt is uptaking them. He needs a better light to help the cheato outcompete the dt algae.
The only thing depleted in my tank was from harvesting chaeto, which also uses iodine.

 

[anthonygf]

I have the Aqua Gadget CheatoMax Refugium LED and has no white light. Works well for me.

 

[Pistondog]

That was actually a question I was also going to ask, if the 15 watt H80 was enough par for it. It is set on "Grow" which is what BRS video review recommended. I don't have a meter, need to try the Photone app that I downloaded a couple of weeks ago. But I have a Skimz UP39 sump and my refugium cubicle is only like 8" x 14". That's why I went small on the fixture. Maybe that's another issue I need to address.

Thanks!

Do not dose nutrients or iron as they are already in your tank. Try a better light for 30 bucks and don't over think it. The nutrient levels in the ocean are much lower than our tanks where these algaes evolved.
I have live rock in the fuge with a 2 inch bed of chaeto on top, harvest 1/2 every 3 weeks.

 

[scubaboy]

Thank you everyone for your reply's!