GRACILARIA HAYI - need tips- slow grower

Leko · Sep 17, 2023

Growing this in my sump under a compact florescent bulb from HD (6k ish). Slow grower.

Any tips? Add Iron for faster growth? Different light?

Side note : I put some in my display (I only run blue spectrum ) and it started to fade under the blue lights.

Thanks in advance,

Spare time · Sep 17, 2023

I'd get a better light, list what you dose, and list nitrate and phosphate numbers.

Leko · Sep 17, 2023

Thanks for the help.

I have no fish, so I "feed" the tank ground krill from time to time - moving the nitrates up. I only dose kalk and adjust with 2 part if needed. I mix a 5g bucket with only 1tsp per gallon of kalk and 5mils of vinegar - thats my top off. I have a few plating monti's and birdnest frags (new 75gal) . PH is 8.3-8.4 ,Ca400,MG1350,Alk 9-10,nitrates are <5ppm Phos .06

Is there a specific light spectrum I need for red macro? I know I grew chaeto like crazy using the same bulb on my old tank.

thanks again.

PokeFish · Sep 17, 2023

Leko said:
Growing this in my sump under a compact florescent bulb from HD (6k ish). Slow grower.

Any tips? Add Iron for faster growth? Different light?

Side note : I put some in my display (I only run blue spectrum ) and it started to fade under the blue lights.

Thanks in advance,

I found that chaeto gro helps with macro algae…
But red macros are slow growers in general
As long as it’s growing, it’s a win to me

Spare time · Sep 17, 2023

Leko said:
Thanks for the help.

I have no fish, so I "feed" the tank ground krill from time to time - moving the nitrates up. I only dose kalk and adjust with 2 part if needed. I mix a 5g bucket with only 1tsp per gallon of kalk and 5mils of vinegar - thats my top off. I have a few plating monti's and birdnest frags (new 75gal) . PH is 8.3-8.4 ,Ca400,MG1350,Alk 9-10,nitrates are <5ppm Phos .06

Is there a specific light spectrum I need for red macro? I know I grew chaeto like crazy using the same bulb on my old tank.

thanks again.

You may want to consider dosing aminos or ammonium chloride (or nitrate). It may simply be that there is too little available forms of nitrogen.