I’ve been trying to grow chaeto for a couple of months. I have had to try a new batch three different times so far and it may look like I will need to start a new batch again. I just can’t get chaeto to grow at all. I thought at first my lighting was not enough so along with a 6500k led clip light I added a small red blue hydroponic light. That did not help so I thought possibly I had too much light and kept with the 6500k led light figuring it may not be optimal but some growth should at least happen. Nutrition was never an issue for the algae as well. My nitrates are always 10-30 (I am running them high right now to assist the algae and also because I have no corals currently), and phosphates are also relatively high. I also read that flow may be an issue, so I installed a small pump that allows the chaeto to tumble. That did not help, so I also researched that dosing iron can help. I began dosing iron, but just like all the other tactics I tried my chaeto just slowly turns patchy white. I would start with thorough deep green thick chaeto, and over time it seems to become slightly more fragile, pale, and “stripped white” or “stripped pale”. Hair algae, diatoms, and various other algae’s have no problem growing in my refugium, but not chaeto. I will include picture what I mean about the patchy white chaeto that’s more pale. I guess I am not sure what to do to grow chaeto successfully. I am not sure if there are some full proof methods that I am just missing or what but I am getting to my wits end on trying to grow this algae. There has to be something I am doing wrong.
A couple side notes is that I am also using tap water. It is obviously dechlorinated and I almost guarantee it has no harmful chemicals that would hurt chaeto, but I guess that is an option. The water is well water and I have used it for freshwater planted tanks and ornamental shrimp. I plan on getting ro/di unit over the summer and especially before any corals go into the system. I just figured I at least could get algae growing in the mean time. The other weird side note is that once the algae starts going that patchy white and pale, when I pull it out of the water it does not smell like it is rotting. It smells actually really sweet. I am still extremely new to reef tanks and this tank has only been setup for 3 months, so I am not sure what information is the most helpful for everyone.
A couple side notes is that I am also using tap water. It is obviously dechlorinated and I almost guarantee it has no harmful chemicals that would hurt chaeto, but I guess that is an option. The water is well water and I have used it for freshwater planted tanks and ornamental shrimp. I plan on getting ro/di unit over the summer and especially before any corals go into the system. I just figured I at least could get algae growing in the mean time. The other weird side note is that once the algae starts going that patchy white and pale, when I pull it out of the water it does not smell like it is rotting. It smells actually really sweet. I am still extremely new to reef tanks and this tank has only been setup for 3 months, so I am not sure what information is the most helpful for everyone.
