Someone sleuth with me

Rjmul · Jan 19, 2022

75 gallon display 20 gallon frag.

I dose kalk (gallon a day)
All for reef 54 mil a day
Acro power 4ish mil a day
Bacto balance 1ml a day.

Basically this all started when I started using bacto balance.

tank is basically healthy, but my chaeto looks like ****

what's going on here ?

chaeto is lit by a regular ai prime all channels at 40isb percent. About 100 par (I'd have to check again don't quote me on that par) chaeto was good since day 1. Couple months ago, this weird film started.
I don't run UV. I don't run carbon.

600 gph going through the sump

this system is 9 months old. The rock has been live in my possession for 3 years

fishguy242 · Jan 20, 2022

hi, tank looks great...

don't have an answer for ya',
i see mag little low, alk ?? i prefer 8-9 ,but, look at your tank...

do know someone who can nail this down for ya' in the morning.
@Eagle_Steve

Spare time · Jan 20, 2022

You might not have enough nitrate. What test kit do you use ?

Also, all for reef does not contain potassium, which is something that macroalgae can use (I believe my chaeto and pom pom are the main drains of it in my tank)

Rjmul · Jan 20, 2022

Spare time said:
You might not have enough nitrate. What test kit do you use ?

Also, all for reef does not contain potassium, which is something that macroalgae can use (I believe my chaeto and pom pom are the main drains of it in my tank)

Nyos. There's some nitrate. I'm pretty confident in that test. I'll have to look into this potassium thing

Spare time · Jan 20, 2022

Rjmul said:
Nyos. There's some nitrate. I'm pretty confident in that test. I'll have to look into this potassium thing

Salifert makes an easy to use potassium kit if you are interested

dvgyfresh · Jan 20, 2022

I am gonna go with not enough nitrate / nutrients for the chaeto. Your tank is super nice and happily takes all majority of nutrients. Also I believe all for reef has a small carbon dosing element to it which could further be taking away nutrients from the chaeto

Rjmul · Jan 20, 2022

dvgyfresh said:
I am gonna go with not enough nitrate / nutrients for the chaeto. Your tank is super nice and happily takes all majority of nutrients. Also I believe all for reef has a small carbon dosing element to it which could further be taking away nutrients from the chaeto

I've heard the same thing about the carbon dosing in the all for reef. I actually talked to Lou about this chaeto issue, and brought that up. He said it's really a non factor. He says if anything it's the trace elements helping the corals grow which in turn pull out nutrients. I am however using their bacto balance which straight up is carbon dosing, but not in the same way bio pelleted or nopox works.

I wasn't able to send Lou a picture in an email for one reason or another, so if you're out there @Lou Ekus, this is what I was talking about.

Rjmul · Jan 20, 2022

Spare time said:
Salifert makes an easy to use potassium kit if you are interested

That's the test kit I was leaning towards.

Rjmul · Jan 24, 2022

Rjmul said:
That's the test kit I was leaning towards.

Potassium is at 390.

Rjmul · Jan 24, 2022

Paging @Eagle_Steve. I hear you're smart. Fish guy talked you up

Eagle_Steve · Jan 24, 2022

Rjmul said:
Paging @Eagle_Steve. I hear you're smart. Fish guy talked you up

Almost looks like it is not getting enough iron or other trace element. Mine got like that a while back and I started dosing cheatogro. It recovered for the most part, but had to trash a bunch to get to the healthy stuff. Being as I dose it regularly on my macro tank, I should have known to dose it to the other tank lol. When you pull out 5 gallons a week, do not do WCs and dose more stuff for the corals instead, some things start lacking that the cheato needs.

I will say this, witht he tank looking that good. I would almost go with graciliria, as fast growing cheato can bottom out your nutrients quickly. Graciliria grows slower and does not consume as much as quick.

You could then use what is pulled out for nutrient recycling, as those herbivores in there would love some red ogo.

Rjmul · Jan 24, 2022

Eagle_Steve said:
Almost looks like it is not getting enough iron or other trace element. Mine got like that a while back and I started dosing cheatogro. It recovered for the most part, but had to trash a bunch to get to the healthy stuff. Being as I dose it regularly on my macro tank, I should have known to dose it to the other tank lol. When you pull out 5 gallons a week, do not do WCs and dose more stuff for the corals instead, some things start lacking that the cheato needs.

I will say this, witht he tank looking that good. I would almost go with graciliria, as fast growing cheato can bottom out your nutrients quickly. Graciliria grows slower and does not consume as much as quick.

You could then use what is pulled out for nutrient recycling, as those herbivores in there would love some red ogo.

Thanks. Good info. I use all for reef and have never done an icp. Maybe it's time.