Chaeto turning brown!

[ReefGirl87]

Hello,
Needing some input here... I ordered the macroalgae reactor from poisedon reef a couple weeks ago as I had an Issue with GHA that caused me to have to pull all my rock and scrub the algae off and put back in. Now the GHA is gone and I’m finally getting nitrate and phosphate readings. (Yay!) Fast forward to yesterday, I looked in the reactor only to find the top of my chaeto brown and slimy. I unhooked the reactor so I could get the chaeto out and I picked it up and it was it’s normal green color underneath. What could cause this? I thought maybe it was a high intensity light issue so I ordered a dimmer, but Poisedon claims there is no need for a dimmer and it just may be a lack of nutrients in my tank needed to grow it. So I guess my question is what nutrient specifically is needed to grow chaeto? I tested my water a few nights ago and everything looked great! Also, my corals have never looked so healthy! LPS/SPA/Softies, a little bit of everything. TIA for any help!

 

[MCatano]

Hello,
Needing some input here... I ordered the macroalgae reactor from poisedon reef a couple weeks ago as I had an Issue with GHA that caused me to have to pull all my rock and scrub the algae off and put back in. Now the GHA is gone and I’m finally getting nitrate and phosphate readings. (Yay!) Fast forward to yesterday, I looked in the reactor only to find the top of my chaeto brown and slimy. I unhooked the reactor so I could get the chaeto out and I picked it up and it was it’s normal green color underneath. What could cause this? I thought maybe it was a high intensity light issue so I ordered a dimmer, but Poisedon claims there is no need for a dimmer and it just may be a lack of nutrients in my tank needed to grow it. So I guess my question is what nutrient specifically is needed to grow chaeto? I tested my water a few nights ago and everything looked great! Also, my corals have never looked so healthy! LPS/SPA/Softies, a little bit of everything. TIA for any help!

If you're barely getting PO4 and NO3 then you maybe starving/killing your Chaeto. Or to much light? I run my Refugium light at night when my regular lights are off.

 

[saltybees]

Is there any flow on the top part of the chaeto? I’d just trim the brown off and toss it. It grows with nitrates and phos.

 

[ReefGirl87]

If you're barely getting PO4 and NO3 then you maybe starving/killing your Chaeto. Or to much light? I run my Refugium light at night when my regular lights are off.

Too much light is what I thought, but the light is plugged into the power supply so it stays on all the time. Idk if you are familiar with the poisedon reef systems or not... it’s a band that is fixed to the jar with led lights on the inside of the band. Poisedon says to leave it on all the time. Idk what to do with it. Maybe feed more to get those levels up. My nitrates are at 7 and my phosphates are at 0.03

 

[ReefGirl87]

Is there any flow on the top part of the chaeto? I’d just trim the brown off and toss it. It grows with nitrates and phos.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Connect the power for it to a timer. You can get them at any big box stores. Basically the same timer people use for Christmas lights to come on at night.

 

[saltybees]

Oh ya. probably just need a timer plug like Steve said maybe just getting bleached

 

[jmichaelh7]

if its turning white too much light, if its brown then ?..