How to acclimate Chaetomorpha and other algae to Kessil H380?

cakebaker13

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Does anyone have any experience with acclimating new chaetomorpha or red macro algae to new lights? I just got a Kessil H380 and one chaeto and red macro and didn't want to harm them. The first batch of chaeto I had used died, though I am not certain of the cause. (I just hope it wasn't the lighting.)
 

hart24601

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The only thing to watch for is to make sure the chaeto doesn't get too hot. I have an h380, no need to acclimate, but if you don't mount it 12" up or so when the chaeto floats it will get too hot unless there is a lot of flow. I originally put the light around 6" off the waterline (or less) due to space issues, that kessil with 95W of directed power puts out a lot of heat.

The chaeto turned white from cooking. I arranged the sump better and have it 12" away (still 1500 PAR), and no issues now, macro growing like mad.

Of course when you run out of nutrients it will start dying off.
 

Oberst Oswald

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I experience the same as hart24601 with mine. What I do is float a Pyrex bowl under the light beam to defuse the center hot spot. Chaeto and floating plants will quickly grow around the bowl and hold it in place in a short time if there is enough nutrients. The supermarket baking section has a stack of these bowls in 4 sizes to suit your needs.
 

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